More concrete measures required to rebuild confidence of Hong Kong
- Carrie Lam may have tried hard to impress but, except for some housing initiatives, her speech failed to inspire a politically divided city in economic turmoil and in the grip of another Covid-19 outbreak
Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is trying hard to impress Beijing and the people of Hong Kong. With a firm pledge to strengthen “one country, two systems” and a smorgasbord of delights in cross-border cooperation and local livelihood affairs, yesterday’s policy address would be passed off as a success if it were delivered two years ago.
But amid a worsening fourth wave of Covid-19 after a year of political and economic turmoil, the embattled chief executive has yet to inspire full confidence of a recovery.
Without an effective strategy to control the epidemic and concrete steps to rebuild the economy and trust in the government, the way forward is hardly promising.
Entitled “Striving Ahead with Renewed Perseverance”, the 30,000-word blueprint has been dressed up like a Christmas tree.
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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam delivers 2020 policy address
From building footbridges and subsidising dentures, to enforcing the national security law and providing job subsidies for working in the Greater Bay Area, the long list of initiatives is an apparent attempt to show that there is much to look forward to.
The tone is also more assertive, unlike last year when she was forced to deliver the speech online due to the boiling sentiments inside and outside the Legislative Council.