There were very many people before 1997 who predicted the same as Mr Lee Faulkner (“ Hong Kong has only a past, no future ”, January 22). Indeed, very many left Hong Kong for the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia at the time. Luckily things back home didn’t follow their predictions – quite the opposite, in fact, and a fair number of those who had fled did come back. The grass was not that green on the other side, after all. The good thing about Hong Kong is: if some talents leave for “better places”, we have a reserve of talented people coming to the city from up north! Fresh, energetic, willing to take on challenges, just like the older generation who arrived in Hong Kong a few decades ago. When it comes to being “answerable to the people”, as Mr Faulkner puts it, one easily forgets that elected American leaders are answerable only to roughly 50 per cent of the people. The other 50 per cent are left in the cold! And even the wishes of the first 50 per cent are valid for four years only, barring re-election. After that, “democracy in action” comes up with executive orders ; this is what, in countries we don’t like so much, we call dictatorship. Roland Guettler, Lai Chi Kok