Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. Three celebrations were in the news recently and two seemed marred by politics. Britons I talked to during the Platinum Jubilee were wondering about the future of the monarchy, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political problems and UK-EU relations . The Americans I spoke with on July 4 wanted to talk about a mass shooting at a parade, abortion politics , and Donald Trump’s plans. Yet few people I spoke with during and after Hong Kong’s 25th anniversary celebrations had anything to say about politics. They talked about business. Even when they discussed Covid-19 restrictions, it was about its impact on business. In my opinion, it’s an important achievement when politics is no longer the first thing on people’s minds. I lived through the Arab spring in Egypt. Some in the West, seeing populist anger and urban riots as harbingers of democracy, encouraged them. But they provoked severe civil unrest. Now, when Egypt is politically stable, prosperity and economic development are returning. In a world threatened by deep political uncertainties and cultural divisions, Hong Kong’s stability gives it a hard-won but profound advantage. It was right to give it top billing in its anniversary slogan ,“A New Era – Stability, Prosperity, Opportunity”. Prosperity, or Hong Kong’s remarkable track record of building wealth, was also appropriately highlighted. Since 1997, its upwards economic trajectory has eclipsed its rivals. Hongkongers should be proud that their small island is one of the world’s most prosperous cities and that its economy has proven its resilience. It’s also the safest city I’ve lived in, with great public transport, excellent health care, world-class universities and a welcoming, cosmopolitan culture. Hong Kong’s traditional advantages – the common law, infrastructure, and communications – have continued to attract rising numbers of foreign businesses. When the history of Covid-19 is written, my guess is that Hong Kong’s quarantine restrictions will be judged a success. The city will be well placed to experience the post-pandemic boom now fading elsewhere. Of course, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will face many challenges, but the Hong Kong SAR government can build for the future on a foundation of stability and prosperity. Opportunities, the third part of the slogan, will involve the Greater Bay Area , which is growing at an unparalleled rate, and access to the mainland economy, which seems positioned to withstand inflation-driven recessions. So, yes, when the flags wave and the band plays, there’s a lot to celebrate when people talk mostly about money. Amr El Henawy, Consul General of Egypt in Hong Kong Rise in plastic bag charge is only the start In 2009, the Hong Kong government launched the plastic shopping bag charging scheme. It means that today a charge of at least 50 cents per plastic shopping bag is imposed on shoppers, with the exception of those buying chilled food or groceries in non-airtight packaging. The Environmental Protection Department is now pushing to increase the charge to HK$1 per bag, while also scrapping the exemption for flat-top poly bags, currently distributed free-of-charge to shoppers for frozen food or loose fruit and veggies. The move will help reduce the demand for and use of plastic bags. Hong Kong residents already use billions of plastic bags every year. Most of them are disposed of as garbage and dumped in landfills. Given that most plastic bags are non-biodegradable, they are a disaster for the environment. We must all do our part. Some shopping malls have already stopped distributing clear plastic umbrella jackets on rainy days, using sponge-dryers instead. We in turn can act as wise shoppers by selecting products with minimal plastic packaging, while plastic shopping bags in good condition can be reused. Plastic containers can also be sent to recycling bins, after we’ve cleaned them. If each household collects a bag of recyclable items – those made of plastic, paper, aluminium or glass – every day, it will immediately ease pressure on our landfill. At the same time, the collected recyclable items can be converted into reusable products after treatment. For the sake of our community and future generations, we have to change our lifestyles, adopting the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle. This is more than a slogan; it has to be put into daily practice. Chu Kar Kin, Ho Man Tin Hong Kong has lost two of its brightest talents The past week saw the passing of two superstars, one in film and the other in literature: Alex Law Kai-yui and Ni Kuang . I saw two of Law’s most celebrated films: An Autumn’s Tale and Echoes of the Rainbow , both of which I liked very much. The former is a touching romantic story set in New York City, a place where I spent a few years as a graduate student. The latter is meant to be a portrait of Law’s own childhood and old school days at Diocesan Boys’ School. As for Ni Kuang, I remember reading his ever popular Wisely novels and listening to radio broadcasts of his many stories. His fertile imagination was truly one of a kind. As we mourn their deaths, their brilliant works linger in our minds. Many media articles have lauded their achievements. I would like to give my sincere thanks to them for the entertainment they provided, and my condolences on their passing. RIP. Randy Lee, Ma On Shan Covid is now far too small a threat to justify quarantine There is no longer any medical justification for Hong Kong’s quarantine policies, as according to government statistics, Covid-19 no longer poses a significant health threat to Hong Kong’s population. This is not a radical statement, it is scientific reality. This incredibly good news comes from having extremely high levels of protection in our community, thanks to both a high vaccination rate and naturally acquired immunity from exposure to the virus, which is now endemic in Hong Kong. The fatality rate has been trending down for months, and now averages less than one a day, which is statistical noise against the on-average daily death rate of 139 from non-Covid causes. There is now no need to be worried about the daily numbers of cases, or a sixth, seventh, or 27th “wave”, because rising case numbers no longer translates into fatalities. Nor is there any chance of our health services being overwhelmed as they were earlier in the year, as there have not been more than three people in ICU for the last two weeks. Covid-19 restrictions can no longer be scientifically justified, and need to be lifted in the shortest possible timescale. The flight ban was a start; quarantine should be next. James Webster, Wan Chai Typhoon Chaba shipwreck a sombre warning I refer to the news of an engineering vessel breaking into two when Typhoon Chaba struck (“Rescuers find bodies of 12 crewmen suspected to belong to vessel that split in 2 near Hong Kong during Typhoon Chaba”, July 4 ). I felt sorry that so many crewmen died or went missing. More safety measures should be put in place. First and foremost, shouldn’t there be rules for ships and their sailors to return to shore during a typhoon? In general there should be more education about the danger of storms. In recent years, some young people seeking excitement have been known to go out during a typhoon even though it’s risky. Bad weather events can be dangerous. Let’s hope these kinds of accidents don’t happen again. Alice Chan, Kwai Chung