The Correspondent, December 1992 - January 1993 by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong

DECEñÍBER 1992 \.lANtr.\RY legl

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PATTEN

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CONTENTS

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COVER 11 Optimistic about the future Hong Kong's embattled Governor, Chris Patten, defends his blueprint for the territory's future in an address to the CIub.

THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'

CLUB

Stuart Wolfendale gives his view of the Govemor's performance.

North Block, 2l¡wer Albe¡t Road, Hong Kong. Telephone: 521 l5ll Fax: 868,t092

NEWS AND VIEWS 2 The case for public seryice broadcasting One of Britain's leading media critics, Anthony Smith, on the case for public broadcasting.

Presldent - Steve Vine,s

First Vice Presldent - Huben Van Es Second Vice Presldent - David

Thmton

Correspond€nt,Member Goveroors Bob Davis, Daniela Deme, Ca¡l Goldqtein, Hùmphrey Hawksley, V.G. Kulkmi, Catherine Ong,

Argentina stops crying Argentina's foreign minister, Guido di Tella, on Latin America's

Claudia Rosen, Bían Joffies Jou¡nali¡t Member Governors

revolution.

\A¡illiam Barker, Stuart Vy'olfendale Associate Membe! Gove¡nors D. Garcia, L. Grebstad, S. Lockhùt, R. Thomæ

Entering the spider's web Edward Peters reports on the tobacco industry's drive to win new friends.

Professlonal Commlttee: Convenor: H. Hawksley Members : V.G. Kulkami, C. Rosett, V{olfendale, C, Goldstein, D. Deane, C. Ong, R; Tliomæ

Dutch 'no' to arms

The best of Best Simon Twiston Davies profiles the South China Morning Post's awald winning cartoonist, Paul Best, whose book, Best Foot Forward, was

Convenor: W,Barkeri

Wolfendale r

Member: S. Publicatlons Committee: Cozvezor.' D. Thurston,

Members: S.l-ockhat, B. Davis,

K. Wilson @ditor), Paul Bayfield (Co-opted) F & B Committee: 'Convenor: L.Grcbsl,ad Itlembers : D. Go¡cia, H. Van Es, R. Thomæ,

I¡ckhart

launched at the Club.

PHOTO ESSAY: City of Hope Neil Farrin's moving photographs depicting Calcutta's street children.

CHRISTMAS ON THE JOB How do correspondents spend Christmas? rùy'e asked some to tell us about their mést memorable while on assignment. Jambo Bwana, by Brian Barron. On the road with Bob Hope, Uy nert Okuley. Goodwill all round, by Anthony Lawrence. Santa didn't come -- but I did, by Ian Stewart. Opportunity lost, by Robin Moyer. Welcome to Kabul, by Hugh Van Es. Still believing in Santa Claus, by Russell Spurr.

Wall Comm¡ttee: H. Van Es, Bob Davis, D. Garcia Club Manageu H. Gmbner

THE CORRESPONDENT AdyeÍlslÍg MÂnager: Page

Rosemary Little Ime Recio md Eva Lai

Mrteup: Aflst: Ammdo

D. Ræio, fr.

EDITOR,IAL OFFICE: AsiaPâcific Dirctories Lrd, Rm. 130f , l3/F, Park Comerciål CeiE€, Glo Sheltlr Str€€t. Cawway Bay, Hong Kmg Telephone: 577 9331t

Fu:

890 7287

sales

Dutch foreign trade minister, Yvonne van Rooy, denies claims that her country is to sell arrns to Taiwan.

Membership Comrnlttee: Co¿y¿¡¿¡.' V.G, Kulkami Members: B. Davis, D. Garcia, C. Goldstein, L. Grcbstad Entertainment Commlttee:

Into the lions' den

32 34 36 46

TRAVEL 39 In search of Genghis Khan Garry Marchant takes the train from Beijing to Ulan Bator.

@ The Coæspondent

Opinim expmsed by witeß æ ùot næewily thos of ùe Forcign Colespondenls' Club,

is Forci

The Compondent

on behalfofThe

for md Club byl

A¡laP¡clfi ð Dlrecto¡les Ltd. Rm 1301, l3lF, Prk Comercial Cent¡e, 6-10 Shelter SEæ1, Giuseway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: 577 9311: Fu: 8Ð 7287 h¡bllsher: Vomie Bishop Managlng Dlreqtor: Mike Bishm

Colou separation by: Colou Art Gmphic Compmy Printed by Print Hous Ltd, Blk A, l6lF, Aik Sm Fry. Bldg, 14 Sr'slluds R4

ZUNG FU AJardine

Pacific Business (Distributor for Hong Kong and Macau), Bonaventure House, Lrighton Road, Hong Kong. Tê1, 895 7288 '1199. 122 Canton Road, Tiimshatsui, Kowloon. Tel: 735 Zung Fu Carpark Building 50 Po Lo¡ Street, Hunghom. Tel,764 6919. SOUTHERNSTARMOTORCO- (Distributor for Southern China), tZOl Dina House, l1 Duddell Street, HongKong. Tel,868 04tl

MERCEDES-BENZ AG. BEIJING LIAISON OFF¡CE (Distributor for Northern 19 Jian

Cuo Men \Øai Dajie, Beijing. Tel,

5003051

Ch¡na), rOlF, CITIC Building,

NEW MEMBERS

LETTERS

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT PEDDLER'S JOURNAL ... SPECIAL FEATURE: CAMERAS

47 48

............2I-28

Cover photograph by Kees

Inside photographs supplied by David Thurston, Hubert Van Es and Ray Cranboume.

Quarry Bay, H.K. Tel: 562 615? (3 lines)

Mercedes-Benz Engineered to move the human spirit,

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

The case for public service broadcasting By Owen Hughes t's a moot point which would be the more difficult undertaking: fighting the corner for the BBC against then Prime Minister Margaret Thätcher, or advocating the corporati-

drum for public service broadcasting globally and especially in Hong Kong. The station packed the main dinning room of the Club with a who's-who of Hong Kong broadcasting, including rep-

resentatives from all three radio stations, as well as ATV, TVB and satellite television station STAR TV.

sation of Radio Television Hongkong (RTHK) in the face of vehement Chinese opposition. One was put in mind of

He observed that after the headlong rush to privatisation in the 1990s there was now a reappraisal of the value of public corporations, including radio and

television stations. There was, he believed, "a subtle return of a certain respect for the achieve-

ments of public service, not onlY

broadcasting." Having said that, Smith then went on to describe the "disastrous" effect of one of the last of Prime Minister Thatcher's assaults on the status quo of British broadcasting on behalf of the

free market. This takes place in January when the new independent television franchises go on air - the winners of the most intensively competitive tendering process ever held in Britain. The stations were being forced into a far more competitive mould and the

these Herculean tasks when Anthony Smith

independent programme maker's. ln a break from Club tradition Smith was followed by two speakers - Professor Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, dean

of the City Polytechnic's faculty

humanities, and social sciences and media analyst Mary Chiu. ln a taut address Prof Cheng wasted

little time in making his main point: RTHK should have got its independence five or six years ago. He went on

to say that the mass media had been an admirable source of checks and balances to the territory's political system. Prof Cheng gave way to Chiu who came armed with a slide show of tables

and graphs and a swinging attack on TVB's de facto "monopoly" of the local television that left senior station executives, including S. Y. Ho, staring fixedly at the table. Chiu said TVB could cut down sharply on production and talent costs, raise

levision) has been famous

Smith, president of

BBC, already shedding

because of an increasingly

hard fight for advertising. The same applied to the

UniversitY's

staff by the thousand.

Magdalen College, has

While it was likely to be

written extensively on the subject of Britain's media industry and its intricate links with politics. His visit to Hong Kono Anthony smith was sponsored by RTHi as pan of Head of BroadSmith began his remarks by saying casting Cheung Man-yee's seemingly the opening sentences of his speech eternal attempts to break away from diwere among the most difficult he had rect government control. ever had to compose. "For no one who Although Cheung in sPring said she visits this remarkable place during the was content to let corporatisation (hidecade of the 1990s can ignore the ving oÎf the station from direct governspecial situation in the world that Hong ment control and financing it with a Kong occupies during this time, and block grant) finally go ahead even after therefore fail to sense the paradoxes the 1997 handover, she had changed which surround the future of its political her tone by October. and cúltural institutions. Then, in a surprising outburst prompted "lt is one thing to hold a set of neat by the slow pace of the Process, she ideas about how broadcasting should demanded that it go ahead as soon as be. lt is another thing to suggest how possible. they should apply to do so." Smith's visit was in effect to beat the

able

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992IJAN 1993

lent and there should be outlets for

qualified programmes for which it (independent tewill disappear, he forecast,

skills. lt had to be free of governmental interference; it had to renew itself to allow for the introduction of young ta-

majority of the highlY

spoke at the FCC on November 13 on the subject of public service broadcasting in the 1990s.

Oxford

casters and more important than income and a reservoir of professional

to retain its

main source of finance - the annual licence fee levied on anyone with a television - it would be increasingly obliged to look for fi-

nance from alternative

advertising rates "without any justification" and be "totally oblivious" to the needs of advertisers, despite the downturn in viewing rates. She believed that privatisation was the best way ahead for Hong Kong, mainly as a stimulus to the advertising

markets and audiencg. pool. As an example she produced a slide that showed that Commercial Radio

public service were only those who were suppofted bytaxpayers. Quick naturally insistedthatcommercialstations were providing the same service; "the private me-

change, both as a source of more viewing choice and for in-

creased competition among the stations.

However, if RTHKgot

õO

its long-awaited

dom, it would have to

dia do tremendous things," he said. A question by U

be constantly earned and justified. lt must not push out propaganda; reflect public

Metro News reporter È

Carlton Baum to

free-

opinion but not create Cheung about mainit; resolve tension and Cheung Man-Yee taining RTHK's indegive free expression to pendence led the dithe community. rector of broadcasting to give a passion- To applause, Cheung concluded that ate defence of the station, which, as she whatever the future for RTHK, it would admitted, did not quite answer the query. continue its role with or without corporaIt was a paradox that such a sophisti- tisation. cated society as Hong Kong was so terribly slow to institute changes in its Owen Hughes is a senior writer with broadcasting policy. She welcomed the Sunday Morning Post. c4

Argentina stops crying Argentina is starting to make friends with the world again. The country's foreign minister, Guido dí Tella, was in Hong Kong recently to discuss possible trade links. He took time out to address the Club on his country's emergence to full democracy. Karl Wilson reports.

gained

listeners after Metro Radio was

sources.

launched.

However ¡ntense competition was no guarantee for good programming, it produces "a kind of stultification and prevents the medium of television from being used to its full potential," Smith said. With a nod to Hong Kong perhaps, he went on to say that within an intensely competitive economy there was room for a public service broadcaster. Television, he said, was a crucial influence on the social, political and educational life of a society. lndependence was crucial for broad-

That effect would be different once pay television started operating; in the United States viewing f igures for broadcasters fell by 15% in homes with access to cable television. ln the last

eight years TVB Jade has seen its viewing figures tumble by 30%. People, she said, were now reading more newspapers and magazines, listening to radio or watching videos and laser discs. When it came to questions, Metro Radio head Craig Quick was quickly on his feet; he wanted to know if Smith felt that broadcasters who offered a

t was not all that long ago that Ar gent¡na, along with its Latin American neighbours, was looked upon as a basket case. Throughout the continent, albeit with one or two excep-

tions, dictatorships were the norm and national wealth was squandered. lnflation ran riot and economic growth was hardly noticeable. Personal freedom was something no one spoke about. Today, throughout Latin America the old dictatorships have been replaced by democratically elected governments. The price of democracy, however, has been high.

As lhe

Economist pointed out re-

cently: "The new democracies have so far delivered more hope than prosperity." Guido di Tella said the last decade had seen staggering changes taking place in the world. "Two years ago there was great excitement in Eastern Europe," he said.

"Today, there

disappointment.

People feel let down because the political and economic change has not

taken

place as quickly as they had

hoped.

"ln China we are witnessing spectacular economic change as Asia goes on from one economic miracle to an-

THE CORRESPONDENT DP,C 1992 / JAN

1993

be rebuilt. Our policy is a simple one.

non-interference. The less the

Di Tella pointed out that the

changes which

government interferes with the public sector the better. lf we can help without hinderance, we will." On foreign debt, he said Argen-

have

taken place in Latin America over the

past decade "have been no less significant." "The trouble is, no one really took us seriouslY. Yes, we have democracy. Our societies have matured significantlY and our economies are starting to be managed ProPerlY. "Over the last 50 years we in Argentina have had our share of political trouble with couPs and counter-coups and hYPerinf lation. "The change throughout the

country and the region as a

tina, helped by low interest rates and fixed terms, had managed to reduce its debt by a third so far.

Di Tella said his government intended to seek wider contracts, especially in Asia. He said China, Japan and Hong Kong were areas where

Argentina saw the greatest potential for trade growth.

With the hyper-inflation, which

peaked at 4,900% in 1989, down to around 84%, Argentina still had a

U 4

+ è

long way to go before caPital comes flooding in. But as Di Tella pointed out: "We are making headwaY. The

whole has been no less signifiGuido di Tella cant than what we are seeing now elsewhere. We still have problems but you can't change a soci-

foundation has been

laid."

Entering the spider's web

fair amount of subtlety and without trying

to manipulate minds or massage

Journalists from Hong Kong, Malaysia, lndonesia and Singapore were flown

into Bali in Garuda's business class. Their food and hotel accommodation was paid for, and the bitter pill of having

ake a clutch of "international experts", a bunch of journalists and a multi-billion dollar industry with an image problem; blend in a conference at a five-star hotel in a tropical island paradise and sit back and wait for the result. A recipe for success? Hmmm. Recently, British American Tobacco

(BAT) hosted what it described as a "Far East Media Briefing on Smoking lssues" in Bali. As BAT China's director

of public affairs, Brenda Chow, put

it:

"We're tired of playing the ostrich, keep-

ing our heads down and hoping that

By Edward Peters

criticism over smoking will go away." So BAT decided to hit back at the bans on advertising, the tiresome warnings on the sides of the packets, the increasing number of NO SMOKING areas and the rising tide of opinion boosted by adverse media coverage. The briefing in Bali preceded another one in Taiwan, and others have been held around the world. BAT put its show on the road with a

ety overnight. And with change comes

a significant amount of Pain." Argentina, he said, had faced manY crises in the last 20 years. He pointed to the dirty war waged by the generals in

Discovery takes top award

the 1970s, the war with Britain over the Falkland lslands and the hyper-inflation of the late 1980s. "The fact that we have come through

FCC members Steve Ellis, Ken Ball and Victor Paddy have been seen celebrating a lot recently. The trio are from Emphasis and for the sec-

allthishas nothingto do with whatthe governmentdid," he said. "The people wanted change. They wanted a market economy, they wanted to live and work in a free and open society free of external and internal conflict. "We as a nation looked at all our world and non aligned. alliances -third Why, we asked ourselves, did we have

nuclear

and

a nation

Discovery, a special on Vietnam. An extract from the edition, written by Derek Maitland, appeared in the December 1991-January 1992

with all the international safeguards and we have scrapped our missile programme with lraq. . . for obvious rea-

sons." On the economic front, Di Tella said

Cathay was also first runner-up for Best Overall lnflight Entertain-

Argentina had destroyed the public sector with inflation. "Public sector confidence had been destroyed by inept economic policies. Confidence in the public sector has to

ment in the 4th annual Avion Awards.

Thirty-two airlines took part in the prestigious international event.

1993

fulminate and nitpick over the evidence against smoking was sweetened by free afternoons, glass-bottomed boat trips and a cultural evening of singing and dancing. A souvenir gift and a couple of packs of cigarettes were left in everyone's room. ln a two-day programme, just six and

a half hours were scheduled for lectures, although the speakers were available for discussion outside their allotted time. A dozen or so tobacco types backed up BAT lndonesia's resident director, Chris Burton, who introduced speakers and controlled the question and answer session at the end of each lecture. Besides the tobacco company's hired hand, Dr Sharon Boyse, who sought to cast doubt on the scientific evidence against smoking, there were two independent speakers on "related subjects".

British doctor and expert on

indoorairquality, and an American lawyer and sometime journalist who was too coy to go on the record, but whom I shall call Paul, for that is his name. Paul has a drum to bang, and BAT provided him with an extra large pair of drumsticks, paying his expenses and a fat fee as it did all its lecturers to harangue his listeners. P.aul's bete noire, and very possibly rightly so, was the World Health Organisation which according to data he provided was more concerned with getting Africans to do up their seat belts than stemming the flow of AIDS. Nodding to BAT's interests, he took a sideswipe at the anti-smoking lobby whose energies he felt could be better directed elsewhere. He went so far as to suggest that as yet unpublished research would indicate that smoking was not particularly harmful and that poor diet was a greater cauge of lung cancer. Both he and the

Florida. Cathay's winning entry was the November 199'l issue of

"Yes, our nuclear program has been maintained for peaceful purposes along

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

Magazine award at the 1992 Avion Awards ceremony, held in October mentAssociation Con-

OUTS.

ond year in a row, Cathay Pacific picked up the coveted Best Flight

ference in Orlando,

to listen to Dr This and Professor That

One,

at the annual World Airline Entertain-

missile Programme?

They didn't make sense in

fig-

ures too blatantly.

The Discovery team Standing (L-R): Mimi Chan, Gathay's inflight entertainment off¡cer; Percy Chung, art director; Ken Ball, managing director; Victor George Paddy, managing editor (all with Emphasis); Arthur Bullard, general manager, marketing and passenger product, Cathay Pacific. Seated (L-R): Geraldine Moor, account manager; Steve Ellis, chief executive, Emphasis; Vivian Chee, assistant inflight enterta¡nment manager; James Barrington, rnanager, passenger product, (both with Cathay Pacific).

THE CORRESPONDENT DF,C 1992 / JAN

1993

The Swire Group

Cathay Pacific puts business travellers in space. British doctor provided BAT with some exceptionally usef ul propaganda, by their titles and impressive list of qualifications and by fogging the issue with facts that were not really central to the argument that smoking may or maY not be bad for you. "We can't say that smoking does not cause disease. We are saying that we don't know. What we believe is that more research is needed," said Sharon, not quite skipping from side to side and frisking hertail like Squeaker in Animal Farm. The other speakers all had a pet subject. Professor Philip Witorsch was dismissive of the effects of passive smoking; Professor lan Hindmarch was wise to what people smoke and whY other people tried to stop them; and Profes-

sor Jean Boddewyn steam-rolled his way through the pernicious effects of tobacco advertising. Nobody, naturallY, ever stood uP to say that tobacco was not at all harmful, but there was a slow insidious build-up

Dutch tNot to arm sales The Dutch foreign trade minister,

that Holland was considering a

re-

quest from Taipei to supply submannes.

ln 1982 Holland had tried to sell submarines to Taiwan only to find itself locked in a diplomatic war of words with China. Two years later Holland agreed not to sellthe subma-

rines in return for an agreement on expanded trade.

And it so haPPens that exPorts from Holland to China have gone uP dramatically in the last eight years with exports rising faster than the total from all EC countries.

other. One had not even bothered to bring any business cards. BAT did not ask for any commissions or guaranteed copy before accepting journalists on the trip, presumably hop-

With some obvious exceptions, the delegates were not from the upper tiers of the fourth estate, so apparently BAT was not too worried about who was doing the sowing as long as it was

ing that by spreading enough seeds

someone.

around some were bound to take root.

Ample free time allowed plenty of opportunities to socialise, and it was going to be more difficult to write that what Professor Nick O'Teen had said

was hogwash once You'd shared an amusing lunch together, had a lark in the swim-

ming pool or just got slowlY

Top, Ed Peters; 2nd top, Brett Free; third top, Barbara Dyer, Peter Kule (BAT); front, Brenda Chow (BAT), Rose Ong, PerrY Mak'

T ;t

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

Offering more space than ever, Cathay Pacìfic now introduces new Marco Polo Business Class seating

with an extra two inches of

Let me make it clear that I have no personal axe to grind against smokers and the tobacco industry. I used to smoke 40 Rhinoceros blend a daY

legroom on all aircraft. And also on all 747s, you'll find

a convenient swivel table

and

fully extendable legrest for

long

distance comfort. What's more, we've dedicated the upper deck of

all our 747s exclusively to À

Marco

Polo Business Class and made it smoke-free. Enhancing the space and

comfort of our cabin is yet another way

in which Cathay Pacific helps business travellers arrive in better shape.

Edward Peters is a f reelance iournalist based in Hong

Kong.

new, redesigned seat featuring

F ,.,|

..'.

before quitting on Boxing Day 1983. I am happy for others to Puff away to but not half their heañs discontent I way through a flight while am eating. Most journalists felt that this was a good free trip: the danger of that line of thought is once one has gone into the spider's parlour there is a feeling, however small, that one ought to repay the hospitality. BAT has got a lot of moneY to throw about and treating members of a traditionally less-well paid professiqn is probably as cost effective as finding someone to replace the Marlboro man or draw a cute cartoon Camel.

heart.

smashed underthat velvet skY. It was fairly clear that most of the 25-odd journalists could see what was coming, and reacted with varying degrees of professionalism. "l've come with an open mind and a bottle of sun cream," said one. "l just want to lie on the beach, have a listen and get laid," said an-

Yvonne van Rooy

:.ã

of facts, opinions and interpretations that cast doubt on the fashionably held view that cigarettes were no better than coffin nails. On top of this, tucking into free food and drink, lazing on the sand, toddling about in complimentary flip flops and smearing oneself with complimentary body lotion, it was difficult to resistthe feelingthat BAT must be a nice bunch of guYs at

Yvonne van Rooy, made use of question time following her address to the Club on November 20, to deny claims that Holland was about to sell submarines to Taiwan. Earller in the week Taiwanese press reports claimed thatTaipei had agreed to buy 60 Mirage fighters and missiles f rom France. lt was also claimed

.- -

CATHAYPACIFIC Arrive in better shape.

out that the editor had forgotten

all

The best

about hiring him. So he was taken on as a freelance.

an Apple computer to work on and they said I could have it. So here I am."

Then in 1988, Best received a

Would he like a job in Hong Kong? "l had been told by several people that it was a hardship posting. But I asked for

It took some time for Best to settle down as a cartoonist as well as with the designers of the Posfb graphics for news pages. But now he feels he is moving into his stride as a cartoonist who is becoming something of a political com-

Best By Simon Twiston Davies he cartoonist Paul Best looked up from his Powerful APPIe

computer in lhe South China Morning Posf design department and made himself quite Plain. "No, you can't have one. No, not for review or anything else. No, we aren't giving any away to anyone."

With that the red-headed, heavilY freckled Best suggested attending the launch of his new book, Besf Foot For' ward at the FCC and PaYing the cheaP $98 price tag. "Every penny is going to the charity' Future Hope, so don't get anY ideas you'll be giving some money to me. You're not." That kind of straight talking is typical of the 32-year-old New Zealander, who,

whatever the situation, is always en-

call

from the deputy editor of the Posf.

t¡rely direct and completely polite. His still naturally boyish grin is a permanentfeatureof Paul Best, but never underestimate the determination of the

Posf's head of design to get exactlY what he wants.

"l guess I had to become an aftist because of the trouble I had communi-

cating as

a small child," he says'

couldn't speak until I was about three and the only way my mother could calm me down was by placing a Pencil in mY hand. "Eventually the first thing I could talk about was my drawing and for a long time that was the easiest way I had of

communicating. "But, essentially, I was dyslexic until the age of 14 when I caught uP with mY reading age. Butthat struggle has stood me in good stead. "l now know how to coPe with a crisis

and that's so important for a daily cartoonist. lf he can't relax and have fun, even with a looming deadline, it shows

'But I don't want to shop in Central, mummy!'

mentator. "lt has taken a while for me to get the

up in his work. You have to feel comfortable with filling that space' By late afternoon on many daYs I don't even know what I will put in the paper that evening but l'm sure it will happen." Best has learned that professional edge the hard way by working extraordinarily long hours, at first as an illustra-

tor for The Australian newspaper

Sydnéy.and now at his busy job at the Posf in Quarry BaY. "l got my first job on The Australian while I was on a short holiday in Sydney. On spec I wandered into the office to see if they had anY jobs. I met the editor and he offered me a job on the spot." Best returned to Sydney three months later to take up the new post only to find

'Where the streets are lined with

feel of Hong Kong and to realise what all these self-interest groups are up to. I want to highlight that, as much as anything else." Best now uses a brush to create his cartoons as did the celebrated Sir David Low, the creator of Colonel Blimp, fôr British newspapers during the first 50 years of this century. "Low was a New Zealander like me. He has been a hero of mine since lwas a kid." lf Best in Hong Kong can aPProach the extraordinary achievements of Low

and paved

Justice must be seen to be done...

..,that's why we have to hold a trial to attr¡bute blame...

...we need to hold ¡t ¡n secret because of state security reasons...

he will be a hero to us all.

Simon Twiston Davies is a writer with M magazine. The ttonglrong cycl'lnS iàam's regime be¡ng particularly.arduous

Paul Best

...but we decide on the verdict beforehand to speed up the process...

We could bring this efficiency to Hongkong.

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992/JAN

1993

COVER STORY Phoros by KEES

t Heinz Grabner and Steve Vines welcome the Governor.

Optimistic about the future he last substantial visitor to this club from Britain was Sir Edward Heath. He had just come from Peking where he very successfully helped pave the way for my

INTERNATIONAL

we're all the

own visit. I am told that during one of his meetings with a senior Chinese leader, not one I was able to meet, he told him that I would be perfectly OK to deal with. lndeed, extremely good to deal with since I had been to Balliol (Oxford). So, if you really want to know the real inside story about some of the little difficulties we've had recently, it is obvious the government in Peking is dominated by Trinity College men. I haven't been denounced because of my college yet but I have been called many things during the last few weeks. One paper even brought out an entire supplement, by public demand, devoted to its criticisms of me. I have been described as a sly lawyer,

surely a contradiction in terms. l've been

Since taking over as Hong Kong's 28th, and presumably last B ritish Governor in July, Chris Patten has not had an easy time of it. His blueprint for the territory's future has been denounced by Beijing and serious rifts have started to develop in Hong Kong itself over the wisdom of his plan.In an address to the Club on November 2, the Governor spoke on some of the dfficulties he now faces. The following is an edited text of what he had to say followed by an appraisal by Stusrt Wolfundale.

called a pirate, a colonial oppressor, a cunning political trickster, a false saviour and a god of democracy. I wonder what sorl of language they would have used if Norman Tebbit had become Governor of Hong Kong. All this has been said about a chap widely regarded in British politics, as about as confrontational as a mug of hot milk.

The worst The Guardian has said about me is that I tend to the demotic. I am, I guess, the man who gave to the English language the words doublewammy and gobsmacked. But I am usually described as irretrievably wet, which has made some of the things said about me in Hong Kong recently rather surprising. So what has happened?

Let me set the present debate in its context by repeating 10 simple truths. 1. The 28th Governor of Hong Kong

THE CORRESPONDENT DFjC 1992 / JAN

1993

Photos by KEES

didn't invent the fact that we need to bring forward proposals for the conduct of the 1995 election. Since 198990 the UK has been committed to the faster pace of democratisation and to increase the number of directly elected

seats in 1995. ln my speech tothe Legislative Council

on October 7, I set out an aPProach based on what PeoPle in Hong Kong had said to me in the three months since I first became Governor. Z. ine approach, which I Put forward, is wholly consistent with the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. I don't think anyone has demonstrated otherwise. Hence, I don't suPPort some of the adjectives which have been used. I always think adjectives are a poor replacement for arguments. 3. The answers about what to do in 1995 are not to be found in the Basic

Law because the Basic Law doesn't tell us what to do about voting methods for directly elected seats. The Basic Law is literally silent on what to about the nine new functional constituencies or about the election committee. 4. lt's not enough for critics to simply say our proposals are wrong. I would like to know what they would do' lt's not enough for those critics to say "but we said it all in the Basic Law" because it is not set out in the Basic Law. Critics should put forward their own alternative proposals if they don't like my own. 5. I think that is what people should be doing now. I think Hong Kong won't

THf. CORRESPONDENT DEC

1992

understand

if critics of my

proposals, overseas, simply de-

whether here or nounce arguments I put forward. lt's incumbent on everyone to put fonrvard

8. I want to have a good and effective relationship with China. Hong Kong wants

to have ĂĄ good and effective relation-

alternative proposals and to be prepared

ship with China. I don't think it would make much sense for me to try and

to discuss them. I hope China will

construct such a relationship on a basis

prepared to do that in the forum of the

which I believe was bad for Hong Kong and on a basis which I believed might damage China's relationship with Hong

Joint Liaison Group, an idea which China was talking about when I was in Peking. 6. There hasn't, in the Past, been a secret deal. No secret agreement or no secret understanding. I noticed the way a deal turned into an agreement, turned

into an understanding. lf others actually think there was a se-

cret deal or agreement or understanding, for example on the election commit-

tee, let them say precisely what that secret undertaking or understanding amounted to. That would be a very helpful way forward and perhaps offer an alternative to what I suggested. 7. The modest proposals I put forward for broadening the base of democracy in Hong Kong do, in my judgement' represent a way of securing greater political stability rather than the reverse. Let's not forget that there isn't a choice between what I proposed on the one hand and the status quo on the other. We had to put forward proposals for 1995. lf I had put forward proposals which were unfair,

which appeared to block off any fudher steps towards greater democracy' lthink thatwould have been the cause ofgreater political instability both before 1997 and after 1997.

/ JAN

1993

Kong.

9. Between now and 1997 I'm going to be called upon to give assurances and reassurances, even demanded

some who are at present critical of what I have put forward. Reassurances that Hong Kong's waY of life will be guaranteed and secured as set out in the Joint Declaration beyond

1997.

I think l'll be better Placed to give those reassurances if I am thought to be someone who has a vision for Hong-

kong and if l'm thought to be someone who sticks up for Hong Kong' 10. I am uninhibitly optimistic about

the future of Hong Kong. Of course much of the economic dYnamism in Hong Kong will depend on China's own successful opening up. But I think our economic Prospects are set firm. I for one will be lobbYing hard to ensure that those prospects aren't jeopardised by the politicalisation of trade. Hong Kong has been one of the economic and social miracles of the second

half of this centurY.

ln my view the storY has started.

Into the lions' den he Governor's first visit to the Club was in wry contrast to Dr

Mahathir's the week before. Special Branch detectives, looking more like male models, surrounded the Malaysian Prime Minister's car, scanning the street before letting him out onto the pavement. Chris Patten, on the other hand, bounded in, pressing the flesh, and took a photo call on the staircase before joining the Board for pre-luncheon drinks. Of course what is said at these gatherings is strictly off the record since great matters of state are invariably put and resolved. What can be noted though is

the Governor has an extraordinary capacity for Virgin Marys, knocking several back before we filed in for lunch. With nearly half the Club queuing up to drink potato garlic soup with him, there turned out to be an empty seat next to Patten. Hastily we all budged up one, except Catherine Ong who budged up two and sat next to the Governor on the grounds that she was more interesting to talk to and look at than I was. There is not that much that people on the top table get to say to the guest speaker. A lot of it is done across the back or the chest of the people in between and when one of those belongs to Catherine, a Governor must act with decorum. SĂ˛metimes, struggling in the

By Stuart Wolfendale middle ground between small talk and issues, conversation dies and the guest stares out ahead with a small smile of

stranded anxiety into the chewing MASSES.

what a fit of words critics would have got themselves into if Lord Tebbit has been appointed to the job. To one questioner, later, he advised that he had "better ask that question next time the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office held a press conference." A colleague muttered afterwards that

Patten, on the other hand, used these moments to tuck in and he ate his fish cakes and all his greens in record time, then stood. He is a very stocky, four square fellow. Close up, I could imagine how he might have problems having to suddenly put the brakes on, going at full speed across a tennis court. The voice has a carefully paced reassurance to it.

there didn't appear to be very much in what the Governor had to say. There was no novel factual input into the row with China. There was, more than anything else, a semantic definition of a position. lt was the words he used, not what he said with them. The Chinese

There are no alarming fluctuations in tone. The hands are carefultoo, coming together at tummy level, half cupped, the back on one into the palm of the other to conclude a self evidently sen-

"lt is not stated in the Basic Law" and "the Basic Law is silent ..." The Governor seemed to express a casual con-

sible point. The back of a hand may rise and travel towards the audience a little way in a half wave as though to say "There, you see what I mean." He kicked off with comedy. Ted Heath

in Peking (he never says Beijing) had "paved the way" for his own visit there seniorChinese leaders he had -seeing not himself been able to meet. He reviewed the contradictory adjectives applied to him like "demotic" and "irretrievably wet". The Governor wondered

should have envied the message sendtng.

tempt for the thing ... it is cerlainly basic, but not really law. His insistence throughout on being within the spirit of the Joint Declaration suggested that this was the ark document of legitimacy in his mind and that the Basic Law was the true interloper against the original agreement. His Government's position as the executive authority for Hong Kong until the end was given whacking verbals.

"The present sovereign power," as he described himself. "The future sovereign power," he described China. This

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

The name of the world's la

is the sort of talking that has senior cadres biting the heads off rats.

He spoke of his constitutional advancement package as "a modest proposal". I still can't decide whether he was trying to out satire Swift on that one. He claimed the Hong Kong storY

had only just begun and that within

Steve Vines, the President, presented the Governorwith the usual FCC, gravy-

stained style tie. He told the Governor that Zhou Nan had one already. "This is probably the only club tie that Zhou and I share," mused Patten "unless he is a member of the Somerset County Cricket

three to four months, we would see a

Club." Minutes later, a Board member was

calmer, more rational attitude. Given the Chinese, and this form of orches-

The twinkle of a scoop was in her eye.

approached by a Child of the Notebook.

trated barn-storming, I sat there toying with the coffee, wishing that I could vote for his projection. Question time was faintly less vapid than usual. Even correspondents are too polite to savage a man they actually invited to lunch in their house. The afterdinner feel, the transferring of cordless mikes, the ants in the pants needing to get back into the office, none of this encourages rough and tumble. Frank Ching, from the Far Eastern Economic Revlewasked why the British had connived at the deliberate slow down of democratisation in 1990. The Governor, who had only minutes before taken political responsibility forTory policy in Hong Kong, jumped off that Kawasaki 750 and sat on a Honda two stroke instead. He would find out the answer to that for when Frank next asked the question. But accusations of avoidance flew around the room, including one from a reporter from the normally sensationally snoozy TVB. That was the

past, the Governor concluded, and he

was looking for the future. What

really meant was that in 1990, he was the party hatchet man in Smith Square and didn't even have sight of a Foreign Office float file. Collective responsibility

is a very tricky business in

politics, especially when you weren't responsible for any parl of it at all. Easy relief was on the waY. A nicelY formed but pushy question was asked,

which, like all these questions, are really statements of the questioners scep-

ticism or superior insight. Then from back of the dinning room, came a single round of applause. "That must be the Labour Chief Whip," quipped Patten. lt is doubtful whether any previous gover-

nor could have been so oveftlY

PartY

MasterCard issuer,

"What is this Somerset Cricket Club? ls Zhou really a member?" I wonder when Chris is going to stroll down the slope for a drink? lt will be an interesting day indeed when he walks into the main bar and David the barman flings out an arm and says "You! Whisky sodal OK!"

Stuart WolĂ?endale is a columnist with the South China Morning Post.

The name welcomed at more than 9 million outlets worldwide,

most important name of all.

Ho, ho, ho. . . Christmas came a little early

this year in the shape of a celebrity Santa with a familiar profile during the Reuters Charity Golf Day benef itwhich

raised over $1 million dollars

for the Pinehill Village Little House Project and the Eben-

ezer School and Home for the Blind.

Wg'vE puT THREE BIG I{AMES oN oNE sMALL cARD. CITIBAI.{K MASTERCARD

Pick up an application form today 0r call our 24-hour hotline: 8661123,

One lucky punter landed Christmas at TiffanY with Santa who turned out to be none other than our verY own

Stuart Wolfendale.

political.

Not Just MasterCard. Citibank MasterCard.

14 THE CORRESPONDENT DEC l992lJ^N

1993

PHOTO ESSAY Phoros b\r Neil Farrin

to "do something". lndeed, his

Hong

Kong-registered charity Future Hope

has his old employer, the Bank,

F..rĂ&#x17E;.

Trustee and figures high on the Bank's charity list. For the next few days Neil stayed at Tim's house in Calcutta and the 12 kids he had taken in. "Their ages ranged from eight lo 12," he said. "Some spoke of sexual abuse

and violence while others, and one in particular, were too weak to move. "We even found one little fellow in the station in the early hours of the morning ... he must have been all of three years of age. Abandoned and left there sleeping on a dirty old sack."

Neil said that many of Calcutta's wealthy were now rallying to help Tim secure safe homes for the city's estimated one million street children. "No one really has an accurate figure as to how many children live on the streets," Neil said. "The figure could be much higher." So far Tim has managed to secure

City of

career with the Bank to help Calcutta's

street children, to

the Calcutta

Turf

Club. "l guess it was Tim's way of breaking me in gently," Neil said. "The Turf Club was something left

hope

over from the Raj. lt may have been a little tatty in places but its gracious colo-

nial charm spoke of grander days."

By Karl Wilson

Grandage, who is also founder of the charity, Future Hope, wasted no time in

tude and are better than average pupils.

"l came away having only scratched the surface," Neil said. "Calcutta is an enormous city ... once one of the finest cities of the British empire in lndia. Today it is a shadow of its once former greatness. lt is over-

he last time photograPher and FCC member Neil Farrin saw Calcutta was 15 years ago. At the time he was shooting a promotion for Air lndia. Recently he returned and saw another side of Calcutta, one which he says, has had a profound impact on

crowded and terribly run down. But having

said that life goes on. Even on the streets there is an amazing sense of belonging. As Tim pointed out time and again while I was there ... the kids don't need material things to survive. They've got a spontaneity we've lost in the developed world and their expectation of life is so much less. "They didn't appear to be angry or bitter. lt was as if they had simply ac-

his life. He was invited by former Hongkong

and Shanghai Bank employee Tim Grandage to photograph Calcutta's street children for an exhibition in Pacific Place

to coincide with the Hong Kong

taking Neil around Calcutta and to introduce him to his extended family ... the city's street children. Some, Neil says, as young as two-year-old. "Abandoned and left to fight on their own," he says. "Life for these kids is one of survival ... day in and day out." Grandage was so moved by what he saw during his two year stint with the Bank in Calcutta that he resigned from the Bank and headed back to Calcutta

five homes around Calcutta for the children. "At least they have shelter and food,"Neil said. "They are also being educated and even the local police have managed to gain their confidence and now play rugby together. "Some show amazing musical apti-

miere of the film,Clfy of Joy.

cepted their lot and decided to get on with life regardless.

When Neil arrived he was taken bY Grandage, who gave up a promising

hope for a better fĂźture."

Pre-

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

"At least

1993

lim

has given some of them

E THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

( ,6,

ยกo,

these kids

is one

survival. . . aff

day in and dalt out.

I Thn kids don't need

material things trยก surviru.

18 THE CORRESPONDENT DEC

1992

/ JAN

1993

THE CORRESPONDENT DF.C 1992 / JAN

1993

SPECIAL FEATURE: CAMERAS

A happy snapping guide for idiots #

Whether you're a j our nalis t w or kin g w ithout a photographer or a trader in a foreign land, the chances are that the situation is going to arise when you could do with having a camera handy just for the record. Terry Cheong, editor of Photo Asia, gives a few hints and tips on how to choose, and use, a simple camera that anyone can handle.

rct

lll

NIkon

IF4 t0. AF-L

he so called "idiot-proof" came-

ra must be one of the best things to have happened in

fยก ,4.

ir'

making photography accessible to the layman. ln contrast to earlier idiot-proofs such as the Box Brownie and the Kodak lnstamatic, the idiot-proof camera of today is sophisticated to such an extent

that you no longer have to adhere

ri-

gidly to instructions to "have your back to the sun" when taking pictures.

there are three things you have to con-

simple knowledge of photography can go a long way towards making a betterthan-merely acceptable shot.

Film

Ltd,

2/F Hutchยกson House, Central, Hong Kong fel.524 5O3l

the process under which

sharp and well-exposed pictures can more or less be taken for granted most However, the compact camera is not

Sole Agent:Shriro {H K )

the subtle differences among the va-

as idiot-proof as it seems. And some

Where history is made, as it is being made, the Nikon F4 toils. [Jnfailingly, tirelessly. The F4. Good news for pros everywhere.

the images

ln fact, so successful are today's idiot-proof cameras that acceptably of the time.

NE\rySMAKER

The competitive world of compact zoom cameras -- this one from Leica.

Apart from the camera lens, film is the most important element which determines the quality of your pictures. With today's level of technology, almost allthe major brands will be good enough for the compact camera. I am saying that because these cameras offer little or no control of the image in the first place and so negate the possibility of extreme fine-tuning in

rious films begin

to show up. But still,

siderwhen choosing afilm speed, -film latitude and colour. Most people would simply go out and buy a roll of film without going at any length to specify the type of film. However, apart from the demarcation of brand name, films also come in different speeds. These are usually specified in ISO units and refer specifically to the sensitivity of the film to light. A higher ISO unit, therefore, means greater sensitivity. The most general type of film would be one that bears an ISO 100 marking. Under most conditions, this should be sufficiently suitable. But you can also buy ISO 50, ISO 200, ISO 400 and ISO 1600 films. Choose the higher speeds if you know

you are going to shoot under dimly lit conditions either without flash or out-

side the range of your f lash. Higher film speeds will, however, mean that your pictures will have coarser grain. Although on small prints (say 3R), it will definitely be a big minus if you were to blow up your shot to a much larger degree unless

the effect will not be very visible

you are looking particularly for a grainy effect. On the other end of the scale, an ISO 50 film will enable great enlargements - both in quality and magnitude will not bevery easyto use unless -but the lighting conditions are very bright. But before you get a roll of very high orvery low speed film, check your camera manual - some cameras have automatic DX film speed setting systems which do not cater to these films. With today's film emulsion technolo$y, the trade-off for using an ISO 400 film (relative to an ISO 100) will not be very significant even with enlargements of 10" x 8". The benefits seem to outweigh the disadvantages.

THE CORRESPONDENT DF,C 1992 / JAN

1993

SPECIAL FEATURE How you aยกm and shoot makes a difference Many times,

Compact zooms from Sigma,

Nikon and Minolta.

have come across

tourists who shoot pictures holding their compact camera with only one hand. While this may be perfectly in tune with the mood of the occasion, it is an extremely slip-shod manner with which to make a picture. The correct way of holding a camera is with two hands - one underneath the camera to act as a support and the other clutching the right side of the camera with the index finger at the shutter button. There is more to it, though. Just before tripping the shutter, stand with feet apart and firmly on the ground, relax your shpulder muscles, hold your breath partially and, finally, press the shutter with a smooth, firm action. This

will eliminate camera shake, which is the cause of many blurred pictures, especially those taken with the zoom lens set at the extreme tele end or under relatively dim conditions.

Another source of blurred pictures is the improperplacement of the point of focuswithin the picture. All AFcompacts have a zone demarcated at the centre of the viewfinder. This is the au-

RMA

Z00lr 90c

First of all, most of the autojocus (AF) .compact cameras have lenses which are not very bright-typicallywith maximum apertures of f/3.8 and f/8 respectively at the wideangle and telephoto ends (for a zoom comPact). A higher film speed thus makes it possible to hand-hold your camera (instead of setting it on a tripod) by allowing higher shutter speeds to be used for a

given situation. ln addition, it also increases the range of your built-in flash. lf

you have been using differentbrands

of film, you will notice that some are more tolerant of exposure errors than others. This quality of exposure toler-

ance is called "latitude". Some films which have good exposure latitude and colour are Fuji's Fujicolor HG series (especially the 400HG Professional) and Kodak's new Gold llfilm. Good, saturated colours can be had from Fuji's Velvia and Agfa's Ultra (both ISO 50), while Kodak's Ektar is among the top in terms of sharpness and fineness of grain.

TIJE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992lJAN 1993

to-focus zone and any object which falls within it when the shutter is tripped, will be focused upon and appear sharp. A common error tends to occur when you are taking a picture of two people. lt is a natural thing to have them both centred in the frame, leaving the centre (wheretheAF zone is located) pointed at some other object in the background. This is fine if the background is immediately behind the subject - there will still be a good chance of the subjects appearing in focus. But if the background is in the far distance, the focus will be far off the mark, leaving the subjects blurred. Some of the latest cameras solve the problem by using multiple or wide focus zones to determine where the intended subjects lie. But there are many other models which do not have

this feature. With these cameras, you will have to use the focus lock feature. This function is activated by depress-

ing and holding down the shutter button halfway. By doing this, you are in effect locking the focus on any object falling within until You let go of the the AF zone - you have to do to get offall So button. is to point at in-focus subjects centred lock and' focus the activate the subject, button shutter the depressing still while only The shot' the recompose halfway, press to is then do to thing remaining the shutter button the rest of the way down to make the exposure'

The final point to look out for is parallax error. This occurs because all AF compacts make use of rangerfinders which are a small distance aparl from the actual lens which takes the picture' Under normal conditions when you are shooting a subject some distance away' the effect is negligible. But with subjects nearer than about three feet, it is con-

siderable. Under such circumstances, make use of the smaller frame that is marked out in the camera's viewfinder to frame Your subject.

Flash

choose a compact auto-focus camera' But you can certainlY make the task easier by giving a little thought to what you want. Basically, you will need to

how to use it effectively

Most AF cornpact cameras have builtin flash units of limited power. With ISO

ascertain if You want a zoom camera

100 f ilm, their range usually extends to about 1 2 feet or lhereabouts. Knowing

or one with a fixed focal length lens, the

size of camera that you will feel comfortable with, and whether you want a camera that is versatile enough to accept optional accessories' ln the cameras we are going to mention, almost all have multi-mode flash and red-eye reduction, so these and a few other common functions (like date backoption) will notbe mentioned' What will be mentioned are some of the special (or even unique) features that make

this limitation will help eliminate many disappointing shots. So if You are to take a Picture of a distant night scene, do not expect the flash to be of any help. With cameras that have a "night scene" of "flash off" modes, setting the camera on a tripod

! ¡

before shooting will give better results' That is because the camera, when set to these modes, will use slower shutter

speeds for longer exposures' But be sure never to shake or move the camera during exposure' Use a cable release if your camera accepts one' Back lighting is another problem to

each individual camera stand out from the rest.

Zooms or no zoom?

be reckoned with' Uncorrected, backlighting will make silhouettes of your subjects. This can be tackled either

This question is not as simPle as it seems. Apart from asking yourself if you want a zoom, also ask Yourself if

through the use of the camera's flash

the not-so-bright maximum apertures often associated with zooms are what

(set to "fill-in" mode), or by pressing

the More comPact zooms

from Olympus, Canon and, left, Konica.

"þacklight compensation" button'

you want. The zoom lenses in compact AF cameras unfailingly have variable

Again, which method used dePends on what camera You are using' lt is

maximum apertures for example f/3'7f/8 for 35-105mm lens' This means that

imponant to recognise backlighting when you see it. A typical backlit situation occurs when the subject has his/her back against a brightly lit background

the maximum lens opening varies from f13.7 althe 35mm focal length setting to

f/8 after you have zoomed to 105mm' This means that you will find it very difficult to use the105mm zoom setting under more dimly lit conditions without flash. Fixed focal length AF compacts

it a window, astrong lightsource,

-be the sky or the sun.

FinallY, the more advanced AF compact cameras feature a slow synchro flash photography mode. ln this mode,

are also much lighter and smaller than their zoom counterparts.

the camera makes use of a slower shutter speed with which to synchronise the flash. The advantage is a more attractive background in the picture

because the slower flash synchronisation speed allows more of the ambient light to be recorded on film' However, this mode has to be used with care'

Secondly, never use the slow sYnch mode on a moving subject unless You want an "artistic

blu/'

in your picture'

Choosing a su¡table comPact camera With so manY different makes and models in the market, it is not easy to

Zooms

I il

The most significant lure oi a zoom lens is the ability to magnify your subject and also, to adjust the framing of your subject without having to walk a single step. lf a zoom camera is what you want, there are manY to choose from. The most comPact zoom camera currently on the market is the Pentax Espio. According to its manufacturer, it is

the smallest, lightest (235 grammes without battery) and thinnest compact

AF minis with fxed focal lenghts from Olympus and Minolta.

AF camera with a built-in 35-70mm 2x zoom lens (as of MaY '92). Another camera to consider is Nikon's TW Zoom 105. This has a 37-105mm zoorR and is packed with useful features like multiple focus areas (wide, spot and inf inity), focus tracking for fast moving subjects, Sequence Zoom shooting and more. A "world time" version of this camera is also available' This has a data back incorporating a world clock. Apart from that, it has a unique fìlm switch system which allows you to changeto anotherroll of film in mid-roll' When you insert the original roll of film for re-use, the camera will automatically advance to the frame from which

you had earlier left off The Big Mini Zoom is another current best-seller. This has a sleek, rounded appearance and is designed in such a !

way that its 35-70mm zoom lens is recessed into the main part of the camera body when not in use. This camera has plenty of interesting features, the most notable of which are its wide ISO film speed range which goes from ISO 25 to 3200, closeuP shooting down to 0.6m and its comPact size. Canon also offers plenty in their Prima range, with the Prima Zoom 105 (35105mm zoom) and the Prima Zoom Mini (38-76mm zoom) occuPYing the

top of the range.

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

i¿ run coRRESPoNDENT

DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

A Yital Investment

In Security

Minolta has a very interesting model called the Riva Zoom 90c which fea-

tures a 38-90mm zoom range, twosegment exposure metering and EyeStad automation. The latter is a unique

feature which automatically switches on the camera and gets it ready for shooting once you bring it to your eye.

This feature will be useful for quick candid shots. There is also a lesser model - the Riva Zoom 70c - off ering very similar features but with a shorter zoom range of 35-70mm.

Olympus has much to offer in their Superzoom 1 1 0 and Az-220 Wide Zoom cameras. Both these cameras are special in their own way. The Superzoom 'l 10 features a 38-1 10mm zoom range, multiJocus system, 3-zone ESP light metering and spot metering. But what makes it extremely different from the rest is its weather-proof construction which makes it immune to splashes of water. Another water resistant compact AF on the market is the Pentax Zoom 90WR

which has a 38-90mm i'13.5-7.5 zoom and spot as well as three-point autofocusing. Nikon also offers an all-weather camera called the Nikon AW 35 which has a fixed 35mm autofocus lens. The other Olympus, the A7-220 has a zoom range of 28-56mm, which makes

Instant happiness For those always in a hurry or just plain impatient, there is the instant camera. Made by Polaroid and sold under the same name, these easy-to-use cameras are "idiot proof". Their obvious advantage lies in total confidentiality and the instant results you can get, but there is also the disadvantage of reprints being impossible as there are no negatives. However, some people get around the problem by either clicking

additional copies if they foresee the necessity from the outset, or get the Polaroid copied later using conventional camera and film.

The most useful Polaroid camera available now revolves around the Spectra System, which occupies the top end of Polaroid's range. This system gives a rectangular image, thus

it ideal for landscape and scenery. lt can also be switched to the panorama

enabling you to make full use of the picture area of the Polaroid material.

The Spectra camera has features

autofocusing, automatic exposure, a 12second self-timer and optional accessories. These include a table tripod, close-up stand and a close-up lens which

can focusdownto ten inches. And, in addition to a special effects kit and a creative effects kit, there are also several filters which allow double exposure, multiple images and other special

effects.

newer version of the Spectra camera is also available. Called the Spectra Pro, it also boasts an LCD in-

formation panel, multiple exposure capability, as well as time exposure capability for night scen

mode for extreme wideangle coverage. Another panorama camera is Minolta's Riva Panorama which shoots nothing but panoramas with its fixed 28mm auto-focus lens. Sigma, who are noted as the independent makers of SLR camera lenses,

range of very smart-looking cameras to offer. These are the AF Zoom Super 28 (28-50mm zoom), AF Zoom Super 70 (35-70mm zoom) and the AF Zoom Super 100 (50-100mm

have

zoom). Each of these sleek black cameras are designed with a contoured hand-grip for easy holding and stability. On the right side of the camera's top plate is a hot-shoe which can accommodate a Sigma 2805 electronic flash for extra lightiñg power. And, each of these cameras has its own built-in flash

C)rc.gÈ -¡ovv

'r \rv*

'i¡.._-

.r.. ;.,:, '

Burglaries are increasing at a frightening rate in Hong Kong,

From now on till 1Sth Feb. 93 you can order your Polaroid camera

This kit can help you be prepared by provlding detailed

at a special discount price and with each purchase you'll receive

written and photographic records of your valuables, lmagine the scene, You arrive home to discover your house has been burgled, The police arrive and you're still in a state of shock. With all the trauma, making a list of the valuables you owned is the last thing you're capable of doing. The solution is as close as your Polaroid camera. Simply take Polaroid photographs of all your valuables, and keep the photos and sales receipts in this Photofile You'll then have a complete inventory lhat will give you three important advantages:

1. lt will give you a permanent record of each item. 2. lt will be a major help to the police in recovering the stolen goods. 3. lt will substantiate your claim to your insurance company that you owned the goods- and that's just as

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992ITAN 1993

Spectra

The Spectra has a self t¡mer,

aperture adjustment, flash and autofocus overide

It is capable of multiple exposures and has a larger, rectangular film format. A remote control accessory is available

lmpulse AF The compact lmpulse AF is always handy for business purposes and important events. lt shoots from 2 feet to infinity and always captures the subject in sharp detail. The lmpulse has a self timer, autoflash and autofocus.

important in case of fire as it is with burglary. A word of advice: be thorough in compiling your Photofile, You'll be amazed at the number of possessions which would cost a great dealto replace -clothes, silverware, jewellery, appliances, and many more. Add them allup, and theirvalue willcome to many thousands of dollars. So isn't it worth a second or two to

photograph each of them rather than have to find the money needed to replace them? You don't have to be a photographic whiz Polaroid photography is as simple as it's quick Just be sure to stay within the correct flash and exposure range shown in the instruction booklet which came with your camera

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Technical Achievement Award

which is capable of altering its angle of coverage according to the focal length setting on the camera lens.

he 1990 Technical Achievement Award for the dedolight.

Leica also offers a compact AF zoom. Called the C7-Zoom, this camera has a 40-90mm zoom lens, multi-beam au-

to-focusing, auto-zoom and a wireless remote control.

DEDOWEIGERT ol

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AF compacts with fixed focal

length lenses These are the most compact of all and most of them are able to fit snugly into your pocket or handbag. ln addition, they are simple to use, being less complicated in terms of features. From Canon come the Prima 5 which has

a 38mm lens and intelligent 3-point

auto{ocusing. Other models f rom Canon are the Prima BF and the Prima Junior Hi and the Junior S which boasts a macro setting which focuses down to 50cm. Minolta offers the Riva Mini (34mm lens) which can focus as close as 60cm, and the Riva AF 35c, while Konìca offers the Big Mini. Olympus has three models - the Trip AF S-2 the AF-10 Super. The latter is an extremely smartlooking camera which can shut up with its 35mm lens and the viewfinder enclosed in a smooth shell. Yashica has a compact with a 35mm Carl Zeiss Tessar lens. This camera, called the Yashica T4, packs plenty of features for its small, pocketable size. The Leica Mini is another camera which

offers a famous label on its lens. lt spons a 35mm Leica Elmar lens together with a host of useful features.

For higher budgets lf you wish to spend more on

an idiot-

proof camera, there are some very good

ones on the market. Some are rather large but feature-packed and have a range of optional accessories to fit while others are seemingly simple and pricey

but offer the best image quality for cameras in their class.

The Canon Epoca 135 has a nearlY cylindrical shape and offers a very widezoom range of 38-1 35mm. lt boasts

Trumbull More expensive and larger -- from Canon, Konica and Olympus,

Credits include: Special effects photography for "2001', "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Star Trek"

'l'll

never shoot without them...'

'Forthe Backtothe Future 0MNIMAX numerous impressive features such as a very powerful built-in zooming flash. Fixed Framing Zoom mode, wireless remote control and more. ln a similar class (they are both "hybrid" cameras) is the Olympus l5-2000 with a 35-105mm zoom lens. This offers double exposure, manual exposure compensation, spot metering and

3000 will soon be released. Finally, there are the "simple" cameras offering top-notch picture quality. The latest is the Konica Hexar which sports an extra-bright f/2 35mm autofocus lens and features a manual fo-

ride, dedolights were the answer.

cus option, programmed auto, apenure

the entire film. Every shot was 180'

priority auto and manual exposure

wide atf 22. Hiding lights was a major

many other sophisticated features. lt can also accept a variety of add-on accessories ranging from wide and

capability and

tele converters and macro attachments to a panorama adapter, additional flash unit and remote control. An even more advanced version the Olympus lS

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

modes, manual film speed selection

very quiet shutter and film transport. And then there is the highly acclaimed Contax T2 with a Carl Zeiss AF lens, manual focus capability and manual exposure compensation capability.

Eff

iciency, brightness, narrow beam,

long throw and small size made our

dedolights the backbone of lighting

problem. With dedolights,

developed an entirely natural look by

breaking our key down into many individual beams, and slicing them between buildings, rocks and ice.

I'll

never shoot without them.

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Christmas on the job How do correspondents spend Christmas? We asked some to tell The Correspondent about their most memorable while on assignment.

with waterand, section bysection, began

to systematically take a mould of the sleeping animal.

The chief plasterer, flown over specially from Florida, explained that only dental plasterwould do-ordinary Plaster

Paris would weigh too much and

dry too quickly. lt could kill the elephant.

Jambo Bwana By Brian Barron

t had

been a rough year. The

of ldi Amin, chaos in his wake, the tortured bodies of his last victims sprawled in the dungeons of his State Research Bureau. The overthrow of the lunatic Emperor Bokassa of Central Africa in a secret coup by the French army. Famine in the Horn: the innocent dying on camera. No escape. All these things we had witnessed in 1979 so the run-up to Christmas was looking mercifully lean, newswise. But I had not allowed for Milos. He came into our bureau in Nairobi with asheaf of exquisitelydrawn sketches for what he called "the sleeping elephant project". Milos was a cadaverous, chain-smoking Bulgarian emigre who under the Stalinist clones who ran his country had somehow survived as a monumental sculptor. Perhaps he had grappled with flight

one socialist woman too many for he quit and left, or escaped, his homeland. One was never sure of the real story. Now he was working out of Manhattan but he had developed a surreal fascination for elephants. His sleeping pachyderm project was (he said) part funded by the United Nations. "We intend to save the African elephant from poachers and the ivory traders by immortalising one giant beast in bronze there will be 12 identical casts around the world. Life size, of course." From the auction of the bronze behemoths would come millions of dollars to fund elephant preservation. That was the theory. On Christmas Eve we found ourselves in a Mad Max cavalcade of safari ve-

let the rest sonforn

hicles lurching around the lower slopes of Mount Kenya in search of the ideal elephantine role model. The very large corner of Africa we were on was a ranch of over 1 00,000 acres owned by Adnan Khashoggi, before his fall from grace. He'd given Milos permission, because that the Kenyan government - afraid wouldn't something might go wrong allowthe operation to unfold in any of its game reserves. By midday we were tracking one large tusker through a wilderness of thorn trees from a helicopter. As the BBC cameraman, Eric Thirer, filmed, the vet fired two tranquillising daยก1s into the wrinkled backside. Five minutes later the elephant was on its side, fast asleep. With as much delicacy as a waiter serving canapes at an FCC cocktail party, the vet placed an outsized thermometer in the tusker's backside, to monitor its body temperature. At midday the heat was searing. Time was short if the creature's life was not to be imperilled. Ringed by safari vehicles, Milos and his men got to work. At a frenzied speed they poured out oneand-a-half tons of American dental plasyou go ter - exactly the same as or I a long way to avoid. They mixed the latter

HOtrl uw6รงAI'EFUL / I,I1 TRYINรง 19 SAVF

"Just imagine," said Milos,

"there's

enough plasterto fill New Yorkers' cavities

for several generations." After two hours a mobile crane care-

fully turned the elephant onto its other cheek so the mould would be complete. It was then that the plasterers got their just desserls. Our friend from Florida and an assistantwere applying the dental plaster round the backside. First they removed the huge thermometer -then to improve their access, the chief plasterer, with a casualness he was soon to regret, raised the elephant's tail as his companion applied the gooey white filler with both hands. Both men leaned forward patting the plaster into place. I heard a rumble from deep within the enormous bowels. Eric and lwithdrew two paces. Then the loudest, longest fart I will ever hear blew a cascade of white dental plaster across the clear-

ing

and the chief plasterer and his

mate fell backwards looking like extras from one of Chaplin's custard pie routines. It was achingly funny. But it signalled the return to consciousness of Milos' captive. Sobbing with mirth we ran for our vehicles. Moments later a massive white hulk scrambled to its feet and stillatouch dopey-wobbled off into the bush. So the rear end was never caught for posterity. Thirteen years and Christmases have come and gone. I have never heard of allthose bronze sleeping elephants being erected around the world. Maybe Milos found another obsession. Or maybe one earth-shaking fart rendered the artistic vision incomplete. I like to think that despite the decimation of the elephant herds in the years since, the old tusker is still alive blowing a raspberry at the folly of man.

Brian Barron is the BBC's Asia bureau chief.

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

l1___.¡-t_,2-7

L-J\S

On the road with Bob Hope

in Vietnam, so he and

his

hearty co-

horts commuted dailyto Bangkok aboard

two C130s. That meant 18-hour days

for the visitors but I never heard any of them complain. lt was old hat to Hope, who made eight of the Christmas trips before the Yanks finally pulled out. By Bert Okuley There were other memories: A show at Cu Chi, in the days before anyone hristmas of 1969, Vietnam, would realise that below ground was a vast network of Viet Cong tunnels which and I found myself on a whirlwind tour of the place with hid an unseen enemy. Bob Hope and his jolly troupe of enter- A visit to the Chu Lai base on the tainers who were trying to bring a bit of central coast. lt would someday, I cheer to tens of thousands of US troops thought, make a perfect site for a holiwho would have given anything to be day resort and golf course. When I get 12,000 miles away from where they back, I'll make it a point to find out. were. It was a typical tour of a war zone bY the ageless comedian (he was around 65 at the time) who had been making such journeys since early in World War ll. Only the cast of characters had changed. This particular Christmas season they included a non-entertainer, Neil Armstrong, who the previous July had become the first man to walk on the moon. Others included film star Ann-

nown.

The tour started in Long Binh, the US Army headquafiers base, then hit outposts across the country. Christmas itself was aboard the battleship USS New Jersey and in the northern airbase at Da Nang. Hope, who finally gave up the ghost after the Gulf War, put on typical shows for the grunts, with Gl humour. "They ¿rsked me how the tour was going, and Itold them Great, I can spell kaopectate in sgven languages."'

The clear star of the proceedings without doubtwas Neil Armstrong, called "Moon Man" by Hope but who clearlY awed his military audiences. No jokes, just a few gung-ho remarks of êncour-

agement and duck behind the curtain to thunderous cheers from the assembled

thousands. They wouldn't let Hope stay overnight

By Anthony La\ilrence

dents alike were wolfing pudding and getting drunk and not filing a sausage,

general's combat fatigues. And at every last stop on the entire tour, the leggy Gold Ðiggers danced into the wings, as the whistles and cheers resounded across what would soon be battlefields, tears streaming down their faces in the realisation that

boot. He came out. I got him. The Armed Forces Network roared out "Ol Christian Men Rejoice!" I didn't feel like it. That must have been the time when I fell out of a helicopter. lf it wasn't actually Christmas it must have been soon after. I'd been out on an LZee (landing zone) with cameraman and Club member Tony Munday to cover the assault on a hill not faraway. From this hill the Vietcong had been shelling the LZee every night with two

for some of the audience it would be the

last such show of their young lives.

Bert Okuley is a writer with Asia Magazine and past president of the FCC. He covered the Vietnam War for U nited Press I nternational.

THE

ournalists working in newsrooms tend to think their lot an unhappy one over the Christmas season. Radio and TV bulletins still have to be slung together somehow, newspapers must appear occasionally during the festive days. I remember sweating it out in the Bush House newsroom of BBC World Service back in 1952 dying to get away but nailed down to churn out yet another rewrite of the Shek Kip Mei squatter f ire in Hong Kong. We led with the story; there was nothing else; all over Christendom stringers and regular correspon-

neath the pipe along the wall after I'd missed with a vicious swipe of a jungle

A STORYAT

HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

over for a beer." Hope swinging his ever-present golf club in his five-star

and

;iJ

THERE'S ALWAYS

Bob Hope, looking every day his age, summoned Armstrong to his backstage dressing room. "Hey, moon man, c'mon

Margaret, the Gold Diggers dance

Hope's longtime sidekick, bandleader wth hit B;;J Les Brown

Goodwill all round

never mind the wars, political crises and natural catastrophes. Yes it's true, the further away from head office the better chance of taking Christmas off. ln all my 18 years as BBC Far East correspondent lcan recall only once not being home over Christmas, and that was when the Vietnam War was raging. I had to dash down to Saigon soonest, and I remember brooding glumly in the annexe of the Continental Hotel- no room in the hotel itself watching a giant cockroach trying to -decide whether to come out from under-

group from the popular US television

show hôsted by Dean Martin,

trLltr

howitzers captured from the French

Ihe Hong Kong Trode Development Council con help you moke business heodlines every doy of the yeor, As o mojor force in world trqde you'll find we've olwoys got o good story to tell: no podding, no puff ond bocked by occurote, upJoìhe-moment figures ond sioti$ics, Next time you receive one of our press releoses, give it o good once-over, You'll soon see whot we meon Or contoct us if you need detoils on ony ospect of Hong Kong trode

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the previous war, and the idea now was

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THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

Horbour Rood, Wonchoi, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 584 4333 Fox: (852) 824 0249

Santa didn't

to occupy the hill and winch out the guns

with two Chinook helicopters. Nice pictures, and you don't have to worry, they assured us; the hill's already been virtually cleared; and the colonel's lending you his own personal loach - a loach is a small-size helicopter with all-round

come-butldid By Ian Stewart

We set off and soon landed on the lower slopes to the noise of automatic fire. The pilot was not anxious to hang about. Tony got out with his gear and was just about to follow when I saw the notice: "On no account must this ma-

to another, and plunged downwards in

chine be vacated without the safety straps being left properly crossed", or words to that effect. I leaned over to

the direction of Deepwater Bay, with my wife, Truus, fiercely clutching my arm as we seemed, for a brief eternity, to be

cross them, the pilot took off , I was flung out and hung susPended head-down over the runners and we went up about 50 feet; and I thought mY God what a way to go, theY won't know the name of

passing up the now and allf uture Noels. Fortunately, a tree blocked our path before we had travelled very far and we were rescued without injury - although by other revellers on the badly shaken road, who formed a human chain to haul us up the cliffside. Later in the evening, with the help of the police and a rope, I slithered down to the car to recover our sons' Christmas presents, which we had stowed in

endeavour to get there by the f irst avail-

able aircraft. Little did I realise that all flights into and out of Darwin had been

Christmas Eve, heading from one party

suspended and there was absolutely no way I could reach the devastated city. After spending most of the day trying to wrangle my way unsuccessfully on to

the boot for safekeeping. The car had hit the tree with such force that it was a

firing broke out again, and'we all went to ground. lt wasn't just

sec-

a staY-behind tion who were soon disPosed

wounded man looking anxious as we toiled uP the hill.

precipice.

Anthony Lawrence was the BBC's Far East correspondent for 18 years'

Chicago and New York).

I was too moodY with frustration to pay much attention to the other guests until the gentleman seated opposite me at the dinner table said something about Darwin. I promPted him to rePeat his remark. "l'm flying there earlY tomorrow morning," he said. I shook my head, dismissing his intention. "All flights have been cancelled," I said.

Hallelujah

corks out of bottles; we had

I went to bed early but woke just after midnight in the middle of a terrible nightmare in which Tony, laughing demonically, was pushing me off a verY high

(which he ran for a time after serving as

editor of Rupert Murdoch's papers

company Lear jet."

Afterthat everYthing went well enough. The Chinooks were brought in and hauled the guns out of their emPlacements like

don that evening.

military or government aircraft flying in emergency supplies, I filed a story with aSydneydateline and headed off grumpily with my wife to a Christmas DaY dinner hosted by Frank Devine, then regional editor of Ihe Reader's Digest and now a columnist for The Australian

"l've been given Permission to take in food, clothing and medicine for our Darwin staff in the

of. We almost stePPed on a

lunch back at the LZee and, best of all, they laid on transport to get back to Saigon in time to ship the story to Lon-

quickly faded. I explained that Darwin was not exactly next door to Sydney but I would

have been a trttie wary of the fes-

his equipment readY to film it. Then the battalion moved uP the hill on open order and the

much

the odd chicken leg and slice of ham

tive season since I skidded off Repulse Bay Road one drizzly

like 15. I got up, shaken and somewhat bruised but otherwise all in one piece. Tony was laughing his head off . He said it was like an old-fashioned comedy with Harold Lloyd;he regretted not having

And a merry Christmas to ยกlou, too. Visions of a leisurely day, spent sipping cold beers in the backyard under Sydney's summer skies while tucking into

vision.

this place. Then lfelloff . I'd kept my eyes shut so I hadn't realised it was not 50 feet' more

How soon can you file?

write-off; we had obviously been very

Did he have room for one Passenger - to wit, me? Yes, he did. So it was that, on Boxing DaY, I flew

lucky.

into Darwin in the comfort of a corporate

However, the "careful it's Christmas signal" implanted on my brain by that experience did not prepare me for the

jet alrcraft. Before landing, we circled

telephone call f rom New York on Christ-

mas Day, 1974. We'd like you to go to Darwin immediately, a voice from The New York Times

the city a couple of times, providing me with an aerial view of the awesome destruction wrought by Cyclone Tracy "the night Santa Clause didn't come to Darwin", as a rather nauseating song of

the time said.

foreign desk said. lt's been hit by a

The cyclone had flattened must of the

hurricane (actually it was a cyclone).

city, especially the residential areas,

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

where most people lived in lightly-constructed houses on stilts, designed that way to make them airier. The Darwin that was rebuilt has sturdier houses. had two full days to roam the debrisstrewn streets and interview the cyclone-shocked survivors before return-

Welcome

placed under house arrest. I bumped into Derek, who was also under house

to Kabul

arrest.

By Hubert (Hugh) Van Es

ing to Sydney in executive style. Now, that's the way to cover a story.

lan Stewart was for manY Years the Asian correspondent for The New York Times. A past president of the FCC and

current president of the FCC in Singapore, he now strings for The Austratian, the South China Morning Post and Daily Telegraph.

Opportunity lost By Robin Moyer

t was a few days before Christmas, 1979, and we had just managed to get rid of Moyer and were about to send De Voss and Clark off too.

No sooner had he gone when

phone rang. lt was lime magazine in New York telling me to get my ass into

his

dhist monks as they blessed the 90,000 pounds of Operation ealifornia medical supplies loaded aboard the Flying Tigers'stretch DC8 in Los Angeles. ln Hong Kong overnightwe had picked up Time bureau chief, Marsh Clark, for the final leg and Marsh was currently occupied guiding the pilots upthe Mekong to Phnom Penh, our final destination. To make a short story even shorter, we nevergotbeyondthe airport in Phnom Penh, the two Soviet 'lournalists" who showed up at the airport while the supplies were being off-loaded acted m¡ghty funny. We didn't find out until the BBC news later that night in Bangkok that the Russians had invaded Afghanistan, and, a few minutes later, that Van Es and David De Voss, a likely combination of ever there was one, were on their waY to Kabul to become, once again, legends in their own Timemagazine. Merry

passport) and yours truly who managed to find a back door out of the place.

Christmas.

Robin Moyer is a PhotograPher with Time magazine.

Grabbing my camera gear and wallet

made a dash for the taxi stand and jumped into the first one I could find. "Take me down town ...." No sooner had I opened my mouth, when the side doors of the car were flung oPen and two of the meanest looking mothers dragged me out and secret police escoded me back into the airPort. They wanted to deport me with the rest of them. But I wasn't prepared to budge one inch. I started abusing them, using bad language, and said I hadn't come all this way just to be sent back

again. The more I argued the further

happened, I looked at them, smiled and apologised for using bad language. Now I would have to wait for another plane. Anyway, in the meantime I was escorted to the lntercontinental Hotel and

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 I JAN 1993

euaÀe

the US

"iLIßgaL"

to unw(ry cLtstonvrs.

Kabul Hotel downtown and started lt lasted all of five minutes

working.

when a Russian soldier walked up to us and confiscated Derek's film. I managed to slip the camera I was using under my jacket and let my emergency number swing freely. After that we didn't have any hassles. We filmed all day before returning back to the hotel to awalt our depofiation. lndeed, we were collected and taken to the airport by security men and told to wait in an office. We quickly found a staircase that led to the roof. From their Derek and I had a perfect opportunity to

Co¿st

Li4tnr inø

ofæn solÅ their wm counært'eít

the

"speakzay" and tlw "bootlegp¡u" who brrnuJs

Genuíne bctrs strch as Neou

21 CLub' emþktyeà salesmen to sel), ttnfficicþ, the

York's famotts

gerwiræ aracl.e.

Orc

þoþuIw but least srccessful salesmen was

Jowlg, ex-afinJ fficer called

DauíÅ Niuen.

Niuen, recentLy onítted in Neq,, York, was ak¡ne, broke arÀ desþeraæI:y

trying

break

intn

mcnies, when he got his first iob B

the

allanti¡æ' s salesmut.

film the buildup. As we filmed we heard the sound of heavy footsteps of an Afghan security guard who decided to check us out. I

slipped my camera under 4y jacked and Derek had managed to Put his camera down on a bench and kePt it going as this goon walked uP and Put his face a couple of inches from the lens ... he obviously didn't know that he was

were escorted out on to the tarmac and put on a plane. But the hassle was well worth it. Derek made the CBS news and I managed a

When the goons realised what had

Soon,

their best

whisþ markzt.

comþanies were dning

wallets and drank on them. We still

leaving the airport and eventually take .

the

booze started to take hold they started to make an effort to get to know us' After a while Derek and I closed our

being filmed. A few minutes later we

off

droþþed out

was

tlv hnt¡n

Americo. -fhis was the ero

could hear it

away the plane was.

mtroùrced inø Amerrca and

Guard and bnng

World Bank guy who gave us a lift to the

(who had technician stamped in

In lanuory 1920, "Prohíbitiut"

shown to a separate table by ourselves.

chief and waited for the first'available

as Governor Moonbeam, kissing Bud-

KNOW:

We felt like bloody lepers. After the

gear and hop on the first available flight to New Delhi, pick up De Voss and head for Kabul - the Russians had invaded. I managed a nice Christmas dinner in New Delhi with ïrme's lndia bureau

pictures of Gerry Brown, otherwise known

cember 25,1979.|t was suPposed to be a great Christmas, a coup of sorts. I had already shot

appeared that we had the

claim it was one of the best New Year's Eve bashes to date. Next morning we wandered downstairs and as luck would have it, some 200 Europeans were being evacuated that morning. We teamed uP with a

flight which happened to be on the 30th. It seems as if every hack under the sun was there for the flight to Kabul. When we arrived the authorities kept us in the airport, turned the plane around and ordered everyone to board again everyone except CBS's Derek Williams

t 10,000 feet over Saigon, De-

plaçe to ourselves, although later that night the entire foreign community had booked one of the uPPer floors for a New Years Eve bash. Derek and I wandered along dressed in jeans and open neck shirts and were

DIp You

spread in Time.

Hugh Van Es now runs his toagency

Yems later, he woulÀ ofæn

declue that Bal)antitæ's gave him orc

of hß f;rst big breaks anÀ thtt it

wcs

hß fauowiæ whisl<y. Perhaps that's wlry

tosæ

f,t

Ballttntine's ís always aþþrecioted.

in good times anÀ bad. One of manJ

recLsorls

the

Bollantirc's is Etuoþe's

ntnnber-orw selling Scoæh VØhisky.

Photos by

TRAVEL

Gaty Marchant

In search OI

G enghis K han By Garry Marchant if not style, it is a latter-day, poor man's

Rick's Cafe of the steppes. he day-and-a-half train triP f rom

to Ulan Bator is

an appropriate Prelude to Mongolia;slow, casual, usually late, with sweeping scenery, bad food and plentiful beer

Beijing

available for US dollars onlY. The journey starts at dawn with roadwise passengers laying in quarts of cheap Chinese beer sold on the station platform. All day, as the train rattles across thqnorthern Chinese plains, lnner Mongolia and the Gobi Desert' empty

's uctf'

'ftrê Plß Ol if q?I Í

'{nïäiftü -

eß*,rc

bottles flung out the window shatter against the stony ground. When supplies run out, passengers have to buy cans of warm imPorted beer from the dininþ car, for US currencY onlY. Ulan Bator, reached the following afternoon, is not a grand capital. Outskirts of domed yurls (tents) enclosed in

Coleridge Cole & Robertson 20e'sherr

t"iïl

3t;'2r?i?"i::3äi

centrar' Hons Kons

Please provide me with more information on your services'

plaza biggerthan Moscow's Red Square and some ornate European-style public buildings.

Of the capital's two hotels, the Preferred choice is the older Ulan Bator

I am (please tick the appropriate boxes):

tr Without school fee arrangements tr Without pension arrangements tr Without suitable life cover tr Concerned my existing arrangements may be inadequate

snow-fence compounds lead to grim' Soviet-style housing blocks, then the city centre, with too-broad boulevards,

near Sukhbaatar Square, with its shabby

T tr

Looking for residential finance ln need of universitY fee advice ln a muddle and need helP

east European charm. BackPackers travelling between Beijing and Paris, Peace Corps volunteers, UN consultants, shady entrepreneurs, money changers, shaggy Éuro-trash hustlers and gem merchants, earnest academics, African diplomats and journalists all

Name

Tel (Home)

Address

Tel (Office) Date

loiter about the dingy hotel. ln clientele,

To paraPhrase Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel, hang around the Ulan Bator lobby long enough and You will see everyone who passes through the city. The Far Eastern Economic Review's Lincoln Kaye was there, en famille, on holidays from the bustle of Beijing. So was some FCC habitue covering the

aftermath of the election where the populace re-elected the communist party,

which said it wasn't communist anymore. Mongolia must be a nightmare to report from. There is no public access to a fax machine or photocopier, only one hotel (the Ulan Bator) has a telex, and long distance calls are difficult, and costly' Still it keeps bothersome head offices at

arm's length.

The government is not much

helP

either. The press attache at the External Affairs Ministry had no background information, no statistics (a bureaucrat without statisticsl), not even a business card. He demanded a PhotograPh, and issued me with a press pass. The limp piece of paper with the mug shot pasted on and scribbled in Mongolia's modified payable in Cyrillic scrip cost just US$2 sounovel a American currency. lt was venir, but otherwise useless. A Mongolian cowboY galloPing bY on a shaggy pony nearlY bowled me over outside the External Affairs office. Cow pies and road aPPles, not sPeeding

cars, are pedestrian hazards in this capital.

Three exchange rates oPerate

Mongolia; the official rate of 40 tugriks to a US dollar (in July), the commercial rate of about 200 and the black market rate of about 240. The "turds" as they are disparagingly dubbed, come in bricks (a wad several inches thick, for US$S). They are almost useless. The country suffers from such a bad case of "green fever," a passion for US dollars, that even no-

mads out on the steppes or desert demand greenbacks. ln the Ulan Bator's second floor foreign currency restaurant, meals of greasy

mutton, chicken or beef with rice, potatoes and cabbage are about US$8. The stadium-sized tugrik restaurant next to Ìhe lobby serues greasy mutton' chicken or beef with rice, potatoes and cabbage for about 50 cents a meal. This

THE CORRESPONDENT DFjC

1'992

/ JAN

1993

is no place for a food writer. The Mongolian dietcentres on meat, mare's milk and cheese. One middle-

capital of the glorious Mongol empire that stretched from Siberia to Western Europe is a

aged local woman recalled going to university in the US, where they fed

woeful tortoise statue standing in a field of gopher holes.

her vegetables and salads. "What do

Nearby Erdene Zuu, built from

they think I am, a goat?" she demanded indignantly. Yet these red meat and cholesterol fed Mongoli-

the ruins of Karakorum, is more

ans are in more robust good health than any tofu and bean sprout vegetarian. Outside the hotels, the best bar is the Lenin Club, like a 1920s speakeasy in a squat building on Sukhbaatar Square. Nothing indicates there is a bar inside, but a doorbell next to the heavy wooden doors summons a scruffy, bearded doorman. He leads acceptable customers (anyone with dollars) to a small, gloomy room with shabby carpeting on the walls and no apparent attempt at any decor. The only locals are police officers spending hard-currency payoffs on Arkhi vodka and water. Assorted Westerners share tables with young blondes with the complexion of freshly fallen snow, "professional ladies" from lrkutsk. The dapper bartender serves Beijing and Tiger beer-for US currency only. There is no sign of the eponymous communist idol anywhere, but the old tape deck plays themes from OO7 James Bond KGB-battling movies. Mongolia ran out of gas while I was there,

Potala Palace on the plains with its sharp, upturned rooftops and ornate Tibetan style ornamentation. lnside a candle-lit temple, chanting monks in heavy, rustred robes, pointy-toed leather boots and flap-eared hats recall

impressive. The recently reopened monastery, is like a mini

Tibetan holy men in Lhasa lamaseries. Less pious was the winsome young nun who cornered me near the altar, whispering, "Change money?"

to awe even a prairie boy, and the Mongolia of legend, with nomad horsemen riding across the vast steppe like posses from old Western movies, and smoke trailing from far-off, mushroomshaped yurts. ln the fabled Khan's Palace of Univer-

sal Peace in Karakorum, koumiss (fermented mare's milk), wine, mead and rice beer sprouted from silver lions and

serpents' mouths on the Silver Tree Fountain. All that remains of the ancient

Back in Ulan Bator, the media came down like a wolf on the fold for Nadaam, the Mongolian Olympics of "Three Manly Games," archery, horse racing and wrestling. But the gentlemen of the media were getting sheared, as the government charged US$50 for press passes. Later, like desperate scalpers, it sold them to eager amateur photographers, whose only journalistic credentials were nifty Nikons, for US$35. Yet other than the opening ceremony in the stadium, with speeches by local

dignitaries, the best events were accessible to the puþlic. After the scheduled festival, visiting nomads held their own

resembling one drunk helping another drunk home. Scattered around the field were the

mini-Nadaam near the horse camp

most basic of bars; crates of Mongolian beer sold off the back of battered farm

outside town. For hours, we sat on the

ground with uniformed police they who exwanted to change money

plained the intricacies

grounding all internal flights for more than a

-Mongolian

wrestling, which someone described as

week. Zuulchin, the official government tourist organisation, and the foreign affairs department, rent cars for 50 cents a kilometre. Astute travellers rent private cars, with driver, for just 20 cents a kilometre. I joined a French tour group for a jarring, 12-

trucks. Mounted horsemen crowded around, standing high on the stirrups to exchange tattered tugriks for crates of beer which they balanced on the saddle

as they rode off. Seen from behind, with all the jostling for position, it was a equine version ol the FCC on a Friday night.

Garry Marchant iç a freelance writer based in Hong Kong.

¿'

'ü&-\ -:,

hour ride on a hardsprung, Russian-built bus southwest to Kar-

ot'

akorum, Genghis Khan'b

13th century capital. Here is space enough

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

THE CORRESPONDENT DE,C 1992 / JAN

1993 4I

LETTERS

NEV/ MEMBERS

POND

I note in the October issue of lhe

Associate

Córrespondent Nicholas Goncharoff, Hong Kong correspondenl, Kn ig ht- R idder Financial News Helene Guillez, freelance editor, Asian Sources Dr Stephanie Jones, academic edilor, World Executive's Digest Joseph Khan, Asian correspondent, Dallas Morning News Yoshiro Kato, director and managing editor, Sino Asia lnformation Ltd Michael Miller, chief sub-editor,

Christopher Blunt, telecommunications manager, lnchcape Pacific Limited Noel Condon, vice-president, American lnternational Underwriters

Vimlesh Khemani, partner, Beem & Co

Samuel Lui, partner, Lau & Lui certi-

ises. Will he/she be expected to run up and down lce House Street naked? This sounds too good to miss. I do hope the Club willgive members ample notice.

fied public accountants

Ann Williams

director, The Forex Group

A welcome change

Dennis Persson, marketing

Reuters

manager, COL Ltd

Vincent Swift, managing director,

Velkans Affarer

Leo Burnett Daniel Truell, head of research, SG Warburg Securities (Far East) Rowena Tse, director, Citicorp Nelson Hurst

Christopher Dillon, writer,

Correspondenf that any member of the FCC found to be using the new Press Centre "will be bared" from the prem-

George Morton, group international

Ragnar Roos, Asia correspondent,

Journalist Metro News

Naked in lce House Street

Franc¡s Moriarty, reporter, Metro News

The FCC welcomes the following new members:

Cambodia's uncertain future, the Balkans conf lict, the London Press Club,

a New York-based journalists' body, a two-page book review, Dateline Bali, Dateline Tokyo, the cherry blossom season in Japan. All this was in the October issue

The Correspondent.

ARTHUR HACKER KOWLOON

This lovely silk screen print of Bali was beautifully printed by the famous Coriander Studio in London. Copies are on view at the Main Dining Room of the Foreign Correspondent's Ch¡b,2 Lower Albert Road and Fabric Fair,4ß Ho Lee Commercial Building, 38-42 D' Aguilar Street, Central

Beautifully printed in a limited edition of 500 numbered copies signed by the artist, it is available HK$l,250 post free from:

Send this form and your cheque to Arthur Hacker Ltd., Suite F, 8th Floor, Crystal Court, Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.

ORDER FORM Name

Please send

TST,Kowloon

Tel:

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Arthur Hacker Ltd., Suite F, 8th Floor, Crystal Court, Discovery Bay, Hong Kong. Tel: 987 9043 Fax: 987 9072 Pager: 1139933 call 1945 Cheques payable to Arthur Hacker Ltd.

Shop 105-8, l/F Ocean Centre

elegant setting, with

Silk Screen Print in Six colours Edition 500 Printed by Coriander Studio Published by Arthur Hacker 1984 Size:43 x22.5 inches Price HK$l,250 unframed

Superb Thai

Signature

No. of copies HK$1,250 each THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

lf you

introduced

Dateline Hong

Kong section, you would then be able to

tell members about what is going on in their own Club. And that would make a welcome change. I wonder, by the way, where you are going to publish this, as you don't even appear to have a letters column any more.

Peter CordingleY

Editor, Magazines South China Morning Post ( Happy now Peter? Ed )

And the winner is .... The editor welcomes letters from all members. Write to:

The Editor, The Correspondent, Foreign Correspondents' Club North Block, No 2 Lower Albert Boad, Hong Kong.

It was a big embarrassment for the Americans as a Brit and a Taiwanese walked away with the pot in the "pick the next US president" contest held at

here counting their winnings: $1 ,200 each) came within 25 percentage points of guessing Bill Clinton's share of the popular vote. The most graceful

the Club prior to the November

loser was Claudia Rosett of lhe Asian

announcement. Nai-chi Ho of the Free China Review and the British Trade Commission's Chris Osborne (pictured

optimist, put her money on a Bush victory with 44%.

TH= ZOC

Wall Street Journal who, always an

BY ARTHTJR HACKER

I AAA THE. SPIRIlRACY AF DE

q kJ

TTIE 1993 FCC DIARIES

^AOC

{v \

HAP PY C H R ISTAAAS

TO ALL OUR

TtHIEi5P tRrIT

oF<CI,HFR.r53f/ >A S-TT P

I A^A THE SPIRIT OF THE BAsIC LAW

EA DERS

The FCC 1993 range of executive diaries is now available at'club'prices. Each has been specially produced with a wealth of important information, in either black imported bonded leather or calf-skin for the wallet and organizer. Nlfeature a discreet club logo and your name, if requested. Ask to see the samples at the Club office. Avoid disappointment and order early as stocks The Foreign Correspondents' Club are limited. Allow two weeks for personalizing l¡wer Albert Road with your name or initials. Hong Kong ,{,

The FCC Desk Diary. 58 weeks in popular week-toview formal international public holidays; world atlas and liftout directory

N ¡ ! ! N ! n

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B. The FCC compact Desk Diary.

New convenient size of 164x270mm. Popularweek-toview diary; international public holidays; general information ærd

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C. The FCC Pocket Diary.

58 weeks in the popular week-toview formal international public holidays and general information

D. The FCC Address Book. Handy pocket

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HK$4s.OO E. The FCC Catr Skin WalleL Ideal for the Pocket DiaryHK$ 11O.OO F. The FCC Calf Sldn Oryanìzen Popular size 6 ring

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Please telephone When units æe available to be collected at the Club office. Pleas allow at least two weeks.

Still believing in

have had

conscience after all. Or was it his way of telling me our readers required something a shade more glam-

orous than plum pudding among the

Santa Claus et's hear it, this Yuletide, for sion

sandbags? I flew back from Seoul to find my wife close to tears. Our circumstances were veritably Dickensian. Our monthly paycheque went nowhere. My wife scraped together the elements of a Christmas meal, only to find

By Russell Spurr

the lynch-pins of our profesthe wives who make do

while we make headlines. My own wife, Rosemary, for example, the patient companion of 43 years, mother of three obstreperous sons, maker of two dozen homes in seven or eight different countries, most of them improvised in my absence despite persistent problems with language, money and local custom. Things are better these days. Editors grudgingly accept that correspondents

deserve to be housed. Most are resigned to the fact that their man in Timbuctoo has a right to be married. lt wasn't always that way. "We prefer our men divorced," the Foreign Editor told my wife when I joined

the London Daily Express in 1951 . She never took to the chap, much to his surprise.

admire was lumbering into gear. Housing was our biggest headache. The B-52s must have destroyed half the dwellings in Tokyo. Those that survived weren't always suitable for foreign occupation orwere so highly priced I couldn't look at them.

My salary at this early stage of my careerwas a derisive 26 pounds aweek. The best we could afford that first bitter winter in 1952 was the upper floor of a wooden house in Shinjuku which was owned by a Japanese professor. Most of the day our landlord spent beating his five year old son. The boy's howls soon set my wife's teeth thoroughly on edge.

The poor girl was having to cope alone, which was par for the course.

Some spots were more sought-after

was otherwise engaged elsewhere. When

than others. Paris and Washington

the earth tremors struck, as they regu-

topped the list. Both rated smallcost of living allowances. Others, like Delhiand Singapore, were considered so cheap

groaned like a galleon in a gale, my

you were virtually expected to take a cut

in salary.

Tokyo was cheapest of all. At least while the US occupation lasted. Correspondents accredited to the occupation

authorities were gloriously subsidised. With an exchange rate of 1,000 Yen to the Pound, cut price accommodation and full PX privileges, a correspondent

could reckon to live comfortably

US$100 a week. Or so Fleet Street had come to understand.

The peace treaty ended all that. Expatriate newsmen no longer lived off the US taxpayer. Forced onto the free market we found ourselves shopping on the Ginza. The Korean war had brought massive investment to Japan and the economy we now know and

larly did, and the apartment rocked and frightened wife was left to gather up our eldestson and stumble downstairs before the doors jammed shut. I was out of the country, of course, blissfully unaware of my wife's travails (sounds familiar, ladies?), doing my best to sustain popular interest in Korea. lt was hopeless. The world was bored

witless with a war bogged down in a surly slogging match halfway up a distant, barely-known peninsula. During the run-up to Christmas I was spending my time helping men of the Commonwealth Brigade decorate their trenches and dugouts. My wife did not know it yet but I had volunteered to spend the festive season in the line. Much to my amazement, the Foreign Editor would have none of it. "Christmas time is family time," he cabled uncharacteristically. The bastard must

THECORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 I JAN 1993

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Fly, with Chinese characteristics I've always like riddles, mainly because they are so incomprehensible thรกt someone else has to sort them out for me. The current in these parts is how would you get to

loaded our frail domestic power circuits. So we gave up trying to cook on Christmas morning and drove off, despairing, to the Tokyo Press Club. The gloomy old premises at Number One, Shimbun Alley, were almost empty. A skeleton meal was on offer but most correspondents chose to spend Christmas Day at home. Our eldest son Christopher, then two years old, waddled among the drinkers wishing them a Merry Christmas. He said it in Japanese. The child was fluent in the language which he had learned from our housemaid. The bar tender was called Smiley. He relired only recently as a muchloved member of the Press Club staff. "Why aren't you at home enjoying your dinner?" he inquired of our son in Japanese. "The cooker won't work," Christopher airily replied. "And the honourable parents are broke." Neither my wife nor I knew what he was saying but several gaijin al the bar

dollar David Wilson Memorial Airport

Hong Kong by air should the multi billion not get built on Chek Lap Kok. Some experts (l like that term, it has such a comforting ring to it) say that the answer is go to China, specifically go to the spanking new airport in Shenzhen from where you can take a bus and then a train and perhaps a taxi to your final destination in Hong Kong, after having passed through a second set of cus-

toms and immigration. I think this is a perfect solution because it takes all the anxiety out of the delays at the airport, spreading it equally over some three different modes of transportation. The considerable pleasure of passing through two sets of immigration controls should also not be ignored. Personally I just love immigration officers with their resolute determination to be cheedul at all times, their great concern for your health and welfare and most of all, their desire to give you a welcome

withacapital'W' to the countrywhose gates they are assiduously guarding.

For all these reasons it is clear to me

curiously. One of them was Carl Bachmeyer, lhe Newsweek correspondent.

that the best way to get to Hong Kong is not to fall into the namby pamby trap

"Come

my place," Carl said generously. lt was the start of a long and fruitful friendship. "We've got more than we can eat." "As for this young fellow," he ruffled Christopher's blond hair, "l've a toy

train set back home someone to run it."

just waiting

for

Forty years later I still feel sure our son believes in Santa Claus.

Russell Spurr is a former foreign correspondent for the Daily Express.

of flying direct to your destination but to

go somewhere else and then double back. There will always be some professional trouble makers who will complain about time wasting and other trivial considerations. My answer to them is simple. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese people use their country's airports every day. They go there because they love airports with Chinese characteristics.

As a bonus China could extend its world renowned airline service, making for a convergence of Cathay Pacific and what used to be known as CAAC. I am

is not reassuring to learn that

protest on this matter but Mr Chau is obviously far happier in his role as messenger. We'll have another go with

riddle exercising manyof thegreat minds

we couldn't cook it. Unfortunately the broiler/oven over-

spoke Japanese. They regarded

PVP,

this law will be rigidly applied to journalists. lt would be nice to think that Hong Kong would at least make a whimperof

Mr Chau, but I'm not holding my breath. Actually I'm busy worrying about my fellow President in the United States (in

sure that Hong Kong travellers would be highly reassured if China could guar-

antee that all airlines would follow the standards meticulously set by the cadres who run CAAC. Talking of high standards I must congratulate MrT H Chau, Hong Kong's Secretary for Trade and lndustry, for the considerable ability he demonstrates

in the role of messenger boy for the government of Singapore. You may recall that, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Journalists Association, we wrote

to Mr Chau expressing concern over the decision to locate the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, Secretariat in Singapore because of the island republic's shabby record of barring journalists from entering the country. We asked him to seek an assurance that reporters would be given unimpeded access to APEC. ln reply Mr Chau reported, without comment, that the Singapore government had told him that "they welcome foreign correspondents, including those from Hong Kong, provided they abide by the laws of Singapore". All that's needed is a Professional Visit Pass (PVP) from the lmmigration Dept. and press accreditation from the Ministry of lnformation and Ads.

As Singapore flagrantly ignores its own laws by allowing other business visitors to enter the country without a

this regard, I should say that if you are going to bother with illusions of grandeur, you might as well have them on a grand scale). Like the President of the FCC, good ol'Bill is worried over a vast budgetary deficit. I don't want to sound smug, but on a per capita basis, our deficit is far less than his and we are in pretty good standing with our bankers. However, the fact of the matter is that we are running at a loss, weighed down by a backlog of payments for the extensive renovation programme initiated last year. Quickly donning a statesmanlike hat, I hasten to say that this is not a cause for great alarm but we can hardly

afford to be complacent. It means, for example, that there will be no "read mylips" pledgestofreeze prices and subscription rates. lt may also mean economies that could reduce services to members. On the other hand we need to be more aggressive in marketing and making money out of the facilities already in place. I am confident that we will sort this out and await a call from Little Rock any moment now asking for advice, naturally the FCC will receive any monetary compensation received in return forwhat history will record as the "FCC Deficit Busting Programme." Finally, it's that time of the year, seasonal goodwill and all that sort of guff. So have a good one and remember how much more goodwill you can have by celebrating in the hallowed corridors of

the FCC.

Steve Vines

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

1993

The SLRc

fromadiffere

PEDDLER'S JOURNAL

A trip down memory lane

taking with them this latest technology.

The new government-appointed

Vietnamese paint industry was in late 973. Normally I don't wait so long to make follow-up calls but certain events in that country made it inconvenient to maintain contact in a more timely fashion. As a result of those events, however, on this trip I was able to include for the first time to my agenda, a paint company in Hanoi. 1

Hanoi is one of those cities where it doesn't matter which side of the road one drives on. On the other hand the driver must devote his full attention to

avoid picking off the stray bicycle or

It is a sleepy city with wide tree-lined

boulevards, elegant French colonial buildings and dotted with temples and many lakes, all seemingly untouched by the war. French baguettes are sold in the early morning and at dusk by vendors spaced at suitable intervals along the roads and lanes. ln many ways it reminded me on Phnom Penh in the late 60s. Ho Chi Minh City, on the other hand,

appears much the way the Ameiicans left it. lt vibrates with activity and signs

of the government's relatively

recent open door policy to encourage investment from the non-communist world are everywhere. Bicycles and cyclos still dominate the

thoroughfares but there are more motorised vehicles portending to a traftic problem looming on the horizon.

ln both cities the government has taken pains to display, in what they call army museums, a documented history

foreign visitors. The presidential palace is preserved exactly as it was on April 30, 1975, the day the curtain fell on the old regime in the south. I found the war planning room in the basement of particular interest. Thieu's desk is still there, the walls are covered with maps showing the latest positions of the North and South forces, and long obsolete US army and other communication paraphernalia fill one long shelf . On the second floor I was shown a plaque listing, in decreasing order, by nationality, the numbers of allied forces who pafticipated in the war. The US obviously headed the list followed by the Australians and about seven or eight

others.

lt was written in Vietnamese

(perhaps not to unduly embarrass the Americans) and being curious about the last entry of 12, I asked our guide

what country that was. She replied, "Oh, those are the ltalians." But back to business. My company

of the war in the form of numerous

makes acellulose based chemical which finds its main application as a thickener

photographs and rusting battlefield rel-

for water based paints. For over 25

tcs.

years it has been the thickener of choice for most of the Southeast Asian paint industry. ln the early 70s two or three compa-

ln Ho Chi Minh City there is also a building where the "crimes of the Americans" are proudly shown to local and

based paints using our product. Some-

time before April 1975, however, the Chinese owners of those companies and their technicians fled the country

spent a week in Vietnam recentlY calling on the paint industry. The last time I made the rounds of the

cyclo from the swarms which envelop his vehicle on all sides.

nies in Saigon began making water-

THE CORRESPONDENT DEC 1992 / JAN

management struggled aloirg with more old fashioned paint making techniques and were still locked in that stage of development when I called. Each of the companies lvisited wanted desperately to get back into a water based line but none knew quite how to get started. One technician's eyes lit up when he saw our brochure and said: "We found a couple of bags of that stuff in our warehouse a few years ago left over from before the revolution." He wondered if it could still be used. I suspect a similar story can be told for other Vietnamese industries. Along with loss of access to new technology 18 years of isolation from

the non-communist world has also left the Vietnamese with some rather unusual linguistic skills

Asian nation.

for s Southeast

Russian speakers are a dime a dozen.

One director tried to converse with me in German acquired during his student days in a Dresden university. When that didn't work he mentioned that one of his assistants had studied in Rumania

Your point of Yiew.

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was not optimistic they would be of much help. Another director I met from the nofth

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