DavidTang 中國會、上海灘、太平洋雪茄和香港斯比安利創辦人
WhataretheGood,theBad,andtheUglyofHongKong?I'lltellyou.
Goodistosee,asIdidlastweek,apackedaudience,somewithchildren,someyoungandsomeold,listeningtoMozart'sRequiemattheCulturalCentre.Itwasparticularlygratifyingtoseeallthefaces(Iwasonstagelooking)enjoyingthesublimemusicandexcitedhandsapplaudingaftertheperformance.WhosaysthatHongKongisaculturaldesert?Ifyouhavegoodmusic,therewillbeagoodaudience.
Goodistoread,asIdidrecently,thathundredsofthousandsofHongKongpeoplewillhaveseenthoseFrenchmasterpiecestouringhere.Again,itprovesthatifthereisgoodculture,therewillbeanappreciatingaudience.Therefore,thereisnodoubtinmymindthatanythingthatpromotesfineculture,includingtheWestKowloonproject,canonlybegoodforHongKong.Butitisimportanttoinstilinoureducationsystemaswellaseverydaylifeastrongsenseofart,whichenrichesallofourimagination.ThegormlessofferingofDisneylandasaprimeprojectinHongKongpost-1997sendssuchanoffensivemessagetoourgeneration,especiallytheyoungerlot.
Goodistoremember,asweshouldalwaysbe,thepeacefuldemonstrationofhundredsofthousandsofHongKongresidentsagainstanyerosionorencroachmentofourfreedoms.Itisanoldcanardthatweshouldnotbematureenoughasacommunitytoembracefulldemocracy.Wehad13yearsofpreparationbeforel997,andanother8yearssincethen.IsanyoneseriouslysuggestingthattheHongKongpopulation,with21yearsofconsciousdevelopments,isstillunreadyandunpreparedforone-man-one-vote?Thesadnessisthatagreatmanypeopledothinkthat,especiallythosewholiketoclingontowhateverspecialpositionsorinfluencetheyhaveontheexistingsystem,whichresemblesthatofaclubcommitteerunningnearly7millionmembers.Theirargumentthatstabilityandprosperitymustcomefirstisasspuriousasahallucination,sincedemocracycanhardlybeathreattostabilityandprosperity.Onthecontrary,itisusuallythefoundationforstabilityandprosperity.
GoodisalsotoseeouractingChiefExecutive,ashedoesdaily,goingtochurch.ItisnotthathisexampleisnecessarilyonecommendingChristianityorCatholicism,thoughadmirablethatmaybe,butthatasaleader,heshowsaconvictionforsomethingoverandabovemerematerialismthathasbeencharacteristicofHongKong.Itissoeasyforusalltoforgetaboutourspiritualdimensionandreflectonourvalues,whichDonaldTsangisremindingustodoregularly.
Whatisbad?BadisthewayinwhichHongKonghasbeengovernedinthelast7years.Whatawasteofopportunities;whatabarrenrecordofimagination;andwhatacatalogueofpoliticalandsocialhowlers.Butwehaveanother42yearsof"onecountrytwosystems"(ifitcanstillbebelievedin),anditishightimethatwetakefulladvantageofthatconcept-toaskeverydaywhatwecandoratherthandwellonwhatwecannotdo;indeed,topushtothelimitwhatwecanachieve,andavoidthatpervasivenegativeattitudeofnotwantingtotakerisksandburyingone'sheadsinthesmallprintoftheBasicLaworevenworse,second-guessing,asourlastChiefExecutivespenthisentiretenuredoing,whattheChineseauthoritiesmightthink.
BadisalsothewayinwhichbigbusinesseshavebeentakingoversmallbusinessesthathavebeenthebackboneofwhatmadeHongKongintowhatistoday.Wearefastlosingindividualisticretail;instead,shoppingmallswithprohibitiverentshavemushroomed,withmassesofshamelesslyandbrightlylitwhiteslabsmarbleofgranitemassacringthecharmofsmallandattentiveshopsincolonnaclesandopenpavements.Nowonderitisnowutterlyboringgoingroundseeingthesameoldbrandsagainandagain,anesthetizedbytheirslickandvulgarwindowsstinkingofhighrentandcheatingofaspirations.Ifnothingisdonetorejuvenatethatcottageindustryofindividualswanting,againsttheodds,tomakeit,HongKongwilllosethatcompetitivespiritborneoftherefugeesyndrome,whichhasalwayshistoricallyunderpinnedtheworld'smostsuccessfulcommunities.
Asfortheugly,nothingcanbeuglierthantheannualdisplayofwhathasbeenpresumptuouslydescribedas"Christmasdecorations"inStatueSquareinCentral.Theinsipidnessthatisperpetuatedonthisoccasion(thankgodit'sonlyonceayear)issointensethateachyear,Ihavetorubmyeyesharderandharderbeforelookingagaininordertobelievethem.ThepersoninchargeofthiscreativeabortionattheHongKongTourismBoard,whoarelamentablyresponsible,shouldreportimmediatelytothenearestpolicestationashisoffenceoughttobearrestableonthespot.CanthissameTourismBoardbetherecipientof$500millionfromtheGovernmentforpromotingHongKongasannouncedinthebudgetthisweek?Itsendsshiverupmyspine.
UglyalsoaretwoofHongKongmonuments:theCulturalCentreandtheHeritageMuseuminShatin.Theseareofsuchhideousproportionsthattheonlysolutionisforthemtobeblownupandrebuilt.Howisitpossible,butdefiedbyourCulturalCentre,thatoneoftheworld'sbestsite,alavatoricallycolouredstructureisbuiltwithoutonesinglewindoworonesinglebalcony?Themeaningofmyopismcouldnothavebeenstretchedmore.AsfortheinsideoftheHeritageMuseum,someonemusthavegoneoutoftheirwaytobedeliberatelyvapid,fortherecanbenootherexplanationonhowtherevoltingresultcouldhavebeenachieved.No,Iamafraidbothofthemonstrositieswillhavetogo.