Mr Tsang displayed arrogance and he showed that he was unable to view an issue from different perspectives.

He attempted to dilute the importance of June 4, by saying we should celebrate the economic success that the mainland has enjoyed.

He said: 'My view represents the opinion of Hong Kong people in general' and later apologised in the form of a statement, presumably after consulting his advisers.

However, the statement that he gave did not really clarify matters.

Nor did I feel that his apology was heartfelt. I see this as another bad mistake on the part of our chief executive.

The next time Mr Tsang wants to apologise for comments he has made he should do so with courage and admit when he has been arrogant.

Hong Kong is in desperate need of some real leadership.

H. C. Bee, Kowloon Tong

Common law flaws ignored

I refer to Frank Ching's Observer column ('Rule of law is something we must cherish', May 5).

Ching says that Hong Kong's strengths are based on 'the same fundamental values that underlie all common-law systems' such as 'the rule of law, an independent judiciary and an independent legal profession - as well as respect for human rights and the dignity of the individual'. He says that 'these are strengths that Shanghai, no matter what it does, is unlikely to acquire'.

This dogmatic accolade for common law misleads with its plethora of woolly concepts and simplistic presumptions.

Why, despite various rights and independence - common law's allegedly exclusive goodies which supposedly promote economic prowess - did the financial tsunami originate in the US, the leading common-law country?

Why, despite the blessing of a common-law system, does Hong Kong have to rely on a succession of assistance measures from the mainland to bale it out from economic downturns triggered by institutions operating under common-law jurisdiction?

Speaking recently in Hong Kong on the common law, Lord Woolf, a top British jurist, observed that the 'concepts, interests and values', which are often alleged to set 'a common law system of justice apart from other systems', can be found 'in the majority of other legal systems'.

He noted that for the protection of judicial independence, the European Court disallows dissenting decisions and keeps its decision process anonymous, whereas common law courts work differently, implying that there are different ways to conceptualise and achieve the same ideal.

Lord Woolf rightly observed that it is 'judges who determine the quality of the system and how well it functions'.

Common law is also known as judge-made law. Overplaying the rule of law and judicial independence can but increase the risk of improper judicial activism.

For Hong Kong, the learned jurist advised that judges 'have to work in co-operation and partnership with our respective governments' and 'to earn the support of the public'.

He envisaged that for 'a nation as important and as large as' China , which has two legal systems, 'it is of great importance that each system enriches the other'.

The ways to administer justice and to achieve economic successes are various and not as simplistic as Ching has dogmatically conceived.

Rosanna Yam, Mid-Levels

Simple ways to avoid piracy

I am glad there has been a substantial decline in the use of pirated personal computer software in Hong Kong. To ensure an even larger reduction in the piracy rate, the government could encourage the use of freeware in schools. It is a form of free-of-charge software available for educational purposes.

For example, the Education Bureau could encourage computer class teachers to teach a form of freeware called OpenOffice, which functions much the same way as Microsoft Office. It would discourage students who cannot afford to buy the genuine software from purchasing pirated software or downloading from the internet.

I think most Hong Kong people would give up using illicit software if they could find legally free substitutes.

Wong Pui-lam, Kwun Tong

Junta must free Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi was due to be released from detention and house arrest next Wednesday.

Her arrest on May 6 on specious charges of subversion is simply a pretext by the unlawful Burmese government to extend her detention well past the country's elections in 2010.

As women and as writers and artists who deeply value and depend upon the basic human rights of freedom of expression and association, we would like to add our voice to the many thousands around the world who have protested against Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest.

We demand that she be freed immediately and unconditionally, along with her doctor and the 2,000 plus other political prisoners in Burma.

Sarah Brennan, Philippa Young, Ellen McNally, Karmel Schreyer and 31 other concerned women writers and artists

How to tackle drug problem

Drug abuse is a serious problem among teenagers in Hong Kong. Some of them harbour serious misconceptions.

They think that it is okay to experiment with illegal drugs and that there is no danger of them getting addicted.

It is important for schools to get the message across that this is not the case and to make teenagers appreciate the destructive effect of drugs.

Some young people use drugs as a means to escape from the problems they face, for example, difficulties in their studies or at home.

Sometimes parents' expectations are too high and some teens give in to peer pressure.

Parents should realise the sort of pressure young people face nowadays and try to listen more to their children.

The government must take this drug problem seriously and do its best to address it.

Kitty Leung, Kowloon Tong

Fight infection

Hong Kong is a good deal cleaner than many major cities in the world, but, as your editorial points out ('Time to forge a lasting legacy of cleanliness', May 11) there should be no complacency.

There are still squalid corners here, as there are in most urban areas worldwide.

As a regular visitor to Hong Kong, I notice one further thing that I find alarming - the number of people who do not wash their hands after using toilet facilities.

These are often restaurant workers or people working in food shops.

There is surely a risk of spreading infections through this lack of hygiene.

Please, Hongkongers, wash your hands after you use the toilet.

Christopher Moore, London