Misaligned Opinion

Leung Chun-ying is wondering where all the mainland shoppers are...

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying says there is an "alarming" drop in the number of visitors coming to the city in recent weeks and he blames it on the stronger Hong Kong dollars, the economic situation in other countries, but most importantly on protests against parallel traders.

This was confirmed by Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung who said the number of mainland tour groups dropped 20 percent since the anti-parallel trader protests.

Leung says there was an alarming drop in the number of visitors coming to Hong Kong during the Easter break. Maybe it's because there China does not celebrate the crucifixion and then rebirth of Jesus, nor does it believe in bunny rabbits and Easter eggs?

This past weekend people in China were busy marking Ching Ming! Perhaps they wanted to pay respects to their ancestors than go shopping in Hong Kong?

In any event, for Leung to say the drop is "alarming" is amusing, as the Hong Kong government hasn't done much to mediate the situation, which has led to protests escalating to minor skirmishes with the police.

But the bad publicity surrounding mainlanders crossing the border several times a day to buy up Hong Kong stocks of milk powder, shampoo, chocolates, cookies and skincare products to bring back to the mainland to sell has resulted in possible changes to travel permits.

Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office deputy director Zhou Bo said the individual visit scheme that allows residents of 49 cities to travel to Hong Kong without joining tour groups, and multiple-entry permits that grant 2 million permanent Shenzhen residents unlimited trips were to be "refined to better suit Hong Kong's situation"... whatever that means.

There have been countless debates in the media about parallel traders -- some readers welcome them because after all, Hong Kong is a port city that became what it was through trading.

Others are tired of not being able to buy necessities because shops are cleaned out by parallel traders and want more restrictions in place.

It's interesting that both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments did not forsee the impact of parallel traders in the city, and how this would negatively affect our community.

All this because China cannot get its act together on food safety -- since at least 2008.

What's really "alarming" is Leung not thinking parallel traders are hurting Hong Kong's image, but the protesters.

Didn't he pledge to serve Hong Kong people and their interests?

Hong Kong Blind to Guide Dog Demand

Two of only 30 seeing-eye dogs that are working in Hong Kong

It's a sad statement of Hong Kong when you find out there are only 30 guide dogs for the 1,700 of the 170,000 visually impaired in the city.

Even though a lot of people raise dogs as pets here, not many understand the use of guide dogs or why they are crucial in helping the visually impaired get around and be independent.

Today I read that all of Hong Kong's guide dogs are from overseas -- Japan, Taiwan, the UK and United States.

But a few weeks ago, four labrador puppies were born here, and people or companies have a chance to name them if they shell out at least HK$50,000. The Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services, the centre that owns the puppies, wants the names to start with the letter "H" to denote "Hong Kong".

"It is important that we have our own guide dogs," said centre chairman Raymond Cheung Wai-man. "Hong Kong's environment, traffic and public facilities are very different form those in other places, so local dogs can provide better help to the visually impaired."

Four more potential (and cute!) guide dogs are being raised

What he says is probably correct, though I can't help but think it sounds like guide-dog security, much like growing one's own vegetables for food security reasons.

Nevertheless, having a puppy growing up used to Hong Kong's environment would definitely be of help to the visually impaired. While these puppies' parents are both guide dogs, that doesn't necessarily guarantee they will all be suitable to become guide dogs, because it depends on their temperament, obedience, ability to avoid objects and find destinations.

However, having home-grown dogs is a good start and better late than never. Cheung says it takes about a year to determine if a puppy will be suitable for further training which will take another year before they become fully-fledged guide dogs.

He also called on the government for more resources and allow public housing tenants to host dogs so that the service could develop faster in Hong Kong. Cheung said at the current rate it would take 50 years for each 1,700 visually impaired person to get a guide dog.

Again, what does that say about our city?

Finally to be Laid to Rest

Zhao Ziyang in his courtyard home in Beijing

Yesterday was Ching Ming and the family of late Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang received some good news. Finally a decade after his death, the ashes of the liberal senior official will now be allowed to be buried.

"They [the authorities] have agreed to have them buried together," Zhao's son-in-law Wang Zhihua said, referring to the late leader and his wife Liang Boqi who died in late 2013.

Zhao was virtually under house arrest after he was expelled from the Party for opposing the military crackdown on the students in June 1989 in Tiananmen Square.

Zhao in Tiananmen Square telling students to leave

He apparently spent his days chipping golf balls in the courtyard of his home and after he died in 2005, it was later discovered that he made secret recordings of his life, and in particular the last year he was Party Secretary, that led to the publication of the book, Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang.

Since then his ashes have been kept in the courtyard of his home in Beijing because there was no previous agreement with the government on where his remains would be buried.

When he died, the Party, which determines burial arrangements for its members, offered to inter his ashes at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetary, but his family wanted him to be buried privately because they worried about future access to his ashes.

The authorities were anxious around the time of Zhao's funeral, concerned it would spark large-scale mourning. They were so paranoid, that on the day of his funeral, police and security agents were posted on every corner along Chang'an Avenue and many of his supporters were barred from the ceremony.

Zhao's account of his life through recordings

A few years ago people were allowed to visit his home to pay their respects at Ching Ming, and since then more have come, and even media covered the event. When Zhao's wife died over a year ago, the issue of his burial came up again.

Wang said yesterday that officials from the Party and the Beijing government had met with the family in recent months to discuss finding a burial site for Zhao and Liang. While nothing has been settled yet, the family said it was a step forward.

"Their attitude was sincere and we can talk about things," said Zhao's youngest son, Zhao Wujun. "We just want the old people to be buried peacefully."

It's interesting the authorities are still concerned about Zhao's burial being a flashpoint to remind people of the Tiananmen Square massacre 26 years ago this June. He was a popular leader at the time, whose opposition to the crackdown made him a symbol of conscience.

Political commentator Zhang Lifan believes that while the authorities are allowing Zhao's ashes to be buried, it did not mean they would rehabilitate his reputation, and officials would still be worried about his grave becoming a pilgrimage site.

It very well could become one, considering more than 100 people came to his Beijing home this year. Not only does this indicate people's unwavering loyalty towards him, but also they have not forgotten what happened almost 26 years ago.

And when more and more people remember, Beijing will not be able to hide the truth much longer. It may be smug in thinking a whole generation of young people do not know that thousands of people in and around Tiananmen Square were killed, but through remembering Zhao they will -- eventually.

Really Fried Chicken

Jack's fried chicken and fries on the table covered with newspaper!

There are lots of eateries popping up in Kennedy Town and on Friday night I decided to try one of the latest additions, a small -- nay -- closet-sized shop called Jack's Fried Chicken on Catchick Street.

There was one South Asian guy running the entire show on his own, probably because there is no room for another staff member. He apologized that he twisted his ankle so he was limping around, and he had cut his finger that was bandaged up. Not exactly a good sign!

Then the menu is pretty limited and expensive too. It's just fried chicken with fries and a drink! When I tried to order #3 -- dark meat of two thighs, fries and a drink, he told me it was their best seller, probably because it was at HK$80.

He suggested I try the boneless thighs, but I told him I like to chew on bones so he suggested something off the menu -- six wings for HK$100 with fries and a drink. A bit steep, but I was determined to try it and put down the order. He said I'd have to wait about 10 minutes and so I did a few errands before returning.

When I came back there was a big group of male Muslim students who asked if the chicken was halal and he said yes. Interesting to know! Then they wanted the student discount and he made them all show him their student ID cards, which they duly did.

My chicken wings were in the fryer for a while which was kind of scary to see, but eventually he took them out, put them in a cardboard box container, another one filled with fries and asked me what drink I would like (Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke).

When I said Coke, he said, "When people ask for Diet Coke, I want to tell them, but you're eating deep-fried chicken!" Funny he should say that...

He put everything in a giant plastic bag and I took it home.

The end result? The oil is either of low quality or not a high enough temperature. The chicken was put in a batter, then dusted with flour before they were put in the fryer, and the batter was a thick coating that mean taking a big chomp out the chicken before reaching the meat, which thankfully was very juicy.

Meanwhile the fries were OK, seasoned with spices and herbs, and were like McDonald's fries. They were way better than then ones at Big Fernand, a French burger place in IFC that were so soggy and brown!

In any event, I can just say I've done Jack's Fried Chicken and can move on to the next place in K-Town...

Jack's Fried Chicken

G/F, 78-86 Catchick Street

Kennedy Town
2755 5547

facebook.com/jacksfriedchickenhk