Then & Now | Transparency is the only way to regain lost public trust and turn things around in Hong Kong

  • Truths become mutable when facts are made malleable, official statements around well-documented events are distorted and honest critics forcibly silenced
  • In such circumstances, steadfast insistence on transparency in public life becomes more vitally important than ever

John Lee (left), Hong Kong’s chief executive, during a visit to Abu Dhabi. On his trip to the Middle East in February, Lee told his hosts Hong Kong had “no restrictions whatsoever” in terms of Covid-19-related controls despite an ongoing public mask mandate with a fine for non-compliance. Photo: Handout via Xinhua

British economist John Maynard Keynes’ characteristically honest reflection upon his own thought processes – “When the facts change, I change my mind; what do you do, Sir?” – and those facts’ seemingly contradictory nature when observed by others over time, remains instructive.

But when historical facts don’t change – what happened in the past did actually happen – no authentic choice remains; one must stand by those earlier conclusions.

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