Ifyouhadacancerouslump,howwouldyouliketobetoldthatyouwillhavetowait2yearsand2monthsforanoperationtoremoveit?IfitwereI,Iwouldfreakout!Andthat'sexactlywhathappenedtomyfactotum,whohadworkedformefornearly30years.Hefreakedout.AndIdon'tblamehim.Lastmonth,afteradiagnosis,hewasgivenanappointmentfromtheQueenMaryHospital,for,waitforit,the30thofDecember2009!That'sright,2yearsand2monthsaway（seeenclosed）.Atthisrate,hisoperationwillprobablycomeafteruniversalsuffrageinHongKong!WhatutterlyamazesmeisthatthissortofthingisallowedtohappeninHongKong.Quiteapartfromtheappallingpsychologicaleffectthatthiskindoflongwaitwillhaveonthepatient,especiallyonewithaseriouscancerhistory,whichmymanhas,itseemsincrediblethataprosperousplacelikeHongKongcouldgoalongwithit.WhatIsay,however,isthatitistotally,absolutelyandindubitablyunacceptablethatanyoneinHongKongshouldbeaskedtowaitforsolongforanoperation.TofixitsofaraheadontheeveofNewYear'sEveisalsostupidlyinsensitive.IjustwonderwhattheHealthSecretaryandhisdepartmentandtheHospitalAuthoritythink?Wouldtheyregardmyoutcryasunfair?Wouldtheysaythatbecausethelumpinquestionisnotmalignant,itsoperationcouldthereforebeputonawaitinglistforover2years,andthatitwillhavetobecarriedoutacoupleofdaysbeforetheNewYear?Iftheythinkthereisnothingwrongwithanyofthis,letthemsaysopublicly.Iamchallengingthemtosayso.Andiftheydo,theywillhavetoadmitthatifthissortofwaitingshouldapplytoanymemberoftheirownfamilyortothoseclosetothem,theywouldthemselvesfinditunnecessarytoventtheiranxiety.Butofcoursetheycannotreasonablyagree.Nobodywould.Soit'stimethattheytellthepublicandtheindividualpatientthattheymustdosomethingtorectifyandimproveonthesituationsystem.Anexamplelikethissendssuchabadsignalacrossourhealthcaresystem.It'sajoke-andabadjoke.
Whilstwritingonthegovernment,Ihavetosaythatsomethingequallyastonishingcametomyattentionlastweek.Itisnotasoutrageousasthehospitalcase,butit'sclearlyveryirritatingandunacceptable.
IhaveahouseinSaiKung,andlastweek,IreceivedanoticefromtheDistrictLandofficewarningmeofcertainworkstobecarriedoutbehindmyhouse,andthatIwouldbegiven14daysinwhichtoobject-andthat"Nolateobjectionswillbeconsidered".
WhenIreadit,Iobviouslywantedtoknowwhattheworksinvolvedandhowtheymightaffectmyhouse.So,asdirectedintheletterwhichdidnotatallbothertoencloseanydetails,ItelephonedtheHighwaysDepartment.IspoketoaMrPangwhowas,however,unabletotellmeanydetailsoftheworks.Apparently,theconsultants(alwaysthesame-Maunsell)hadnotfinisheddrawingupallthedetails.IwasmerelytoldbyMrPangthatwhentheyareready,theywouldbesenttomeifIstillwantedthem!
Thisprocedureisclearlyludicrous.Forastart,Iwasbeinggivenastrict14-dayperiodinwhichtolodgeanobjectiontoworkswhosedetailswereincomplete.SoIameffectivelybeingaskedtoobjecttosomethingaboutwhichIknownothing-orforthatmatter,noranyoneelse.
Whatisgoingon?WhyistheDistrictLandofficepracticingmethodswhichareundoubtedlyprejudicialtotheordinarycitizens?Whyistheirmethodologysoquestionable?TheSaiKungLandDistrictAuthorityshouldreallyexplainthisirregularwayofdoingthings.Iftheycannot,theymustthenstraightawayrectifyandimproveontheirapproaches.Ifnot,itwouldalsosendanotherbadsignalacrosstheboard.Howcanwecitizensfeelconfidentotherwise?
It'ssadwhenIseeourgovernmentactingsoshoddily.