Political Animal
Colourful explanation of a green stance
Given the Civic Party's efforts to present itself as environmentally conscious, with its 'Green New Deal' policies and advocacy of a tree-protection law, some would-be voters might be confused to hear its chairman, Kuan Hsin-chi, go to some lengths to explain why it is not a green party. In a detailed historical account and analysis of green party ideology, Professor Kuan explains that such parties subscribe to 'ecological priority to guide all public policies'. By contrast the Civic Party, despite embracing the environmental movement, has a fundamental position 'based on the man'. In case you don't follow, he says they see this not as 'egoistic', but rather as 'man with a sense of justice that encompasses inter-generational and ecological justice, too'. He also notes his party has no stance on the principle of non-violence in the international arena. Still puzzled? You can read more on the Civic Party website. But resist temptations to print out the 1,500-word treatise to better study it. That would not be very green at all.
Both sides fall victim in battle of the sexes
In modern Hong Kong, are men or women more likely to fall victim to discrimination? The answer, according to the Beijing-friendly camp, appears to be 'both'. Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing yesterday led members of men's groups to meet Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung. Among a long list of men's woes, Mr Wong said it was unfair for the law to punish men who had sex with under-age girls while considering the girls innocent. Divorced men were also discriminated against for child custody and occupancy in public housing, he argued. Meanwhile, women from Mr Wong's Beijing-friendly ally, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, complained about mounting cases of women having snapshots taken under their skirts in public places. The party's women's committee will announce a list of such 'black spots' in the city today. That could be unwise ladies; it might give those nasty men ideas.
Chief's actions leave the spin doctors reeling
Having cops in the family might help boost one's image and deter bullies in the playground, but if you're chief executive it's better not to brag about it, as Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has found to his cost. Mr Tsang's listing of his ties to the force, including a father, brother - a former police commissioner - and other relatives, while trying to dissuade disgruntled officers from marching for better pay, has backfired. Apart from upsetting police unions, who see it as the worst kind of political spin, he has also upset unions in other disciplined services who did not get any such reassurance from him. 'We are not relatives of Mr Tsang,' Chiu Sin-chung, chairman of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department Staff General Association, said yesterday. That, together with another recent public relations setback, where Mr Tsang was accused of jumping in to spearhead plans for drug tests in schools before thorough consultation, has given his spin doctors something to think about.
Is Philip Wong on the way out?
Speculation on whether veteran lawmaker Philip Wong Yu-hong, who represents the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in the legislature, is to be given the finger by his backers has surfaced again. Yesterday, chamber chairman Jonathan Choi Koon-shum said whether Mr Wong - famed for his one-finger salute to protesters in 2003 - should be replaced would be discussed. 'Although we still don't have any specific candidates, we have lots of very able people, both experienced and patriotic, to choose from.' One of them, Mr Wong no doubt hopes, being him.
