Our two guests from New York stood with a small, happy crowd of tourists on the Lippo footbridge at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day, waiting in vain for harbour fireworks. Everyone on the footbridge was excited - even first-time visitors knew about the incredible fireworks displays put on during Chinese New Year and the 1997 handover ceremonies.
They waited for 10 minutes but nothing happened. Our guests then trudged back to their hotel in disappointment to watch Beijing's exuberant fireworks display on television.
If there were any announcements made that the Happy Valley event was the official millennium attraction, they were all too few or too late. By the time we found out about it, all tickets were sold out.
We want so much to prove that we are an 'international' destination by trumpeting our Silicon Harbour and Disneyland. Never mind the local workforce's appalling level of English skills and how improving such skills is not a priority for the SAR Government.
By marking the millennium in this manner, Hong Kong again showed its uncanny brilliance in alienating the very people it needs in order to be a truly international city.
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