Mass Testing Could be Pushed Back to April

Universal testing may be further pushed back to April

The Hong Kong government continues to flip flop on major decisions on a whim that have left residents frustrated, tired and wondering how senior officials even make these decisions.

There is now word that because Beijing has told local authorities to focus more on reducing the death rate and look after the elderly that the citywide universal testing may now be pushed back to April.

Lam had announced mass testing in March

Originally Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had announced on February 22 -- by the way the last time she spoke publicly to Hongkongers -- that universal testing would be held in March. It was later heard through the grapevine that it would start on March 26, but now it could be as late as April.

After all that panic-buying of vegetables, meat, toilet paper and so on, how does this make people feel?

In addition, what about the schools and students missing out on education right now? If mass testing is pushed back to April, when will their classes resume? There are students who need to take the university entrance exams on April 22. Children and young people really are getting the worst deal out of the pandemic that is now well into its third year.

Lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee remarked on Twitter:

"I welcome the government's decision to re-open hair salons as from this Thursday. I urge the government to re-open also golf courses, tennis courts, and other facilities for non-contact sports. We need to help caddies and coaches, not just hair stylists, get their jobs back!"

Ip wants golf courses and tennis courts re-opened

What about students and the future of Hong Kong? Or someone is just really keen on getting back to her golf game?

This evening word also came down that people can get their hair cut from March 10! Hallelujah!

No more having your hairdresser surreptitiously come to your flat and trim your locks -- we can go back to the salons -- as long as you've had at least one jab. I hope my hairdresser has been inoculated...

And what does this mean about our HK$10,000 handout? Will that be delayed too? There are so many unknowns.

In the meantime, today there were 30,493 cases logged, 2,018 of which were from rapid antigen tests (RAT). 

While some 200,000 logged onto the new website to record positive results from RATs, 17,236 were actually reported, and of them, 2,018 completed all the information and uploaded pictures and HKID card information for the government to issue them isolation orders.

Au explaining over 2,000 RAT cases confirmed

Meanwhile 291 deaths were announced, 160 from the past 24 hours, and 131 backlogged. The age range is staggering -- four years old to 105, 116 of them unvaccinated, 86 from elderly care homes.

Now the government is planning to move the uninfected seniors in care homes to isolation units, but who will care for them all the way out there? There are horror stories that there are not enough staff to help them to washrooms and they are stuck wearing diapers. 

The authorities really need to consult geriatric specialists about how to look after these relatively healthy people and keep them safe, but also not completely isolated either which could also lead to deterioration of body and spirit. 

Hong Kong cannot afford to lose more lives over egregious mistakes and flip flopping. Time to make informed decisions for the good of all. All 7.4 million lives depend on them.

Nowhere Near Solving the Housing Crisis

Would you like to see part of this Fanling golf course developed into flats?

A trial balloon was floated up a month ago -- a study released by the government showed 5,000 flats could be built on part of the 170-hectare golf course in Fanling.

Immediately a ruckus erupted -- golfers were up in arms that their beloved golf course would be considered as potential land, while others felt 5,000 flats wasn't enough -- that there should be more built on the eastern part of the golf course that comprises a car park and part of what is known as the Old Course.

And then there was a fiasco that meetings to decide this issue have been postponed twice, and some of the people on the committee were Fanling golf club members and should be excused from the discussion.

Green groups are opposed to developing east Lantau

Then today Daniel Liu Ping-kwong, immediate past chairman and now honorary president of the Hong Kong Golfers Association hit back, asking why they don't have a say.

He said if golf members are barred from the task force, then members of other private recreational clubs should be as well. Which practically means everyone because most government task forces are made up of well-heeled committee members.

Professional international golfers have also raised their concerns about losing the historic course, but are they aware of the serious housing crisis we're in?

I asked a relative what he thought of the issue. He said there shouldn't be an construction on the site because it's green space that people can enjoy. However I pointed out it was a private club and he said yes -- that's the problem -- they should open it further to the public because it's owned by the government.

Does Paul Chan have any more ideas to create more housing?

If you develop that land, he says, then you have fewer public open spaces. He had a point. He suggested further developing Lantau, but there are many green belt areas there that cannot and should not be touched.

Following in that vein Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po is pushing the idea of more land reclamation, re-floating the idea of a 1,000-hectare artificial island east of Lantau. However green groups shot it down last November because they were concerned about the welfare of marine life in the area.

So the debate continues -- how are we going to solve the housing crisis? Where are we going to put everyone? How much will these homes cost?

It's a tough decision, which is why the government needs to be brave. Very brave.

Picture of the Day: Golfer Tiffany Chan

Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan will make her debut on the LPGA Tour

We are so thrilled to hear the news that Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching is the first Hong Kong golfer to qualify for the LPGA tour.

On Sunday she finished second to Nasa Hataoka of Japan at the qualifying tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida.

"I don't know if I'm still dreaming," the 24-year-old Chan said on Monday.

"It's actually my mum's birthday today. She's not here, but I'm going to give this to her for her present. My parents don't really know golf, but they just encourage me and I can't wait to talk to them. Being the first one on the LPGA is really big for Hong Kong golf," she said.

"I know there are a lot of junior golfers that want to go to college and turn pro and I think me being the first will help," she added. "I definitely want to inspire the youth in Hong Kong and this was a major step."

Chan represented Hong Kong in the 2016 Rio Olympics and finished only one shot behind Hataoka at 11-under par. The top 20 players earned their cards on the LPGA Tour.

The Hongkonger seems to handle pressure well and takes everything in stride.

We're just excited that Hong Kong now has a name to watch in golf, other than Korean and Japanese female golfers. Best of luck to Tiffany! Go get 'em!

How Much did He Know?

Ling Wancheng (left) is the youngest brother of Ling Jihua (right)

There are conflicting reports on Ling Wancheng, younger brother of Ling Jihua, who was the former top aide to then Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Ling Jihua was expelled from the Communist Party of China last year and is expected to be tried for corruption and illegally obtaining state secrets. His career unraveled after his son was killed in a Ferrari crash in March 2012.

At the time it was strange that the crash was covered up almost immediately after it was initially reported because Ling Jihua reportedly mobilized staff from the Central Security Bureau to suppress reports of it and words like "Ferrari", "Little Ling" and "Prince Ling" were blocked.

Ling Jihua's son died in this fiery Ferrari crash in 2012

However eventually it was revealed that the 23-year-old man who died in the crash was Ling's son and questions arose as to how he was able to acquire such an expensive sports car. Even though Ling sough assistance from then powerful security czar Zhou Yongkang, both have lost politically, and the latter is now languishing in prison for the rest of his life.

Because Ling Jihua was so close to Hu, there were allegations that businessman Ling Wencheng defected to the United States and revealed state secrets to American intelligence officials. It is unclear how much information he would have known, but it is believed he profited handsomely from his family connections.

However, Ling Wancheng's lawyer has come out to deny revealing secrets like nuclear weapons codes and details about the Chinese leadership.

Ling Wancheng reportedly lives in this home in Sacramento

"My client frankly would like to be left alone so he can play more golf," said Washington lawyer Gregory Smith. "He is presently working on writing a book about golfing, and he hopes to share with others his golf secrets that literally can add 10-15 yards to anyone's drive off the tee."

Smith did not answer questions about whether Ling Wancheng was seeking asylum in the US.

There are also reports that top security official Meng Jianzhu had tried to negotiate Ling's return to China when he visited the US last September.

A book about golf, huh? We expect this upcoming tome to be a best seller...

Beijing Water Usage Doesn't Add Up

Ski resorts like this one near Beijing have to prove they are recycling water

Beijing will be hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, but will it have enough snow when the Games begin?

Perhaps that's why the government is further clamping down on golf courses and ski resorts. State-run Beijing Youth Daily reported this week that city officials would assign business quotas for water use based on location and annual rainfall.

Water usage will also determine whether construction projects get the green light or not. As of July 31, only 295 out of 456 construction projects in the Chinese capital were approved because of the lack of adequate water usage plans.

Either golf courses and ski resorts "spend a lot of money to buy water, or they adopt water-saving measures including using water-saving equipment or improve waste-water recycling to decrease water consumption," the Beijing Water Authority told the newspaper.

Hmmm lots of water being used in this Beijing golf club...

This year more than 60 golf courses were shut down, mostly due to Chinese President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive.

However even more needs to be done to clamp down on water usage. Annual levels of water consumption in Beijing reached 3.75 billion cubic metres last year, beyond the entire water supply available in Beijing of 2.025 billion cubic metres.

How the city made up for that whopping difference is a puzzling question... Does this mean 1.725 billion cubic metres of water were trucked in somehow? Or do have some people secretly dug some wells or somehow diverted water for their own use?

How do you use more water than is available?

Now that's a magic trick anti-corruption czar Wang Qishan needs to know...