Insensitive? Callous would be a better word. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying insists he will press ahead with his ultimatum for the Philippines to kowtow over the hostage tragedy or face trade sanctions. Slapping sanctions for the killing of eight Hongkongers by a madman when the country has more than 10,000 dead from the worst typhoon ever? Maybe Leung is really not that callous. Maybe he just fears a backdown would make him look weak. Hong Kong's vengeance dressed as justice is furthest from President Benigno Aquino's mind as he deals with the devastation. Now is a good time for Hongkongers to show compassion by bringing closure to the hostage tragedy.
So much has been said about television licences that we are all lost in a fog of truths, half-truths and lies. Opposition politicians further fanned public outrage when the Communications Authority accused the government of ignoring its advice to issue three licences. Public Eye visited the authority's website. It states: "The Chief Executive in Council may, after considering recommendations made by the Communications Authority, grant a licence to provide a domestic free television programme service subject to such conditions as he thinks fit …" That is as clear as it gets. The authority's conditions for a licence state: "This guidance note does not bind the Chief Executive in Council and/or the Communications Authority to consider any application or to grant any licence …" It makes clear neither Exco nor the authority is liable for losses incurred by applicants who follow the guide. This means Ricky Wong Wai-kay should blame himself for investing millions before even getting a licence. It also means the top government official, said to be then commerce secretary Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan, who promised Wong a licence if he met all the conditions had no right to do so. Exco's decision went against public opinion but it did play by the rules.
