The lawmaking process may be smoother for the government in a Legislative Council chamber lacking 19 pan-democratic members , but establishment members and their supporters now enjoy far greater freedom to criticise government policy, with the obligation to close ranks against the pan-democrats having been conveniently removed. And such criticism should be reasoned and effective, rather than the juvenile antics of the pan-democrats, with their focus on slogans at the expense of constructive development of public policy. Unwelcome though this may be for the government, for the rest of us it would be a welcome relief. The recent announcement that the proposed East Kowloon monorail link would be abandoned after HK$92 million and 11 years spent studying the project, hints at government incompetence and a squandering of public resources. Transport experts urge Hong Kong government to rethink scrapping Kai Tak monorail The lurking suspicion that the cancellation has been prompted by a desire to focus resources on the chief executive’s pet project, Lantau Tomorrow Vision , is a cause for alarm. Former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt once said that people with visions should go to the doctor. A vast political project created at public expense with a grand and distant goal – with the first residents projected to move in by 2033 at the earliest, according to initial proposals – needs to be greeted with suspicion and rigorous investigation . What’s left of Legco must show it can work for city’s wider interests Echoing the government’s own words in respect of the monorail, are there other ways to meet policy goals, in this case the pressing need for public housing? A particular concern must be the estimated cost of HK$624 billion. Most major civil engineering projects are delivered after significant delays and a doubling of costs. Government policies everywhere benefit from probing questions and expert review. In Legco, this vital role now falls to the pro-establishment camp, freed from pan-democratic theatrics. In doing so, they should remember to beware of politicians with visions. David Hall, Mid-Levels