<http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB111023271420072654,00.html>
The Wall Street Journal March 8, 2005 REVIEW & OUTLOOK Time for an Announcement March 8, 2005 Nothing better encapsulates the shortcomings in Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa's style of governing Hong Kong than the manner of his going. More than a week after news of his departure first leaked out, there is still no official announcement of what has long since become an open secret in the former British colony, and around the world. Mr. Tung has been busy holding meetings behind closed doors. First with the Chinese leaders who decided upon his departure and then with his deputy, Donald Tsang, who is widely expected to step into his shoes on at least an interim basis. Left out of all this are the people of Hong Kong, who are being kept in the dark about who is meant to be ruling them (or at least who will be the top administrator; it's clear who rules now). Mr. Tung has only said that all must wait until an "appropriate time" to find out more about reports of his departure, which he has repeatedly refused to deny. That is at the very least "disrespectful" to the people of Hong Kong, as Bishop Joseph Zen, the outspoken head of the territory's Catholic Church, put it yesterday. "The people have a right to know [in a] timely [manner] and not be kept in suspense for so long," he told a local radio station. It is far more than that. The lack of transparency and behind-the-scenes maneuvering reflect the worst aspects of China's Communist system. It is how things are routinely done on the mainland -- President Hu Jintao and his colleagues were, for instance, chosen through a protracted process of secret conclaves without even a pretense of paying any respect to the views of the Chinese public. But it is not how things are meant to be done in Hong Kong, under the separate system supposed to exist in the territory. By promising "one country, two systems," China had appeared to recognize that Hong Kong's survival as an international financial center hinged on maintaining values still rarely seen on the mainland, not least transparency and timely decision making. One of the most unfortunate aspects of Mr. Tung's nearly eight years in office is that these values were allowed to slide in favor of a more mainland style of decision making. Deals, such as the notorious Cyberport project, were cut with favored tycoons behind closed doors instead of being put out to open competition. And many of the British-trained administrators whom Mr. Tung inherited from the territory's former colonial rulers fumed at the impossibility of getting a quick decision on anything out of the Chief Executive's Office. Now all those faults have come to the fore in the prolonged uncertainty over the timing of his departure. China would apparently prefer to delay the announcement until Mr. Tung receives his retirement post -- he is expected to be named a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a powerless but prestigious talking shop, at the end of its annual session on Saturday. But that means leaving Hong Kong's leadership subject to the dictates of the mainland timetable. After some initial jitters when the news first leaked out early last week, the territory's financial markets have so far reacted calmly to the prolonged political uncertainty. That probably demonstrates how the markets have long since discounted Mr. Tung's ineffectual decision making. Nonetheless allowing the leadership vacuum to persist for another week would be tempting fate in a city that still prides itself on being Asia's financial center. A better strategy would be to end the uncertainty and confirm Mr. Tung's departure without delay. In a best-case scenario, that would be followed by elections to choose a successor who would enjoy the legitimacy that comes from a democratic mandate. But even if that fails to happen, whoever emerges as Mr. Tung's replacement could usefully learn from the protracted process surrounding his departure -- and try to steer the territory back to the more transparent and efficient style of governance it enjoyed under British rule. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
