From the lacklustre government budget, something stands out: sudden official interest in electric cars. As head of a new committee, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah will personally work to promote the green vehicles. This may be a herculean task: the city now has a whopping 31 private electric cars out of more than 400,000 registered vehicles on the streets.

After delivering the budget, Mr Tsang made a great show with his ministerial colleagues of leaving behind their official - but environmentally incorrect - vehicles to walk back to their government offices. It was an admirable example to set for the public. Imagine, these top government honchos had to leave behind the comfort of their air-con, leather-seated luxury Volkswagens to walk two blocks to their offices. What a sacrifice!

The problem was that the ministers initially arrived at the legislative chamber in their cars. So their chauffeurs still had to drive the cars back to the government offices.