The sensible, constructive speech Carrie Lam should be making right now for all Hong Kong’s sake

Back in August, I, the self-appointed speech writer for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, wrote her a speech that (many kind readers have mentioned) would have avoided the cost to the city of hundreds of millions of dollars in direct damage; billions, if you include lost gross domestic product.

The idea was to write a calming speech acceptable both to the people of Hong Kong and to Beijing, which as it happens, has not been tried. We did a couple of drafts but, unfortunately, her former assistant must have picked up the uncompromising, inflammatory and solution-free speech from the photocopier, rather than mine.

It came as not an inconsiderable surprise that Lam gave the same speech on Tuesday following the pro-Beijing camp’s hiding at the district council polls – as if nothing had happened. The redoubtable Lady Bracknell might have said; “To do it once, Mrs Lam, may be regarded as misfortune, to do it twice looks like carelessness.” So I thought I would pass on the right speech – suitably updated – to dampen the fires of the demonstrators.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, thank you for coming. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government is aware that the district council elections had a more political element than is normal. The SAR government recognises that there have been deficiencies in governance, and unhappiness with the time taken to deal with the current unstable environment. We have listened to the views of the public with an open mind and seriously reflected on them.

The government has already dealt with several of the issues behind protesters’ five demands but not all of them are in my control, so we have applied our thinking to matters over which we do have control. The SAR government has always wished for calm and to use the resources of the government for the benefit of the Hong Kong people.

The SAR government is today establishing an independent committee of inquiry into the 2019 disturbances. It will be wide ranging, led by a senior overseas judge, and tasked to investigate all aspects of the matter. It will not be directed against any particular group. We must learn from these disturbances and ensure that it never happens again.

I have decided to renew the public dialogue with the community from which I withdrew when the situation became more chaotic and I will continue regardless of any demonstrations. My new chief secretary will nominate a small negotiation team to talk to any authorised peaceful protest leaders who themselves will be given immunity from prosecution.

I have asked the new secretary of justice to suspend the appeal regarding the ban on face masks. They will also announce an amnesty for all arrested protesters, and a suspension of any investigations against the police for incidents that occurred before August 19. We must bury the hatchet on both sides; if protesters are to have an amnesty, so must the police.

Public order offences committed after that date will continue to be prosecuted, as will acts of excessive force by police officers outside of detaining suspects or preventing criminal activity. Special court sittings will be convened to expedite the course of justice for those charged.

I have instructed the new commissioner of police to issue permits to all future peaceful demonstrations with the proviso that, if any violence occurs, the permit will expire immediately; the meeting will become unlawful, and participants continuing to assemble will be subject to criminal prosecution.

I have appointed a management consultancy to review practices within the SAR government with the intention of making decision-making easier within the bureaucracy.

Finally, the SAR government will use its executive powers to apply our significant financial reserves to support the grass-roots economy. I have asked the financial secretary to immediately draw up an emergency budget for a HK$700 billion (US$89 billion) spending plan. This will be allocated to infrastructure, housing, education and social projects, with an emphasis on Hong Kong’s ageing population.

We will be developing budgets to make Hong Kong the centre of excellence in developing a number of specific initiatives, such as artificial intelligence traffic management, electric vehicles, medical treatment and microtransport.

Suitable legal powers will be introduced to give the Competition Commission a significant ability to reduce unfair pricing in the city. We shall also establish a Land Commission to accelerate the development of land banks held by private developers.

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Our new ambitious public housing programme will house 300,000 people over the next five years. To assist this, the Housing Authority will be permitted to suspend the normal tendering system and to use global contractors.

To ensure that the growth of Hong Kong is also benefiting the lowest paid, the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance will rise 20 per cent from today and we shall be proposing to the Legislative Council that the minimum wage be doubled.

We hope that pro-democratic members of Legco will support the SAR government on these measures, and welcome detailed discussion with them to ensure a smooth passage of these proposals through the chamber. Hong Kong has been very successful under “one country, two systems”. We can maintain that by working together.”

Give the speech, Carrie, you know it makes sense.

Richard Harris is chief executive of Port Shelter Investment and is a veteran investment manager, banker, writer and broadcaster, and financial expert witness