After skipping a press conference on Monday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor held a short one largely in Cantonese on Tuesday. It was an opportunity lost; she repeated previous mantras, as though the government has done no work despite being absent from public view. The government holds the solutions for peace in its hands but fiddles while Hong Kong continues to smoulder. No change from Government House means no change. Rich leaders blaming relatively impecunious protesters for driving Hong Kong into recession is another sign of the government being out of touch. In times of stress, it sometimes needs a clear head to come up with a press statement to calm Hong Kong overnight. Such a statement would be full of cheap giveaways and would be simultaneously translated into both Cantonese and English; the world’s media is beginning to put pressure on protesters. I have penned one here and the government is welcome to use it if they like. It is free, and worth what you paid for it: “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. I shall read a short statement. It will not be followed by questions, but we shall post a full question-and-answer sheet on the government website after this statement. I shall call a one-hour press conference in three days to take your questions. “The last 12 weeks have been very difficult for Hong Kong. Our city has seen some dark days before recovering stronger than before, but few days have been darker than those in the last month. As the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the buck stops with me. So I have brought my cabinet and staff together over the past few days to develop radical solutions to the disturbances that have been so damaging to our home. “I am aware that the trigger for the demonstrations was the proposed amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and I have already apologised , and categorically said that the amendment was dead . It has been withdrawn and it will not come back. “The protesters have claimed four other requirements to stop their aggression against society and I shall deal with them in turn. Now is not the time for an independent inquiry into the Hong Kong protests “Firstly, I have decided to initiate a wide-ranging independent study , led by a senior overseas judge, who will be tasked to investigate all aspects of the recent disturbances in Hong Kong. We must learn from this time and work to ensure that it never happens again. “Secondly, I have decided to give all arrested protesters an amnesty from legal action for all protest activities up to midday today. After that time, any vandalising of public property or personal terrorism will be dealt with by the full force of the law. “Thirdly, if protesters are to have an amnesty, so must the police. The government will not be charging police officers for actions taken in the execution of their duty. If we are to reconcile, we must bury the hatchet on both sides. Police officers are members of our community too and have sacrificed a great deal for Hong Kong. “The government will also provide an amnesty from prosecution to those who step forward to negotiate on behalf of the protesters. I have today asked my new chief secretary to nominate a small negotiation team, comprising both government and non-government members, to talk to any authorised protest leaders. The government is prepared to begin negotiations immediately. Is there a place in Hong Kong for its creative, thoughtful protesters? “Fourthly, I have asked the financial secretary to immediately draw up an emergency budget for a plan of spending US$500 billion on our roads, schools, universities, hospitals and new public housing over the next five years. We will begin a public works programme immediately that will be open to contractors worldwide and be designed for speedy implementation. “We shall be doubling the minimum wage in two stages to ensure that money reaches the lowest-paid workers in society. “We shall be funding a US$400 million education fund to be used to subsidise education costs for Hong Kong students worldwide. We want you to learn and we’d like you to return, to support your city. We are aware that many people feel that they have not done as well out of Hong Kong’s growth and prosperity as others. We are all Hongkongers and we should all benefit from our success. How Hong Kong police, once ‘Asia’s finest’, fell from grace “I have appointed a management consultancy to look at structures within government to review our bureaucratic practices. The last review was in 1973 so it is time for an update. “I will also add, because you will ask me, that I shall not be resigning as chief executive. It is my responsibility and duty to provide stability and continuity at this very difficult time. “These policies are designed to renew the creativity and energy of the Hong Kong people under ‘one country, two systems’. Let us go on to succeed together. “If you excuse me, we must all get back to work for peace and prosperity in our city.” Richard Harris is chief executive of Port Shelter Investment and is a veteran investment manager, banker, writer and broadcaster, and financial expert witness