However in the days since the announcement, and with all the arguments that have raged, I have become disappointed with those deputies who have not yet said they will give up dual nationality.

Because of this, I think they might not have the political sense and sensitivity that is needed for these jobs.

It is common sense that any top government officials must only be loyal to one country and hence it is unimaginable for such senior posts to be given to individuals with dual nationality. What is wrong with the government? The administration and the new undersecretaries must both be blamed for this ridiculous saga. I can only assume that they were told beforehand they would not have to give up their foreign passports.

The government has misjudged the whole situation and shown itself on this issue to be politically insensitive.

Those deputy ministers who thought they could hang on to dual nationality were naive.

They should have used their common sense on this matter. This is a system that lacks accountability.

H. C. Bee, Kowloon Tong

Time to accept dual nationality

Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was reported as saying it was 'acceptable for appointees to hold dual nationality' ('Tsang firm on aides' pay, citizenship', June 1).

But how can this be possible when the central government does not recognise dual nationality?

Under the law, it is not possible to be a Chinese national and a national of another country.

It is common knowledge that there are some two to three million Hong Kong permanent residents who are foreign nationals and also hold Hong Kong passports.

This surely puts them in breach of Chinese nationality laws.

The problem arises because many Hong Kong permanent residents with Hong Kong passports do not declare their foreign nationality when they return to the city.

This leaves China no option but to treat them as Chinese nationals.

In turn, the Hong Kong authorities have no option but to issue them a Hong Kong passport if they apply for one.

The ultimate solution to the problem must be for a change to be implemented in the Chinese nationality laws to allow dual nationality.

P. K. Lee, Tung Chung

Underground option for roads

Temporary reclamation for the Central-Wan Chai bypass was required for the road to run below the seabed, across the former cargo-handling basin and Causeway Bay typhoon shelter. A better option is for the road to run just below ground level, mostly on land reclaimed along the existing shoreline, but also cutting corners by going underneath the existing Hung Hing Road sewage facilities and Cross-Harbour Tunnel access ramp.

Such reclamation would only be as wide as the road itself with, say, steel casing and extra concrete protection on the seaward side. Above ground would be the waterfront promenade and marine-related amenities slated for the Wan Chai waterfront. Since the High Court ruling against temporary reclamation would not apply, work on the bypass and the Sha Tin-Central rail link could proceed as scheduled.

Longer term, the Island Eastern Corridor should be reprovisioned underground using the same methods. The island eastern harbourfront would be rejuvenated. Air quality would also improve as scrubber systems removed most of the pollutants from vehicle exhausts.

More major roads should run underground starting with P2, the planned 40-metre-wide highway that would make it difficult to walk to the new Central waterfront.

Higher construction costs would be offset by the value of surface land released and by improvements to air quality, noise level, urban landscape and pedestrian accessibility.

For instance, in Central and Wan Chai, on completion of the bypass and P2, Connaught, Harcourt and Gloucester roads could go underground resulting in a more amenable harbourfront.

James Lee, Kowloon Tong

Strange take on Chinese history

In his Monitor column ('Regina's elite can't claim accolades for China's growth', May 27) Jake van der Kamp takes a dogmatic view of Chinese history. While acknowledging China's achievements in the past 30 years, he accused it of being a developmental laggard over the 300 years before then. However in the mid-18th century, China accounted for a third of the world's output.

He talked of the strong foreign influence during those years. But when Lord McCartney, British foreign emissary, called on Emperor Qianlong in the late 18th century seeking free trade with China, he was rejected on the grounds China had no need for trade with foreigners. It is well known that China did not open up to foreign trade until Britain prised the door open with 'gunboat diplomacy' in 1840.

I also think it is an oversimplification to say that China's rulers over the last 25 years enabled the wealth-creation process to take place by 'not involving themselves directly in the wealth-creating process'.

Marina Leung, Repulse Bay

Cathay ads send wrong message

I wonder whether Cathay Pacific values its female passengers or is it now targeting only the travelling male?

As a frequent business-class traveller with many airlines I was aghast to see that the new Cathay Pacific adverts feature three women - two serving a male first-class passenger and the third in the economy seat. Aside from the connotations of two young, female stewardesses pandering to a male passenger, I wonder why the ad agency and Cathay assumed the only place for women on a plane is in economy class or serving male passengers.

Clearly someone has pointed out the issue because, belatedly, Cathay has replaced some of the first-class ads with one featuring a female passenger, although sitting with the aforementioned man. Too little, too late I am afraid.

Singapore Airlines' latest campaign is much more balanced, featuring women in every class. I will be flying with an airline which values my custom as a female business-class passenger in the future.

Alice Page, Pok Fu Lam

Positive sign

As a Marco Polo club diamond-card holder, a frequent flyer and a woman, I was heartened to see that Cathay Pacific has a record number of women training to be pilots ('Air hostess fulfils dream to train as a pilot', June 2).

Prior to this, one could have been forgiven for thinking, based on their current advertising campaign, that Cathay prefers to keep women at the back of the plane.

C. Pache, Stanley