I fully support the views of David Akers-Jones in his article 'Opening the door to talent' (August 13).
Hong Kong would not be what it is today without the immigrants of the 1950s and 1960s from the mainland. The talented people among that group of immigrants are now mostly over 70.
What we need is a new wave of talented people from the mainland to immigrate here. This new group should not only be businesspeople and entrepreneurs, but talented professional people in every vocation, especially those with internationally recognised qualifications. A points system similar to those used by New Zealand, Australia and Canada, as suggested by Sir David, is the way to go. Maximum points should be given to those with professional qualifications. They should be issued a work visa not just to find work, but so they can be self-employed, too.
Among lawmakers, there are still many who have a 'fortress Hong Kong' mentality. They do understand, however, that talented people will help the economy. Instead of saying to their electorate, 'I will keep outsiders out so that your jobs will be protected,' they should say, 'Let's bring in talented people who will create more jobs for you.'
ALEX WOO, Tsim Sha Tsui
Bird flu may spread
The map accompanying the article 'Chickens culled in Tibet amid flu scare' (August 12) is inaccurate in how it depicts the route of migratory birds breeding at Qinghai Lake and can be seen as sensationalising the issue.
