I can quite understand that K.K Ho (South China Morning Post, July 3) might have been confused by the abridged version of my letter that appeared in the Post on July 1.
To clarify, the letter from M.W.K. Wong (Post, June 12) to which I responded, expressed concern about Tung Chee-hwa's repeated personal assurances on protecting Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms. His point, I believe, being that personal assurances of protection should not be necessary if adequate political, government and legal rights and freedoms are in place, together with the appropriate checks and balances.
I am not sure what the past 156 years, to which K.K. Ho refers, has to do with this question and am equally baffled by his reference to President Kennedy.
Thankfully the era of colonial rule is behind us (I just hope that the baby does not get thrown out with the bathwater) and I look forward to a time when all Hong Kong people, not just a selected elite, will be allowed to contribute equally to the future development of the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
I neither expect nor desire a guarantee from Mr Tung on Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms, rather I would like to see him defending those laws and institutions which attempt to safeguard them.
JILL TAYLOR Ap Lei Chau I visited Hong Kong in March and really fell in love with this city. Never before had I seen such an interesting place. Since then, I read the South China Morning Post regularly on the Internet.
