Lai See
where do we go from here? Answers are on the webb
Perhaps what Hong Kong politics needs is creativity.
Lai See was glad to see that Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, destined to serve five more years, nevertheless chose to hold a talk show with candidate Alan Leong Kah-kit.
Mr Tsang has also come up with a creative campaign form that the public can download and submit with their own opinions. (http://www.donald-tsang.com)
The form has questions that are all too familiar to Lai See because they reflect exactly what is taught at journalism school - the famous 5W (What, who, where, when and why) and 1H (how).
Here is a handwritten and very creative feedback from one respondent who chose to go by the name 'Sir Donald':
Question: Are we there? Answer: You really have to ask?
Q: Where are we? A: Policy paralysis
Q: Why are we there? A: No electoral mandate
Q: Where can we be? A: Democratically elected
Q: How to get there? A: Universal suffrage
For details, check into http://www.npc.hk/DonaldsDoodles.pdf. This website is owned by David Webb, also a democracy activist who registered a website www.npc.hk that hopes to get voices from Hong Kong to the National People's Congress in time for its annual general meeting in Beijing next week.
when regulators rate
Who says the people's voices can't be heard in the mainland?
A Xinhua-run financial portal, www.cnstock.com, ran an online survey '2007 NPC: What do you care?' asking online users to state their concerns on the stock market, property market, tax, social security, medical and environmental issues.
In response to part of the survey, China Securities Regulatory Commission chairman Shang Fulin was ranked No1 person in the NPC with 12,000 votes so far, followed by State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission chairman Li Rongrong. Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan ranked third.
casino chief goes whale fishing
When US casino developer Sheldon Adelson (below) decided he needed ferries to bring more punters to his US$2.3 billion Venetian Macau casino resort, he tapped his Asia chief, Stephen Weaver, to fish around for potential shipbuilders.
In response Mr Weaver, a native Australian, recently placed an order with an Australian company for 10 high-speed vessels. 'That's not a conflict of interest,' Mr Adelson joked at a press conference this week in Macau.
'[Stephen] is a fisherman, he likes to go out fishing,' Mr Adelson said. 'So I told him: 'Instead of fishing for fish, go out and fish for players.' We like to catch whales, he only likes to catch little sea bass.'
headstrong market goes its own way
The Hang Seng Index reversed its downward trend yesterday despite Mr Tsang's warning that the market may fall after the debate.
The warning came after Mr Leong wrongly suggested Hong Kong had HK$900 billion foreign reserves but no budget surplus.
'I hope analysts are not listening to this,' said Mr Tsang. 'The stock market has been tumbling, and your words do worry me.'
The HSI was up 0.49 per cent after on Tuesday suffering its worst loss since September 11, 2001.
taking the up escalator
Ensuring Hong Kong's two most successful shopping malls keep their position in a competitive environment must be tough - and rewarding if you get it right. How much of a reward? About HK$10,000 per day.
Wharf (Holdings) yesterday promoted Doreen Lee Yuk-fong (left), who ran Times Square and Harbour City, to executive director with a basic salary package of HK$3.65 million plus an undisclosed discretionary bonus. That is more than HK$1 million above her basic package of HK$2.2 million in 2005, which grew to HK$5.21 million with bonuses.