People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Mike Rowse
Opinion

Opinion

Mike Rowse

Repeated government failures to get to grips with Covid-19 are hurting Hong Kong

  • The impression is of a huge gap between strategic decision-making at the top and conditions on the ground
  • There is no evidence of a proper monitoring system to identify problems; rather, officials appear to be making ad hoc decisions in response to individual events

Mike Rowse
Mike Rowse

Updated: 8:45am, 14 Dec, 2020

Why you can trust SCMP
People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
People queue up for Covid-19 testing at a community centre in Yau Ma Tei, on December 12, as the fourth wave of the pandemic continues to surge in Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
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Mike Rowse

Mike Rowse

Mike Rowse has lived in Hong Kong since 1972, and is a naturalised Chinese citizen. He spent six years in the ICAC from 1974 to 1980, then 28 years in the government as an administrative officer until retirement in December 2008. He is now the search director for Stanton Chase International, and also hosts a radio talk show and writes regularly for both English and Chinese media.