I refer to the report ("Exco has lost its colonial glory, says Legco chief", May 27). I agree with Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing that the Executive Council's authority and status have diminished in the past decade, and many see it as little more than a rubber stamp.
However, Exco is not the only Hong Kong institution that has lost its mojo when compared to the colonial era. As Paul Zimmerman rightly points out in Lai See ("Sign up to save the government from another political blunder", May 28), government departments now routinely "battle" to avoid management responsibility.
This contrasts with former times when departments would vie to gain more decision-making power and authority.
Initiative and integrity have been replaced by inertia and insincerity, and this became pervasive throughout the civil service during Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's two terms as Hong Kong's chief executive.
This malaise has also spread to the private sector. As an example, HSBC is but a shadow of the prudent stalwart that stood behind Hong Kong 20 years ago.
I doubt that at that time Jake van der Kamp could have written the column ("Mr Gullible presents a distorted picture", May 28) which takes to task both HSBC's current chairman and chief executive for naivety in their assessment of China.