The Correspondent, November 1996 by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong

THE Tbe Officíal Publication of tbe Foreign Coruesþondents'Club of Hong Kong

CIARE HOLLINGWORTH'S 85th BIRTHDAY

THD GORRDSPONIIDNT Novetrbel1996

Fr:cDrrr ttre President President's report

THE FOREIGN CORBISPONDENTS'

CLTJB

2 Lower Alberr Road, Hong Kong Telephone: 2521 l5l1 Fax:286a 4O92

ll¡Iedia Pfotect yorlr wf iting

President Giannini -John paul B¿),fìeld First Vice Presldent Second Vice President Karin Malmströnì

Lette1:s

Corespondent Member Gowerno¡s

Bob Davis, Cathy Hilborn, Robin L¡.nam, Miclìael Nlacke )', Kees Metsel¿ar, Jonnthan Nlirskf, Rob Mountfort, Keith Richburg, Cfuistopher Slaughter, Hubert van Es Secreîaty: Cîth), Hilburn

Cor-er Stol:J¡ Clare

Hollingwoth

Clare Hollinguortlt

BiÍthclay Blessing for 'Mother Superior,

Joùrnalist Member Govemors SâuI Lockha¡t, Fmncis Moriart],,

\ñ¡ine ifasting Sommelier Sinclair

Associate Member Govemoß

Villiam

H. Areson, Johlì Corbert, Ronald Ling, Juliarì Walsh

a-2-

Professional Committee Coil

Memoits of a Lurker

rxor.: \\fich^el Macke).

House Committee Cont'(nor: Ronîld L¡n8

ÌVfer-:rrt>ers at Larrge

a5-

Finance Commlttee Co,rt'enor:Williatn H. Are son

Purel¡r

Personal

Has the Goveflrment got

it wrong?

Membeship Committee Cont enor: Hubeû \,aî F

& B and Entertaiment Co n t'e

Comittee

1a-

rcr: Kar¡n .\laltnström

Wall

Life A Certain Killer

Comittee

Co,t[enor': Bob Davis

Publications

Comittee

20-

ùIentoirs of

Ltrker

lVferrrtrers at Larrge Ticas and other bilds

Co,tue tt o r: P^ul Bayfield

Freedom of the Press Committee Co

ntenot': F r¿ncis Nloriarq,

FCC General Manager Robert Salìders

[Book trRerriel¡r The Hong Kong Visitofs Book

The Correspondent 23_

FCC Golf SocieÇz

24-

Sociaf

Chìb ofHong Kong Op¡nions expressed b)' vrite rs ¡t Tbe Cora'esþoilderr¡ are not necessarily those of The Foreign Conespondents' Club

People

Tbe CorresÞondenf is published nontlìt), b), The Foreign Coftspondens' Club of Hong Kon€i

28-

EDITORIAL OFFICE Jeff Heselwood, Editor TelephoDe: 2851 0193 Ftx:2a15 253O 2 Lower Albert Road, HonÊi Kor[i Telephone: 2521 l5l1 Ftx:2868 4O92 E-mail: jhc@netvigxror coln

996 The Fore¡gn Correspondents'

New membe¡s

FCC Faces Rebecca Lee

PRODUCTION FST Line Design & Pf¡nr¡nB Fotrnh Floor, l58 Wellington Srreet, Centml, Hong Kong TeI: 2521 7993 Fax: 2521 8366

I.be Hong

Cover plrotog¡aph by Kees

Noveml¡er

Kong Visítors Book

Canoil

A measure of freedom

WORLD NO.1 CAMERA BRAND

UIIIII|IATE

ifirne to let ).ou all in o1a sorne of ttre contro\zersies tlaa.t ra.ge bekrind the scenes a-t ttre FCC.

PERÍORÍNANCE T n october we were invited to I grr. our views to the Legco Panel on Inforrnation. The subject on which

we were asked to coÍrment was 'the difficulties faced by local joumalists working in China'. Subsequent to Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen's

remarks regarding June 4th commemorationafter 7997, the agenda

was expanded to 'freedom of expression after 1997'. As is the board policy, when time perrnits, I consult as many members of

the board as possible before making

'but you're only a photographer'), I

ingthe issue'. He addedthatwe'mustn't compromise our neutrality'.

board members requesting their input and stating the following view.

of the Freedom of the

in political debate. I don'tfeel it is tbe proþer role for journølists to þl6ry. I feel ute must ma.ínt6.in our status cts neutral obseruers. Personølly, I tbink tlra.t q. letter, sta.ting tbøt the Club supþorts tlre rigbts of ølljournalists to

resolving this issue. He drafted what seemed to me to be a measured response, which I edited slightly. The statement, which we sent to Legco, is as follows: Ihe FCC supports tbe rigbts offree expression andfree þress. As a matter of þrofessionøl þrinciþIes, LUe suþþort moues to broaden those rigltts, and oþþose efforts tu impose restrictions

ubere it is, sbould be sufficìent

I tbink it is uru.uise to díscus s bypotbetícøl situations, particulørly uhen ìt inuolues utbat tlte incorning gouernruentTnay or lnag not do after 1997. Horueuer, I ako leel it is ruy obligation to resþect tbe ußbes of tbe boørd and øct accordíngþt. Some of the responses were quite pointed. One former president wrote e.

that to issue a statement like this was 'a reflection of a lack of moral courage' and that we would become 'the laughing stock of the journalistic cornmunity'. He concluded by saying the 'Chi-

nese goyernment

will no longer

re-

spect the cowards of Ice House Street'.

Another past president wrote to question the idea that j oumalists should

be 'mere observers', a notion he concluded could 'only have been conceived by a junior J' school

graduate'. I should say that that was a statement that got up my nose a bit for two reasons. First, I don't consider the reporter's role as an observer to be 'me'. Second, in the 27 yearc I have beenworking in joumalism (yes, Iknow

edge to break the

uþon tbem. That ís ulty ute bøue ahuays or te d tb e pr ¡n c¡.þ le of o n e c o untrj ht)o systemg andutþt we bauepledged

s uþp

as responsibLe journalists to monitor

ìts imþlementa.tíon. Under tbis is to keeþ its tløy of l:ife uncbønged, uùtíclt sþecilically

formula, Hong Kong

At the board meeting on October it was decided that Francis and I would attend the Legco panel, which

an open forum for the exchange of 'We reiterated the views laid out in

ideas

our original statement and stressed our viewthat codiffingthe role of the press in post-97 Hong Kong was not in the interest of joumalists and certainly not in the interest of Hong Kong people.

Regardíng tbe cotnments of Foreign Minister Qíøn Qíchen, rae can only søy tltøt be bas exPressed a

olinion.

defend tbe

rigltt

New Caledonian women, that

has

express tlreir oþinions, as well as tbe rigbt of tbe neuts rned.íø to reþort tbem. As ímporta.nt a,s Mr. Qian's personøl uiews are, ltou.teuer, it remaíns a rnøtter of speculøtion utbetber tbq) reþresent

graced the first,pillar of the main bar since we moved to our present home, once again came up. Some members maynot be aware

tbe actual state of øffairs in Hong Kong in tbe future. If realities ørise ty'Jat toucb on free press, we slcøll

photo shot by Kevin OrPin was a

resþond to tbem at tbe tirne.

Ultimate performance in split seconds turns into moments of world records. Canon EOS camera system gives the spirit of champion to the world of photographers.

ess, rattier than to be a 'mere observer'. However, I don't think that our attendance compromised the FCC's status as

the end of the agenda of all board meetings called 'any other business'. It is at that time that board members may bring up questions that have no category. The Stjtle cover oftwo topless

of all índíuíduak to

tomorrow's needs.

we did on November 1. I mnst say that for me it was a somewhat uncomfortable experience to be pafi of the proc-

The question is do we practice what we preach? There is an item at

þersona.l

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31,

see

includes free þress andfree sþeecb. We no ree.son uþt tbese rigltts sltould not contìnue to be asfully exercised ín tbe future as tbey are nota.

limit,

and to stay at the peak. Professional photo graphers capture these split seconds and share the dedication and determination - the spirit of champion.

Press sub-

committee, was most helpful in

resþons

important moments. Only total dedication and determination give the

Francis Moriarty, who is convenor

I annreluctøntto inuolue tbe Club

SECONDS

To be the champion is to be at the peak in the very

Journøl reporter who did the interviewwith Mr Qianwhich sparked this controversy, wrote to say that free speech will be 'a crucial element of the biggest storyintown'. He stressed that we should not be drawn into political debate and 'avoid aligning ourselves with any group or individual in pursu-

any public statements. I sent a fax to all

utork tuity'tout interference no ma.tter

IN SPI|I

have had the opportunity to form my own code of joumalistic ethics, which is based mostly onpersonal experience. Marcus Brauchli, Tbe Wall Street

ln the major events of athletics, many professional photographers stake their reputations on the quality of the images they produce with Canon White EF Lenses.

that the walls of the clttb represent a history of publishing inAsia. This cover landmark in Hong Kong in 1982. Until then, no publication had dared to show totallynakedbreasts onits cover. Dtuing

JOS Consumer

CANON HONGKONG CO., tTD. Mirror Tower, 61 Mody Road, Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel.: (852) 2739-0802 TO/F.,

the mid-Eighties, the picture was even

stolen. Since the culprit was never apprehended, It is not known whether

Bag' of the Red I iFs Brigade, Dorothy Ryan said the 'girls are up in arms'. (It

applications from the offendecl parties have not yet been filed ...

should be noted that the tenn 'Chief

<G O>

Since we have no facilities like a

critic.

Bag' comes from the fact that Red Lips

suggested, because of complaints by prospective members, who said they would not ioin a club with pictures like that on the wall, that

call their anmral gathering 'The Bags

golf conrse or tennis coltrts,

Lunch'.) She continued, "Hasn't the

wantto neglectthe FCC's otherfavorite sport, which is complaining about the food. Karin Malmström, 2nd VP and

it was nickecl by an aclmiret or

It was

the offendingphoto shoulcl come down.

board got better things to do." My first reaction is to answer 'Yes'. But on further reflection, perhaps not.

During the ensuing clebate Cathy

If we support free press and free

Hilborn suggested that perhaps some 'beefcake' should be put up in the

find

fuìterest to balance. (Sor:ry, Arthur, your

Asía Inc. cor¡er was not considered to be'beefcake'. )Thematterwas brought to a vote and the picture was banished to the manager's oflice. The outcry was swift and vociferous. Keith Statham walked into the bar and exclaimed: " I've lost my bearìngs. "

Former club treasurer and 'Chief

expression for Hong Kong, why do we

so difficult to support these principles within our club? Sothe Style cover has come down. One member suggested that we take down Eddie Adams'PuhtzerPize winning photo from Vietnam, because it put him off his food. 'ü/here does it end? I invite your comments. It should be noted that the picture has come down, but the membership

convenor of the EntertainmentÆ&B Comrnittee, reqllests that if you have a complaint, please direct it to the captain on duty. This is the most effective way to ensure that your criticism reaches the proper authorities.

(G O),

Abrief note of praise: Iwouldlike to thank generalmanager, Bob Sanders,

assistant general manageÍ, Doris Yu, and all the staff for making Clare

Hollingworth's 85th bimhday pafiy resounding sllccess.

To the editor

don't

Eæ

markers inthat state are now in kilometers as well

Jacksonville to Birmingham, and I was alone - Tonette was in California for the wedding of a godson. I took back roads instead of interstate superhighwal's utr¿ I brought along a pile of cassette tapes I made in Hong Kong in the 70s. It solt of set the mood. Chatlie Smith and I really got to

as miles, perhaps

know each other because of our similar Southern backgrounds, and driving through all that corìntry of rural Georgia and Alabama macle me lot. The peanllt crop was just being harvested arouncl Plains, GA, ancl it made me think of the infamous 'Black Tie and Blue Jeans' inaugnral ball in Hong Kong 20years ago. Charlie was, of cor¡rse, a prime

\Vf \il

n."

on a homemade 'World

vou distribute tearsheets

är samples oi your

\ùØide

\V.eb page, that is illegal.

. If your magazine publisher

freelance work or as a courtesy to

Pecans and cotton were also in season along the way and the roadside was littered with cotton lint that blew

unpublished manuscript add your own notice.

you can

ASJA's Contracts Committee

approves a request for the reuse of your article, even thoughyou

recommends the following form:

you do to help protect your rights? Fortunately, the law is on your

never signed over more than onetime rights, that is illegal too. The law does not say your work

name.

side. As afreelance, unlessyotttransfer

11 a company reprints your

article in its emPloYee newsletter, or makes coPies to hand out to customers, that is illegal.

. If a publicist

photocopies your

article for press kits, that

illegal.

. If a copy shop combines yoLrr .

articlewith others into a'coursepack' to be sold to students, that is illegal. lf a lan reprodttces your article

SJmE

must bear a copyright notice

label announcing your ownershiP blrt a notice does warn those who maynotknowthe law, so no one can

claim'innocent infringement'.

lVhile books almost alwaYs include a copyright notice in the author's name, magazines and newspapers rarely note ownershiP of individual articles. The blanket copyright notice in periodicals covers the publisher's own copyright

in the issue as a whole (the 'compilation copyright'), not your copyright in your own Piece of that whole. But when you're in control such

when making PhotocoPies

- your own use, posting on the for Internet or circulating arr

coRRxsponDENT November 1996

Copyright (c) 199x Author's It is illegal to reprodttce or distribute this work in any manner or medium without written permission of the author, address, city, phone number, fax number, email address.* . (Or c/o your agent, yourwriters' organisation, etc.) With such a notice you warn, 'This is my property. Don't use it

without permission'. You

send

potential re-use customers directly to you, saving them the extra step of

tracking you down through

publisher. Andyou lessen the chance that your publisher may attthorise reuse when that is propedy your right. Tbe Avnerícctn Society of Jou'rnalists

and

na.tional orgnnization of le ading fre e lønce Lurit ers.

Authors is E-mait

tLre

75 227. 1 650@CompuSerue

off tmcks taking the crop from the fields. Chadie would have liked it. Kudzu continues to take over the roadside

article subjects - or post your writing on the Internet, what can

your rights to a publisher or another party, you own the copyright in Your work from the moment of creation. It's your property, and you have the right to control and charge for its use. 'Without your permission:

participant.

Prel?ared Í>y Contracts Corrrrrrittee of ttre Arrrerican Sociefy of Journalists and .A.uttrors, Inc-

coml!fi/p

From Mr William Stubbs It's an eight honr drive from

reminisce

Protect your writing: give yourself credit

/-/--

in the lural

South, but

Alabama is fighting back. The mileage

From Mr Ted Thomas woncler how many of the foreign correspondents other Club members I

recognise in the celebrities' picture taken in Quemoy in the 1950s, published in last month's tribllte to Chadie Smith.

to show

After

how advancecl they are. I saw a sign saying the highwal's are under construction a n d the governor of the state apologizes. What struck me was the fact that the governof was a high school classmate of mine. \ü/hat the hell, at least

the service I took Frank Beatty in hancl ancl led him to my car. I put two tapes in

the cassette player. First, 'I can't stop

loving you', and then 'I've got to leave old Durham towrì', or as Larry Allen would have played it, 'Smith's got to leave old Hong Kong town'. 'We had a drink to absent friends. The next session was in the

mountainous area, and the church was

church social hall. The good Southern

little like Old

laclies had prepared things like chicken salacl ancl pickled peaches and jello with fiuit, ancl we sat down to get acquaintecl ancl talk about

somebocly made goocl. The memorial service was highly

appropriate. Birmingham is set in up in the foothills Peak Road.

I pullecl into the parking lot just ahead of Frank Beatty, and we went in

front pew. Itwas avery Southern evangelical service. A trio of sexy but sedate little gospel singers named the Brantley Gids performed, and Chadie's sister ancl her husband, a minister, sang a gospel duet. A minister read a passage from a missionary's diary from the clay Chadie died, and Joy read the

elllogywfittenbyTeclMarks, butFrank wasn't up to reading it so I did. Ancl it was ovef. Frank flew back to Melbourne, Fl., and I droye back the following

same eulogy she had read at tlìe selvice

part of it.

ancl occupied the

Charlie. Frank Beatty hacl brought alonga

day. The end of an era

I'm glad Iwas

in Hong Kong.

John Dominis (Life photogra-

stuff, including the inevitable cigars, chuckling over 'W'oocl)' who was

untypically smoking a cigar, Scott Leavitt (Life writer) and was that

fuming back on the landing craft and

pher) on the extreme right,

Forrest (Woody) Edwards in the fore-

unable to disembark. Has anyone any ideas where the

ground? Probably not.

other guys are now?

The legend behind that pictllre was that as the guys were put aslrore on Quemoy in

bad weather, Woody

failed to make it, but his equipment dicl. Thepicture showsthe othef newsmen actually

STflLICHNAYA

displaying all Woody's

each month to the best,

on Quemoy joyfully

gcar. Dominis is smoking

one of Woody's cigars. Others point gleefully to his tape recorcler, typewriter, camera, his shaving kit ancl his other

To encourage letters to The Correspondent, a bottle

of Stolichnayavodka or most original letter. Send your missives to The

Editor, c/o The FCC. Starts next

¡q¡fþ-56rry,

November 1996 TÃE

CORRDSPOI\IIIEIIT

Ted!

break had been her eadiest scoop. She already knew central Europe through welfare work with refugees and the Daily Telegrapb sent her out to Poland to help theirW'arsaw correspondent, Hugh Greene, who was later myboss as director-general of the BBC. He sent her to western Poland and at

llollingworth

Clare

by Anthony Lawrcnce

over into Germany just to see what

Cracow but Clare, according to

was happening on the other side. The frontier was closed, but official cars

Greene, 'embarked on a mad adventure'. She decided to drive back to

were allowed, so I drove over and people saluted me. I was impressed and delighted. I had lunch, bought

.. - at>out five

about five o'clock in the morning of September 1,7939, he was woken by

o'clock in the rrrorning of Septernl>er 1, L939, kre u'as rrzokerr by Clare. ringing frorn ttre tolrzn of l(atovyice to say tha-t ttre Gerrrran t>ornbing had Lregun

Clare ringing from the town of Katowice to say that the German bombing had begun. 'I remember it as one of the most dramatic moments of my life,' he later recalled. 'As soon as she rang off I rang the head of the press department at the Polish Foreign Office and, using

Former goaernor Lord Maclehose

uitb

Clare

dinner in the officers' mess, gladly accepted. They produced a visitors' book for me to sign and there at the top of the page was the name 'Clare Hollingworth'. Iwas amazed.'What on eafth would bring a woman out to this God-forsaken spot? My hosts were also surprised àt my ignorance. Hadn't I heard of Clare Hollingworth, the defence correspondent? Theirvoices were lowered in respect. She really knew what she was talking about, they said. Half ayear passed before I actually met Clare. That was inVietnam. Hordes

Clare luitlr tlre goaerno\ Cbris Patten, 6,t her

85t11 b¡rtbdaJ) þartJ).

are heard of in unusual ways. I can't say my first contact with Clare was an actllal meeting - it was more like coming across a clue in a mystery story.

Guinea or Timor or any other piece of real estate lying within reach. And, to show his feelings, he laid

was in

against British colonialism. He moved some very tough units of his armY uP to the Sarawak border.

f lnusuat people ILJ

Thirty-three years ago

Sarawak, working for the BBC as their

correspondent in the Far East. And the reason I was in the middle of the Sarawak jungles

at six o'clock one

evening was that the British were handing over Sarawak to the newly expanded country of Malaysia, and Presi-

dent Sukarno of Indonesia violently objected. He thought Sarawak should be glad to become part of his own great coLrntry, iust like West New THI

on something he called 'confrontation' which was an undeclared war

Among the 4,000 British troops facing them was a battalion of Gurkhas, and these were the trooPs I was

yisiting that wet summer night. I remember being given avery down-toearth briefing by the CO, Lt-Colonel Helis ('It took a couple of bayonet charges to get those beggars off the ridge') followed by an invitation to

CORRf,SPONIIEI{T November 1996

Clare's exactwords, I said to him: 'The war's begun. The Germans are bombing Katowice'. He said: 'Nonsense! Negotiations are still going on. It must be anair raid pfactice'. And at that very moment all the sirens in'W'arsaw started to go off and he said to me: 'My God, you're right!' So Clare and myself between us were the first people to tell the Polish

most no resistance. Later Clare covered the war in the

be-

ing posted up in railway stations. The tension was very great.I borrowed the British consul-general's car and drove

The group of three correspondents, including Maitland of the London Times, moved from 'W'arsaw to

had

started.

In a later interview Clare recalled:

'I remember mobilisation orders

'On the way,' said Clare, 'I suddenly saw clouds of dust and at first I thought it was the retreating Polish army. Then I realised it was not the retreatingPoles butthe oncoming German tanks. I was absolutely scared. I turnecl the car round and drove very badly and wildly towards the East'. She rejoinedhercolleagues on the Polish side of the border on September 17 . The three of them were in the remotest corner of south-east Poland along with diplomats, other joumalists, Polish officials and army officers. They saw a strange, bigger kind oftank coming along the road. It was leading the Soviet army moving into Poland, up to a line secretly agreed in August in the German-Soviet pact. The Poles were uttedy confused and offered al-

aspirins, put some Germanwine inthe back ofthe cat and drove back. There were hessian screens along the side of the road and when the wind blew and raised them, I saw the German tanks ready to move forward.

government that $7odd War

'Warsaw.

Middle East and the political moves that followed. She remembers Kim Philby, then posing as a correspondent for the London Obseruer. Then came years in the Far East, including China. You míght call it a reasonably fuIl life. But when you talk to her, it's clear she intends to do a lot more livìng yet.

E3æ

of foreign correspondents were milling around there, covering a war that, according to public relations people in Saigon, was always going well but never quite well enough. Clare was concerned with think pieces and powerful analyses. She had contacts with unexpected informants, like retired French generals. I was churning out television, working with Neil Dayis (fatally wounded in the Bangkok coup attempt), Terence Koo

(later killed by a mine) and Tony Mundy, much missed since he retumed to Australia. Clare and I managed to meet sometimes for a coffee, or a meal when I learned howher days as a correspondent stretched back to the earþyears of 'World WarII. Infact, althoughlleamed it from other soLuces, the war's out-

Simon Murray came to tuisLt Clare 'HaþþJ, Birtbdó,Jl

tohn Giannini greets Lord Maclebose

November 1996

ÎH[

G0RRDSPOIü¡XNI

l--

Birthday blessings for 'Mother Superior'

Sommelier Sinclatr I(erzin Sinclair is irr.rzited to a lrzine tasting ir¡t ()z

try Sarah Monks C(

(- lare, the tanks you saw l\J crossing the Polish frontier

on September 3, 1939 have finally arrived here, but without your expertise we're a little lost as to what to make of it all. Could you pack your bag and get here soonest?" Such was the appeal fromJon Swain andJohn Burns from a dug-out in Pui-iKhumri, Afghanistan, dispatched bythe modern version of the message stick satellite 'phone to New York where it was e-mailed to Hong Kong - in time for presidentJohn Giannini to read out at the FCC's 85th birthday bash for the doyenne of foreign correspondents, Clare Hollingworth.

Rising to her full 62 inches, the veteran war correspondent was cleady

tempted. But fortunately the Leicestershire lass, who shares a birthday with modem China, agreed instead to share her evening with more than 25O members and friends who flocked into the FCC. It was a Double Tenth reception

with a difference. Among the special guests were Governor Chris Patten and wife Layender. From England, just for the party, was former governor, Lord Maclehose, the man responsible for securing our present abode. Also present were the Swire Group's Peter Sutch, Deutsche Bank's Simon Murray and former Chief Secretary, David Akers Jones, along with seniorBritish soldiers and diplomats. Former Club president, and latent poet, Derek Davies sent this limerick:

uas

young'¿aonlnn of Leicester uho said øs tbe TL¡ere

FCC blessed ber 'Ifind ølI n'ty needs Are filled by Lord Deedes So tbe rest of you ce.n

bloody tuellfester". Former deputy Political Adviser Iain

Orr waxed lyrical with:

A Leicestersbire lødy called

with Lord Maclehose and 40 of Clare's

Clare Was born (u,títh politicalflair) On tbe first Double Tentl:

close friends in Hong Kong. "I personally enjoyed it very much. I went home to sleep in an enormously relaxed and happy mood," said Clare later. But she admitted that the birthday

nou come the lengtlt Of an 85tb þørty tb6tt's

Sbe bas

Clare

Greetings and apologies were received from around the wodd from former presidents Donald !Øise and Simon Holberton; absent member Judy Bonavia in Buenos Aires; from former goYemor Lord !íilson; from Field Marshal Lord Bramall, former Commander British Forces in Hong Kong; the Dowager Iady Egrement, publisher Graham Greene and Døily Telegrapb editor Lord Deedes. The Telegrøp,b3 'mission control' at the foreign desk, Paul Hill, who

advised: "Hi, Gorgeous! You have

invitation from Afghanistan, which included "a comer of the desert floor for you", had cast a powerful spell. "I'd love to be there. I sleep very wellinthe desert. You justmake ahole for yourself with your hip, " said Clare, a

lifelong believer that women combat

reporters should have no special treatment.

The lady knows whereof she speaks, having had experience in another 'desert war' a few years back a fellow named Monty. "I think the most interesting birthday I ever had

with

phoned me every morning (bar

was during the 'Western Desert

holidays) for the past 25 years! Keep

campdign in' 42 ot' 43. I was with a unit that was .. ... Oh, but I'm not sure if one

them coming!"

Some had very lame excuses. Former PM Ted Heath missed the party because he was that moment delivering a speech on Europe atthe Conservative Parry Conference in Bournemouth. "My speechwill not spoilyour paffy butthe thought of yourparrymay spoil my speech," was his birthdaymessage.

is allowed to ... Can you just say that was with some troops?"

Keuin Sinclai¡ and otber judges þreþa.re to slutp, snort, sn¡ff a.nd sþít.

J I

league; I'm no Halloway or Spurrier, the cardinals of the wine business who

Australia, and knock back lashings of

can take a sip and tell you that the grapes came from the bottom of the

excellent Chardonnays, superb

t sounded like an ideal assignment. Come to Mclaren Vale, one of the premier wine-growing ateas of South

Others, as Governor Patten shrewdlynoted, did not send apologies at all. Among them: Kim Philby, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean.

grenache blends and the occasional bottle of black sparkling wine made

Chris Patten spoke with personal affection of Clare and her achievements

from shiraz.

- from starting Wodd W'ar II Giannini eadier reminded the gathering)

towering figures of joumalism in this cennry, an honest witness both to its

'!(/ell, sounds okayto me, squire,' I replied to David Dean, who runs the Southern Development Board. 'We might even attack afewfish and down a couple oficy cold tubes of V/est End

'beauty and bestiality'.

lager,'he added.

(as

to opening China. He sawher

one

Deeply touched and with her legendary candour, Clare replied that she used her friends at the FCC, used them a lot. "You mean much to me."

The reception was followed by dinner in the Richard Hughes Room

THI G0RXf,SPONIIDNT November 1996

Then I found he wanted me to be judge. 'Hold on,' I protested. I've been to plenty of wine shows and I've seen giants of the sip-and-spit brigade at work. I'ye also listened to them speak. This was way out of my a

Tbe Gouernor and ll[rs Lauender Pûtten

greet Cktre

eld close to the Rioja and were picked

by a one-armed Bulgarian. I don'tknow anything aboutwine technicalities. I just drink the damn stuff. 'So, no way,' I declined regretfully. Dean used to own a winery himself and is in Asia frequently on marketing trips. We were talking tn aT anka fish restaurant up on the coast, north of Taipo. Just try that Cantonese roast pigeon with the Pinot Noir,' I urged. 'Okay,' he suggested, 'why didn't I go to the Mclaren Show not as a

ChiefJustice) but as a fun judge?' I could have a couple of glasses and talk about changingwine fashions in Asia. That sounded more like it. Next week, I was in Adelaide, dressed up in a white coat, feeling like an idiot and trying my best to look competent. This is difficult when there are nine or 10 people who can telT a'92 barrel pressed Shìraz from a '91 Cabernet Sauvignon-Grenache blended with a

touch ofFrench oak. An attractiYe blonde who looked like she should be in high school but

who turned out to be a noted

senior proper wine judge (for which

winemaker asked me if I was worried that the Chardonnay we were tasting was a little short on the back of the

you have to be more qualifiedthan the

palate.

November 1996

TE.E GORRXSPOIì|DENI

me" t 'Tastes oka)' to ' '

::l*

:i *,l:l's :fi,'l; ffl;fJ#; :#:| ïì;;'o' r'.'-!'?)l|lT'u *, n. sPrtt There's a lot of *,,,i, li, t' o^n tl'f i:îTïl'. r-'rrr(, r'ou 'iist.

a2qroacn .spronrises, Iwas

rcbeattngenotgh FlongKongSevens' -liaper thick

of You get stteaves

gurus in the southern hemisphere, but the place he runs is close to old FCC hand David Bell's winery in the Hunter Valley.

as though your best friend just clied

and the income tax people want you on the phone. Second, you must look stern and quizzical. Think of Napoleon the clay

after'W'aterloo; that's the right

attitude. Third, raise a glass and stare at it suspiciously. Raise yourright eyebrow. Fourth, delicately, hesitantly, lift the glass towarcls your face. Swiftly plunge your nose into it like a camel

IcsfmYeye the)"d gone down a pack ofdingoe The normal simple relationshi the bafiendef pour

that has not smelt water for six

pick it uP, Put it

downDast thetonsll

#äil il;;;r ror Paul to

months. ritt uP agarn'

ili'h'i:HgdlTi''r'u'''u" :',.'#il ;r*î::',,ï;' ;'::'fi ; ïí:iJi;ií'uä',, the !"'î'le. ading ï:y:i:;; plonk câlled laln ruË,Ër' "

onlv is he one of

CanOn

Riggsie steered me right. I practised the eriquette. First, on no account mnst you look as if you are enjoyingyourself. You've got to appear

Five, sip.

A look of thoughtftll

anguish must appear. Look worried. ìØhat's wrong with the wine? Gurgle, suck in air, slosh the wine around the cheeks, purse lips, ponder some more, look as though you are troubled bypiles .... spir into a bucker. Make notes. Repeat as above,

46o times.

l0/F, Mirrar Tower,61 Mody Rd , Kowloon, Hong Kong

Sole Distributor : JOS Consumer Electronlcs

Tbe rlreaclerl Dauid Dean harrl at

uork

wineries, make wine, sell wines in restaurants or market wines, it is far

too serious f'or mere enjoyment. It,s sacred trust.

winery in Mclaren was the precltrsor to the huge Actelaide rùØine Show. Some

these judges spend a couple of months a year judging wine. rù7hy? rùØell, rhere,s a very good Hong Kong reason money. It's at experiencecl judges rank wines from a region. If a'96 Chardonnay gets a gold medal, for example, up shoot the prices for that vintage. 'W'ineries use medals as marketing tools. It,s a

certificate of yalue, ancl one that

Harbour Tunnel. The otherjudges are all lovelyfolk, very friendly and helpftrl.

So all

those wines are dnrnk,blind,.

You don't know where they,re from - apaft from being made in the

Mclaren region

scrupulous and they search their souls

award medals. It's not

up in

rrery sober and

sucking, sniffing and spirting

black

ous: sex, politics, fish-

After two days of slurping,

thosewines, whatdo

Yep, wine. Now my unsophisticated view of what do to with abottle of grape water is drink it, eat a steakorafish andtalk about something ìnteresting or humor-

brewery, but

bottomLine value.

But after tasting all

about?

frivolous piss_

serious affair with an important

religi (well the t

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been

absorbed, we left the tasting. A cold beer was clelicioris. Next day, David Dean had a great idea.

'Hey,'he enthused. ,Let,s go to the Adelaide wine show lunch. There's abovt2,364wjnes we can taste before the meal.' I fled.

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It'saboutonapar

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these serious -tastings that

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with watching the taffic at the Cr-oss

This two-day retreat at rü7'oodstock

makes them. - orwho The judges are totally honest,

boring.

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Noveml¡er 1996 TÃE COtnESpOI{DDilÎ

Memoirs of a Lurker by Edward Peters

- if this doesn't seem too much like boasts the wofld's only

- former Gurkha officerwho has tunnelled into the fourth estate, this November evokes no few memories as the Brigade slips off the face of the Hong Kong map. And of all things, it's the yawning gap between m¡h and reality that really gives pause for an amusing thought or two. ing

Alnost unconsciously the Brigade of Gurkhas has done a brilliant self-PR job, and even now - J0 years since its soldiers were involved in anything terribly bellicose it can evoke images of blood-crazed,

-kukhri-wielding, khaki

R2D2s making short shrift of the opposition. Well, it's a good story, and I can't pretend not to have surured myself in a little reflected gloryfromtime

to time.

After fiye years having neYer heard a shot fired even in mild pique,

myfirst job afterthe armywas tedium incarnate at some office or other in London. Having been led to expect a

certain resistance even to politely phrased orders, I was astonished at the instant obedience of my staff. All became clear when it turned out the boss, an erratic individual with a penchant for high drama, had announced before my arcival that I had been

taught to kill silently in a hundred different ways. On a personal note, eYen now erreryone assumes I can stroll merrily through the jungle for days on end, have my teeth drilled without anaesthetic ("I thought Gurkhas were tough," sniffed one cack-handed dentist, disappointedþ and munch raw chillies till the yaks come home.

THD C0RRDSPONIIENT November 1996

Hardly. What's more,

avoided

Northern Ireland because of language difficulties, left the army long before the Gulf 'W'ar started, and spent the Falklands conflict guarding the back just in case the door in Seoul

Argentines tried a sneaþpincer movem€nt on London via the Far East - as part of a covert exercise dubbed Operation Legover. Actually, looking back on those years - most of them in Hong Kong with the Gurkhas, my service and that of others was characterised by a long string ofhilarious cock-ups rather

than stirring feats of derring-do. Perhaps the army's problemwas that,

unlike the woild of business, it never had an¡hing like a cast-iron, dollars and cents, bottom line, so erren at the end of intricately organised military

manoeuYres

in a glorious nature

November 1996

TE,E CORRXSPOI{ItENT

reselve like Castle Peak, we were reducecl to bang-bang you're-dead, no-

I-got-you-first type disputes when it came to sorting outwho'dwon. Some officers took this rather seriously. I couldn't, earning the enmity of a large

number of superiors,

in time to sollse the blackened wreck with foam, public admiration had

withered rather, and the owner showed his gratitude by putting his face in George's, shrieking "C**t" af the top of his voice and stalking off.

including one appositely

legends. During the Hong Kong riots in the 1960s one platoon of Gurkhas

was being slowly sur:rounded by a large, malevolent crowd. Bearing in mind the army's

named Bullock and another

who went under

the

in times of civil unrest, the

In the eady 80s, the

platoon commander, a veterán of bloody encounters in Malaya and

army in Hong Kong was fully occupied catching illegal immigrants from China. Being paid to hit ethnics with a stick and handcuff them would be a clream job for some, but after a while the thrill of life in the Mai Po marshes began to pall. A lot of IIs slipped through the net of course. But not all. One fellow officer, Steve Crowsley, (who boldly resigned his commission in protest when scores of socalled mutineers were unjustly sacked from 7th Gurkha Rifles in 1986) organised an orienteering competition round a series of checkpoints when his platoon was off duty, but was puzzled when the fittest

Brunei, patiently followed

the rigidly laid-down Standard Operating Procedures by first displaying

banner saying

DISPERSE OR ìØE GET CROSS and then throwing

which blew in the wrong direction. Finally, CS gas

his patience exhausted, he

muttered the Nepali

equivalent of "Sod it" and howled "Draw Kukhris" to

the platoon, who obeyed

with alacrity. A

sudden

peace descended and that was the end of civil unrest

for that day.

The skirl of

the

bagpipes and the mournful notes of a lone bugler at

Rifleman failed to appear at

THE C0RnESPOt{tlEilr November 1996

something futile like

the final beating fetfeat ceremony in Sek Kong at sunset at the beginning of this month marked the end of the Gurkhas' 4Ù-year

T I-¿

ike mosr gove rruîents land share marker analysts f-or that matter), the Hong Kong administration is well )

known for its effoneous forecasting while still attempting to maintain the pretence that it gets everything right. The trick, of course, is to forecast

inevitable removal of QueenVictoria's amusing little statue in Causeway Bay. But thanks for the laughs.

Gurk

L¡

a ínfantt?m n n

demographics. Getting it right in the forecasts is therefore critical. !(zith just seven months to go rultil

the retnrn of Hong Kong to Chinese

earþ and often. That way, by the time the real figures emerge the public has

either forgotten the original estimate,

which has been declining in line with

or they have been bombarded with so manyforecasts that theybecome merely confused. Rarely has the govemment got it so wrong with such a basic flgure, however, than in the case of the temitory's

expectations.

The di-fferences really can be explained by lower than expected emi-

growth are

population growth. By this stage in the transition to Chinese sovereignty, Hong Kong's population was supposed to be virtually stagnant with emigrants outweighing anyprospective increase from natural means or immigration.

Table

\Mhy did the demographers within the government get it so wrong? \üf/ell,

had nothing to do with natural in-

crease (the excess ofbirths overdeaths)

gration (despite the exodus afier Tiananmen Square), but more impot tantly, the influ,x of immigrants both from immediately across the border and futher afield. The importance of this cannot be underestimated. Just about every aspect of government and business planning (from housing to hospitals, ednca-

tion to eateries) starts with

The sources of this population as diverse as ever - natural

increase (of course) and immigration in theform of 'returnees' (those returning with foreign passports), Chinese mainland citizens and, most surprisingly of all, expatriates from around the globe. Latest demographic figures (as of June 1996) put the total population of

the teffitory at 6,311,000 people, up I54,9OO or 2.5 per cent on the year eadier figure (see table 1).

HONG KONG's POPUI-{TION ESTIMATES

Annual

Natural Balance of Increase Arivals/

Pop

Growth

Estirnates

(Vo)

Pop lncrease

End 82 End 83

5,238,500 5,3r9,500 5,377,400

r.5%

81,000

l.l%

End84

5,43O,gOO

1.O%

End 85

5,500,400 5,565,700

7.3%

o.9%

End 88

5,6t5,300 5,67t,600

57,900 53,500 69,500 65,300 49,600

End 89

5,726,500

t.o% t.o%

End 90 End 91

5,752,OOO

o.4%

56,300 54,goo 25,500

5,822,500

r.2%

70,500

End92

5,902,1OO

r.4%

79,600

End 93

6,019,900

2.O%

117,800

4,300 41,300

End94

6,r49,too

2.1%

r29,200

End 95

6,307,900

2.6%

158,800

Year End 81

End 86 End 87

P r¡ ¡ ud

Indeed, as recentþ as May, 7992, the government was forecasting that Hong Kong's population would reach 6.28 million by mid-2006, but it is alrcady 6.3 million.

sovereignty, every expectationwas that the teffitorywould be facing an exodus of people rarely seen before in its history. Instead, the reverse is occurring, with the teffitory's population continlling to grow at the fastest rate since the late 1970s.

military involvement in

Hong Kong. I cannot regret their passing any more than I will the

by Ian K. Perkin

dictum of minimum force

misnomer, Smart.

the end of the day. Just as Steve was stafting to think about a search party, the absentee hove into view in the gathering dusk, Gurkb¿ts on parade propelling before him two IIs he had There were other language captured half way round the course, problems closer to home. All British and who had taken up the new sport officers had to learn Nepali, a task immediately, albeit not without some sweetened by the prospect of strongly worded encouragement. language pay and the Gurkhas' own Another subaltern, George Lys genuine delight in your bumbling now ADC to the King of Lesotho efforts. It is possibly the simplest - found himself in charge of a fire language on earth, with little grammar, few irregularities and a lot station during the UKfiremen's strike ]n 1977. Screeching to a halt with of English words thrown in. The only siren wailing beside a smouldering minor hiccups were that two brand new BMrüØ (sadly without the common or garden words bore very Green Goddess fire engine, which similar pronunciation to the male he was supposed to be leading, as it and female sex organs. So when one had inexplicably got lost on the waÐ struggling linguist absently said to a George was greeted as an arriving newly-joined Rifleman: "Get my big hero by the frantic owner and black walking stick out of my wife 's assembled hoi polloi. A quarter of an red car," his request came across hour later, when the Gurkhas and mofe as a task lor a gynaecologist their Green Goddess turned up iust than an ordedy, causing no little

IIas the Government got it wrong?

puzzlenent to the otherwise highly deferential Gurkha. And then there were always the

1.2%

Total ExPat

other Arrivals

Departures

Arrivals

19,800

10,300

+9,500

700

1,000

-300

52,3OO

l,2oo

4,9oo

-3,700

5t,200 46,too

18,300

6,300

+12,000

19,200

6,400

+12,800

43,300

6,300

3,800

+2,5OO

61,200 57,200

48,200

8,100

14,rco

-6,ooo

42,500

L2,400 -r5,700

20,600 20,700 23,600

-8,200

4t,200 4t,600

28,gOO

-36,400 +5,300

32,rOO

+5,2OO

37,400 47,800

+39,100

41,642

37,300 76,500 87,558

+39,758

38,200

120,600

74,OOO**

46,ooo**

November 1996

TE.E CORRXSPOilIIENT

* Eslitnøle IKP/HKGCC

Table

2 FOREIGN CITIZENS IN HONG KONG M;ay 1996*

Dec1995

Dec 1990

Dec 1987

Dec 1981

r40,700

128,300

6r,200

39,100

15,100

USA

37,200

32,600

19,300

14,700

11,500

32,700

26,700

16,400

t4,too

22,3OO

Country Philippines

Canada

30,100

28,200

13,000

9,100

N.A.

Indonesia

28,000

25,200

N.A.

The territory's population growth has, in fact, been expanding much more rapidly for the past three years two per cent inl993 (up from 1.2

per cent ayear (around 0.65 per cent)

- cent in 1992), 2.1 per cent in per

by mid-2006 the population would have reached only 6,282,100, but as

sovereignty to China in 1997?

1994 and 2.6 per cent last year. It means that in the past three yearsr the population has increased by more than 405,000 people. In the immediately previous period it took seYen years to add that many people to the local population.

the latest figures show that level has akeady been surpassed. Even a revised version of this

appears to have several parts: First, recent events in Hong Kong-

Once again the population increase has little to do with natural increase (the excess of births over

Thailand

25,600

25,500

'14,3oo

10,100

8,600

Japan

24,400

2t,500

10,600

8,500

6,800

India

22,600

20,goo

17,000

15,800

r4,200

Australia

21,800

20,500

12,000

8,800

7,800

deaths in the community), but to an influx of immigrants, both from China and elsewhere. Backin 1980, the totalpopulation increase of l33,4OO was accounted for by natutalincrease of 6O,282 and

Malaysia

14,600

14,200

11,700

10,200

8,900

positive balance of arrivals over

Sub-total

377,700

344,300

175,500

t30,400

95,200

Last year, however, natural increase was down to about 38,2OO

Others Total

72,300

71,100

52,700

47,800

44,3oo

450,000

4t5,400

227,600

t72,200

r39,500

* Prelimínøry Estimøte

Even more dtamatic, however, has been the substantial increase in the numbers of foreign citizens inthe teffitory with the figure for May this yeat rt 45O,OOO, up 8 per cent from December 1995 (see table 2).

The foreign population in Hong Kong has now doubled in the five years since 1990.

It could well reach half a million people by the sovereignty handover date of 1 July next year if current

identification card rather than their new tiavel document (that is, the foreign passport). most rapid expansion of population

from locations other than the

China. But more important than the rise in the British numbers in Hong Kong

since the tighter immigration policies instituted in late 1980 which effectively

has been the increase in expatriate arrivals across-the-board, especially business professionals and, of course,

domestic helpers. Figures for expatriate arrivals now

the accompanying table shows,

available for the period to May this

the increase has been across the board, with substantial numbers of

year show the total number at

arrivals from the US, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Canada and the Philippines.

Even arrivals from the outgoing

sovereign, Britain, have risen enormously to 32,7OO as of May this year from 26,70A in December, 1995 and 16,40o in December, 199O. The rise is so large that questions

have been asked

in the teffitory's

legislative body, the Legislative Council, about the number of British - yes, British citizens entering the teffitory in its last days under British de.

and the bulk of the population

increase came from immigration at some 120,700 people. Arrivals due to one-way permit holders from the mainland would have accountedfor about 40,000 to 50,000 of this number, the remaining 70,000 to 80,000 arrivals being from other countries around the region and the globe. In fact, the number of arriyals

Part of the reason for the British influx is that they still have the 'right to land' in Hong Kong and work without a visa; part too is no doubt to see Hong Kong before its return to

trends continue. As

departures of 73,118 people.

450,000, including domestic helpers numbering some 1 50,000 to I 60,000, mainly from the Philippines.

Whether domestic helpers are included or not, the proportions of expatfiates at 7.1 pef cent of total population (including domestic helpers) and 4.8 per cent (without domestic helpers), are both records. These numbers may not include many former Hong Kong citizens

Hong Kong last year also had its

endedthe'tonchbase' policyforillegal immigrants from China.

Recent Government figures showed the territory's population grew 2.5 per cent or some l54,9OO people in the 12 months to June this year to a record, legal or official, number of 6,311,000 people. That's

on top of 2.6 per cent growth in calenclar 1995.

This is the fastest growth in population since the 3.3 per cent growth or an influx of some 130,000 people back in 1980. The year before in the midst of the 'touch base' period the increase had been 6.1 per cent or some 260,000 people.

it is considered that

retumirì.g to Hong Kong after securing

the territory's population growth in the 10 years to 1994 averaged just 1.2 per

but who re-enter the ir local

cent, the 2.6 per cent growth last year is certainly exceptional.

a foreign passport

Hong Kong on

THD CORRf,SPONDDNT November 1996

When

right through until 201 1. The forecast suggested that even

just why these people are coming to Hong Kong if there are substantial

risks involved in the return of The answer to that question

China relations, suggests the risks of

original forecast has proved inaccurate, predicting a 1996

the handoverprocess have been overstated at least to date in relation

population o16,O93,60O when it was

to migration.

completed only a couple of years ago (the Interim Population Projection). Admittedly that excluded Foreign

appeared to be

Domestic Helpers and Imported Skilled'W'orkers, but they would be unlikely to add more than 160,000 to the total, that is take it to 6,253,6O0.

Second, during 1995 there a substantial inflow of domestic helpers, partly due to President Fidel Ramos' warning eady

in the ye r tleat he might prevent helpers leaving the Philippines and p^rtly due to greater demand for helpers.

Third, there

ifhe big increase irr irnrni grafit a-rrirza-ls h.as corrrpletel;z l>lov¡n the Gorzeflllarelat's officia"l population forecasts olrt of tfie Mzater-

has been an increase

in the numbers of people entering from China with the increase in the daily quota from75 to 105 and then, from 105 to 150 onJuly 1 last year. Fourth, anecdotal evidence suggests there has been an increase in the number of Hong Kong returnees, that is people who have emigrated previously (to get passports or for other reasons) and then decided

Thatfigure has also been surpassed by the present 6,308,000 population.

to fetufn. Fifth and finally, there has been a substantial influx of \Øestern and,

increasingly,,{.sian expatriates,

The population figures are, of course, important, not just because

working for foreign or local

of what they say about employment

in Hong Kong, in China or in

mainland has now increased every year since 1987 , andinthe first half of last year was 46,5OO, or almost as

and unemployment figures, but because of what they mean for

immediate region.

many as the 47,8OO arrivals in 1994. Arrivals from the mainland have, at the same time, been running at very high levels, around 40,000 ayear

Government.

in both 1994 and 1993 and in excess of that figure last yeaf at 46,000. This is a direct result of the Government's decisionto ease up on the number of arrivals from across the border. As from the middle of last year the daily number of arriyals from

China was increased to l5O a, d^y from 105 a day, and lrom7 5 a day two years eadier.

The big increase in immigrant arrivals has completely blown the Government's official population forecasts out of the water. In May 1992, tl:e Census and Statistics Department forecast annual population growth of well under one

compariies, and seeking to do business

the

Planning for employment and

At the same time there has been an outflow of Hong Kong citizens, with the Goyernment putting the figure for last year at some 43,OOO.

training is just one side of this. The influx of immigrants from China itself, many of them younger people, also means planning for schooling, from primary classes through to university.

has continued to be aî attractive destination for people wishing to do business in the region, and that is a positiye factorfor the whole economy despite the short term rise in

planning purposes, not the least by

There is also the need to plan for other social and community services, especiallyhealth and the proyision of hospital resources. And, of course, there is the need forfuture housing (even if the present arrivals are younger) and ultimately

the ageing process

hence the

proposed Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF). But the real question that is posed

by the recent population growth, especially the immigrant growth, is

Onbalance, however, Hong Kong

unemployment. I¿¿n

K. Perkín is Ass¡stant Director and CbieÍ

Econom.ßt of tbe Hong Kong Generøl Cbamber of Commerce

@ Views expressed in 'Purely Personal' are those of the author. The board and publications committee of the FCC go not neccessary agree.

November 1996 Ttr,E GORRESPOIIIIEII|T

Heart disease and heart attacks In most cases, "heart clisease" is actually "coronary artery disease." Here's what happens: Excess cholesterol combines with calcium, blood platelets and fibrous tissue to procluce a coatinÉl on the interior walls of your coronary arteries, those arteries that feecl

A certain kíneff f Ie

;rrt clisc-.rse: pLrts {'\zcrlzf¡¡¡c'ly lrt l-isl<

oxygenatecl bloocl to the heal't mlrscle itself. The channel through these

arteries becomes progressively

by Rany K:rlb

smaller, allowing less ancl less blood

through. If insufficient oxygen reaches your heart muscle, you might

the blood

by-pass strrgery 2'/.years ago, I received a flurry ofphone calls from male friends asking my advice on how to avoid hear-t trouble. If I had

But the overwhelming eviclence is that what follows could save your

known the answers at the time, of colrrse, I wouldn't have been lying in a hospital bed with a half clozen tubes

Fat and cholesterol

I ,[ \hearr

sticking out of my bocly.

Since then, I've made it my business to learn a gteat deal about the subject, and I could answer the questions now. During the same period, three or four middle-aged FCC

members have dropped deacl suddenly of heart attacks, most recently the redoubtable Charlie Smith.

You would think these deaths would make the questioning more urgent. Instead, most of my friends have long since stopped asking, and misinformation among those who clo ask is distressing. There's confusion

about fat and cholesterol, and how they affect the bocly, and where cholesterol comes from. There's ignolance or outright clenial about what causes heart disease and how it might be avoided. Few people seem to know what a heart attack really is. Pedraps with Chadie's passing fresh in people's minds, this is

goocl

"findings" are reported all the time.

life.

There's a simple rule about cholesterol and food: lf it came from something that had a liver, it contains cholesterol; if not, it doesn't. No plant-

no fruits, no based foods vegetables, no vegetable oils -

contain cholesterol; all animal-based foods do, inclucling meats, fish, seafood, eggs and clairy products.

Fat, an entire1)' different substance, is present in virtually all - even lettuce, because lettuce contains some oil, and oil is fat. There is no such thing as "lite" oil: some oils are less harmful than others, but they

foods

are all IOO% flat.

How do these substances affect you?

Cholesterol is a necessary substance, which is wh1' ),ottr liver produces it in the first place. But

manufacture yourself. Eating "satllrated" fats can prompt

yorlr liver to produce extra cholesterol. You don't have to know what chemical terms like "saturated" mean, but you should know which fat is which. All animal fats, plus coconut and palm oils, are satllrated and therefore risky to eat. Vegetable oils such as

sunflower and corn oils are polyunsaturated and somewhat safer. Safest of all are the mono-Llnsatlìrates:

olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil.

But the important thing is that too rnuch of any type of fat seems to

excess cholesterol in your

be unhealthy. High-fat diets

with other elements, lead to deposits on your artery walls that restrict bloocl flow and can set you up for a heart

implicated not only in heart disease, but in cancers and other ailments,

bloodstream can, in combination

time to relay some information. It

attack.

may ultimately turn out that changing

appears tlJat a sub-type of cholesterol, known as low-densitl'

your lifestyle makes no difference,

lipoprotein (LDL), is responsible for the deposits, and some researchers think the culprit might actually be a 'W'hatever, sub-type of the sub-type. virtually all cardiologists agree that it's important to keep your overall cholesterol count low: 200 or lower on the American scale, 5.2 on the British scale. That means controlling both what you eat and what your body produces. Because most ofthe cholesterol in your body is what you

THE C0RRXSP0trDEI|I November 1996

are

And eating a lot of fat makes you fat, which is also unhealthy. Hence the insistent propaganda in recent years in favour of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

That's the "heart attack". In its milclest form, the lack of bloocl kills a small

part of your heart muscle. At worst, the attack is fatal. How do you avoid this?

Risk factors and lifestyles A number of factors have been proven to put people at risk of developing coronary artery disease. These include geneticpredisposition,

smoking, stress, obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet. People with heart disease usually combine several of these factors.

Thanks to their genes, some people will never have heart trouble, while others are at abnormal risk. (\Vomen are usually protected from heart disease until menopause, but after that, they're just as sllsceptible as men.) You can't change 1'our heredity, but you can make changes in how you live the "lifestyle" - increasc youl' [actors tlìat will chances of living longer. There's no need to discuss smoking: everybocly knows the dangers. Stress is something you can't always control, although it helps to learn how to roll with the punches of dailylife. Losingweight can be difficult, but it's far easier ifyou pay attention to the other two crucial heart-related factors, exercise and diet.

The importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. It

IOO% ïat.)

Egg whites are harmless. There

smokers who live a sedentary life. That's a severe inclictment of the

is some debate over whether certain

failure to exercise.

You don't have to jog or join a gym. The current prescription is for at least 30 minutes a day, at least three days a week (and preferably more), of some exertion that gets the heart pumping well. One researcher has

of "walking sliglrtly uphill" for a haî hour is sufficient. Just do something. Changing your cliet to reduce fat ancl cholesterol can be the most difficult acljustment of all. Pe ople don't want to give up their favourite foods, and the things that taste best are often worst for you. Just consicler some of the favourites on the FCC menu. Chili

in one of

non-fat dairy items are now available here. So are some dubious-tasting butter sLrbstitutes. (Margarine contains no cholesterol, but isvirtuall¡'

less at risk of a heart attack than non-

danger.

narrowed coronary arteries, and flow to a part ofyour heat is blocked.

and indeed, contradictory new

on cholesterol ancl arterial blockage. A recent European study indicated that smokers who exercise regulady are

said that the equivalent

becomes lodged

lay recovering f,rom emergency

and has beneficial effects

suffer the pains of "angina pectot'is. " That's a clear warning that you're in The actual damage occurs when for some reason a clot forms in your blood. The clot travels to yotr heart,

conditions the carcliovascular system,

con carne. Fish ancl chips. Hamburgers.

snbstances in egg 1'olks cancel out their extremell' high cholesterol content, but until the debate is

settled, cardiologists recommencl severely reducing your intake or clrtting out whole eggs altogether. Remember that egg yolks are a primary ingreclient in mayonnaise and some othet sauces. The "how" of cooking is almost as important as tlìe "what". It is best to steam, bake, roast, grill or sauté in a bit of peanut or oliye oil. Deepfrying saturates foods with oil, so such items as fish and chips are restricted. Most Chinese cooking, incidentally, uses loads of oil.

Unfortunately, there are some people whose cholesterol is never

The cheese platter. The all-day

going to drop to safe levels no matter

breakfast. Eggs Benedict. Thelz'¡s ¿ll hazarclous to your health. People with low cholesterol ancl otherwise healthy signs don't have to eliminate these items completely, but virtually everyone can benefit from cutting down somewhat especialll' as they get older. If your indicators are bacl, on the other hand, and yotr want to increase your chances, then change it must be. Here's a cluick list of what's good and what's not: All red meats are bacl - beef, pork, lamb. Veal is low in fat but high

who carefully they eat or how much they exercise. These people need prescription meclications to reduce their bodies' cholesterol output.

in cholesterol.

Chicken breast ancl turkey breast are good, as long as they're eaten without the skin; the dark meat is tlad. Fish is generally good, ancl even fatty fish contain a substance that

inhibits blood clotting and therefore reduces the chances of an attack. Still, sardines and salmon should be eaten sparingly. \Vhen it comes to

Anothernote: one ofthe stfongest a mancanhaveagainst heart disease is a strong-willed woman who doesn't want to lose him, 'We males often don't want to know the truth if it's uncomfortable, and it can take the guile ornagging of a gidfriend orwife

weapons

to make us take care of

ourselves. Give us hell, ladies. Please.

Nobody who knows me would expect me to give up good food. Since my operation, I have changed what and how I eat, and I exercise strenuously, but I still eat very¡ well, I drink an¡hing I want (in moderation), I work, I socialise, I travel. I enjoy life as much as I did before. It is possible, in other words, to live very well and still increase your chances of living longer. It's really not that difficult, once you admit to

seafood, there 's actually good news: among the items lowest in fat and

yourself that the alternative

cholesterol are lobster, scallops,

clangerous. Denial is a killer.

But yoLl still might not want to

clams, crab, mussels and oysters. But shrimps, prawns and squid, while low

heed any of this. You might think it's not important. You might be right. Yon might be dead wrong.

in fat, aÍe especially high in cholesterol.

Butter, whole milk ancl cheeses are terrible. Skim milk ancl non-fat milk are fine. and some low-fat or

Barcy KaIb

ajournalist-tunxecl-businessm.an.

November 1996 THE

C0RRXSP0trIlElrlT

also a very acceptable Chinese/Thai festaurant which selves a mean tom yam kun.It's called TinJu (Heavenly Jade) and is run by a Chinese lad;'

tains, forests, lakes, rivers and wetlands. Abundant animal and plant

gated by the thrill of looking in on a wodd of nature not often obserwed

life. More bird species than all of Europe, all of North America. Fully one-qlrarter of Costa Rica's 50,000

by the earthlings way down there. There's abar near the Gran Hotel, the like of which I've never seen be-

Hongkong. Iwas the firstperson she'd

square kilometres is protected as national parkland. It makes a nice change

fore, oddly named Key Largo (as in the

whose forebears came from

met who actually lived in Hongkong. It's amazing how nostalgic she was for a place she'd nevet seen. There are dozens of US junk-food chain joints along av.central. One every few metres it seems. I guess they'te OK for chldren and other mental deficients,

butthe realproblemis thatforeachone that opens a dozen local eateries close

old Bogart movie). You pa1' a few

from Hongkong.

colones at the main gate ancl then fola path winding through lush foli-

low

Most visitors to Costa Rica come to enjoy nature. The local tourist indlÌstry offers a host of toufs into the country. Among the destinations are active volcanoes, rain forests, cloud forests, coastal resorts. There's awild orchid expedition, and a hunt for the

age

to the entrance of a grand old

mansion. Inside are arlworks of allkinds - marble statuary, oil paintings, crystal chandeliers. The main rooms have

been converted into bars. The largest has a dance atea a¡d live salsa music.

Customers wander casually between fooms, of

down. Localfoodis similar to Meican,

osta Rica is one of the seven small countries in the narrow strip which joins North ancl South

America. High

in a valley

between

mountain ranges is its capital, San Jose, a busy townwith narrow stre ets, chaotic traffic ancl the wodcl's worst pavements. Grand old Spanishcolonial buildings stand alongside ugly modern developments. It reminds you of Macau. The town is set on a slope,

but it is a very odd slope in that wherever you want to go, it always

butmilderandwith an emphasis on 5,000 colones would be OK . . . for a suite! I graciously accepted. At US$30

occasional used Tribunes, I had the shiniest shoes in SanJose.

a night, it was the best deal of the entire trip. One window of my airy

There are dozens of language

suite ovedooked the baroque Teatro

Nacional, another the broacl Plaza Cultural. lØith TV and refrigerator too! I stayed three months. The Plaza Cultural is the social hub of SanJose. Hawkers, artists and vendors sell their wares. Musicians and other entertainers attract groups of onlookers. Spot on 8.00am each

seems to be uphill.

Street numbering is also very strange. Set olÌt as a grid, with avenidas running eastlwest and calles north/ sotrth, av.central/ca.central cross in the middle of town. If you're at, say, av.7 /ca.7 , you might think av.8/ca.8 is a short walk round the block. 'Wrong! It's on the other side of town. Uphill, of course. Avenidas to the north of av.central all have odd

- - in e><ch-arage for occasiolaa-l used Tribetnes, I tliad the skriniest shoes in San Jose-

numbers, Those to the south all even. The same goes for calles east and

west of ca.central. If you've had a beer or two, don't tryto do the mental acrobatics. Take a taxi.

The venerable Gran Hotel is in the centre of town, an impressive colonial building reminiscent of Singapore's Raffles with its mosaic stone floor and carved wood fittings. The morning after a pricel'night at a

tolrristy hotel, I decided to check out the Gran, and perhaps fix a deal for a long stay, in order to be in Costa Rica fo¡ afewweeks to learn some Spanish before heading south. I'd be prepared to pay high if pushed. The GM, an

Irishman (surprise), wondered if

morning, when through, I gave it to

THE G0RRXSP0NDENT Nor-ember 1996

Mosteveningsyou

with onions, lime,

and conversation.

I later

peppers and herbs,

Plus about two

unexpected bonus,

serwedcold. It'slike 'cold sashimi soup'

hundred ticas! All with big h)'pnotic eyes! AII looking

Costaricense-Nonteamericano.

discovered,

as an

that scores of 'ticas' (Costa Rican laclies) were enrolled there too, eager to learn English. In my small Spanish class were an eldedy US couple, a Dutch bar owner, a Swiss university studeni, an American 'glamour photographer' and a ladywho was trying

After a few weeks I found I could

cheerful shoe-shine urchin. Without pausing he sold it to a glly on the next table. From then on, in exchange for

grand staircase.

mornings only, at Centro Cultural

get by in simple Spanish quite well in

scrambled eggs and coffee. One

30 male patrons enjoying drinks

English either. The course was sometlring like a cll:arade pafiy.

Herald Tribune to read over

tico menu

sit and chat in alcoves, oralongthe

chunks marinated

being 'total immersion' meant our instructor couldn't speak a word of

is 'ceyiche': basi

to get a job with a Mexican compan)/ in California. None of us could speak a word of Spanish. Teaching method

marimba playet began his melody. It was a reliable wake-up call. Breakfast downstairs on the Gran's colonaded terrace adjoining the Plaza was a splendid wa1/ to staft the day. Vendors and entertainers kept a respectfLll distance, courtesy of the hotel staff. lfhen available, I'd buy yesterday's

dish on

(

P LU^AA

IA AU NTI E ^l S EN LA J,ARDI N OL ât/ B ABy./

major industry, and the range of offerings is confusing. I settled for a two-month course,

schools in town. It's

taxis, bars and restaurants. Trouble arose, though, when a fluent Spanish

morning, under my window,

fresh vegetables. One marvellous

LA A DE

remark was rewarded with an unintelligible torrent in response. I found the solution - keep talking. Don't pause. Repeat all those phrases you've memorisecl: who you are, where you come from, 1,our opinion of Costa Rica, the meaning of life, and so on. Your listener may soon get

bored, but is sure to respect your language skills. Food is not bad in SanJose, though it can't compare with the seafood of Santiago nor the beef of Buenos Aires.

The Balcon de Europa is great for Italian cuisine and ambience. There's

cally raw

findperhaps 20 or

fish

bltt tastes better than it sounds.

your way! It's a beauty pageaît

Cevicheis justgreat

as a refreshing snack after a few hours in the srn.

Chelles Taberna is

tax-free incentives for retirees

a typical local restaurant in which to enjoyit, just a shom

a,ttract

walk (uphill) from

After a good

pets can be heard halfway across town.

Columbus dubbed the place 'Costa Rica', the 'rich coast', inl5O2. thinking 'rich', as in 'gold' . He didn't find any. However, in terms of

He was

nature,

it is possibly the wodd's

wealthiest colrntry. Coasts on both Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Moun-

many

expats, especially

the Gran. dinner, late in the evening, the place to go for coffee and free entertainment is La Esmeralda. Open until srmdse, the actionpeaks aroundmidnight. There's trstrally ahal| dozen mariachi bands r,ying for assignments to private parties of the wealthy. The groups of guitar and trumpet players, dressed in sequinned Mexican finery, compete alternately to demonstrate their talents. After midnight the wailing trum-

inside a museum. No Red Lips bar this! Costa Rica's

rare 'qlletzal', said to be the wodd's most beautiful bird. Among my favourite trips was the 'jungle train', built to carry bananas to the coast in the last century, and now restorecl. It chugs fortwo hours on narrowtracks through some of the most spectaclllar landscape on earth. The one trip you shouldn't miss is the'aerial tram'ricle through the treetop canopy of a rain forest. I was expecting something along the lines of the Peak Tram. The aerial tram turned olrt to be barely more than a bucket seat attached to an overhead wire. Any concern about being suspended 150 feet above the jungle floor on a wire, slowly cruising for an hour through the treetops, was miti-

from the IIS. Tn addition, there's also the attraction of the 'ticas' who are typically blessecl with long black hair, suntanned complexion and those big hypnotic eyes. Ticas also seem to

outnumber the ticos (local guys) by about four to one.

Many elderly expats

have

developed, um,'beautiftrl friendships' with remarkably young ticas. I learned later that Costa Rican law apparently legalises the 'adoption of a protégée'.

The contract outlines fiscal responsibilities and various

eventualities (mariage not being one). It is countersigned by parents. (The tica's that is, not the expat's.) As they sayin Costa Rica, 'a man is as old as the woman he feels'.

November 1996 THX

@ CORRf,SP0IIDEI{T

lf Society - October 1,4

c-O

THE

HONG KONG VISITOIIS BOOK

,,\

IìISTORIC^1, I/VHO'S \VHO

The Hong Kong Yisitors Book

Juliún Luitb Fred Coutard

small btrt perfectll' lorme d group

\of

14 went to Nlacau for the October match. The Macau course is qrrite tight ancl has a voracit.¡us appetite for golf balls, but those of us who have played there before went well preparecl with large stocks of

-,[

.A. Histc>rical Nú.ho's \JúZhc¡ By Arthur Hacker

Review by Jeff Heselwood

balls.

The sad loss of the liner Queen Elizabeth in Hong Kong harbour is recorded, while other notables include film actor Clark Gable. Ethiopian emperor, Haile

for HK$399. An relatives overseas.

Selassie, British com-

he introcluction to the book neatly encapsulates the entire purpose of Arthur Hacker's impres-

ecly actor Kenneth

sive hardback volume. It states: 'This

Chaplin. But it is not sim-

book is about people who have visited Hong Kong; who theywere, what they did and what they thought about

the place'.

Undoubtedly a 'coffee table' tome, Arthur Hacker has assembled a great collection of names, of the rich, famous and not-so-famous, accompa-

nied by some fascinating photographs.

The Beatles are featured following their visit in 1964,'whlle former

Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau rates a mention, as does Imelda Marcos.

Charlie

ply a catalogue of famous names; there are a number of more

humble men

and

women featured to offer an overall balance to the book. Published by Odyssey and with over 200 illustrations

to complement

the

80 visitors' stories, Tbe Hong Kong Visitors ,Book sells

THE CORRESP0lfIlEIff Novembe¡ 1996

Fred Coward respectively. These prizes were individually numbered, gold-plated commemorative Cocacola bottles, specially made for the Atlanta Olympics and donatecl by

Williams and the leg-

endary

ideal Christmas

present, especially for friends and

James Fu was the easl winner 38 Stableforcl points and received a British Trade Commission umbrella donated by Chris Fraset. Chris has promisecl he will not donate anymore of these umbrellas! Nearest the pin ancl longest drive prizes went to Ken Bridgewater and

with

The 'IIonarcb oÍ the Seas' in flames

Kett.

Briclgenater and Julian

will

also issue

new membership cards. The annual subscription has not

Robert Hadancl.

gone Llp for two

Shot of the day was Paul Marriage's tee shot at the sixth (parthree, nearest the pin hole). Paul was a little worried about the prospect of winning one of

yeafs so there may be needto be a small

the bottles, so took evasive action, which he rather overdid with aboLlt a 12 yard shot. Shortest drive of the day, however, went to yoLlrs trllly! Subscriptions for 1997 will be due shortly and members will be circulated to check that they wish to

welcome and can contact me on252l

renew, ancl that details are up to date.

Wcr.lsh

increase for 1997. New members are

r978.

Julian'Walsh Secretary FCC GS

A barrl. clay in Maca.u

Novenrber 7996 THE

CORRISPONDf,NT

'Wigs & pens duel

in clash of wits

London'sWig &Pen Club, with which the FCC has reciprocal rights, of course, evolved from irregular lawyers meetings of two groups

(theWigs) and journalists (the Pens).

Ted Thomas and Michael Lintern-Smith have co-hosted a monthly Wig & Pen meeting at the FCC since a Hong Kong branch of the club was established in 1992. At the most recent meeting, NuryVittachi had an opPortunity to settle old scores with the judiciary inthe shape ofHighCourt judge, Mr Justice Sears, whointurn came back strongly with some hilarious tales from behind the scenes in the law

Sílver Salute Saul and Alison

Lockhart recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniverary

withaparq'intheclub.

courts and his frequent encoLrnters

with the press. Higb Cottrt judge, Raymond. Sears

Nury Vittacl:i

'Relatively speaking' Dinner theatte atthe Club

Snooker & pool tournaments The pool room is buzzing with activityatpresent,

the annualpool,

snooker and billiards toumaments are

under way. Normally by this time of year they would be completed, but the recent renoYations to the Club created an enforced delay. Gzuenda. Roberts, Chailes Collirtgtuood, Rory

Higgins

andJudy Bennen

a light comedy justfour excellent Miles-Thomas, Natalie Bohm, Charles

Alan A1'çlç5eurn's 'Relatively Speaking' is

performedwiththe minimum of props

actors, Nigel Collingwood

and

Billiards Pool

Judy Bennett. Chades and Judy are husband and wife in real life and ancl

by Patrick Tucker and procluced by Diane Bohm for the

December 4;

-December

6. and Snooker -December Spectators are welcome.

both star in the long-running radio series 'The Archers',

Chades as Brian Aldridge and Judy as Shula. Performinginthe main diningroom, the playwas directed

Entrants in this year's tournaments are down on last year, probably as a result of people leaving the territory, especially some notable regulars such as Peter'Wong, John Harryett and Ron Fitzpatrick. Nonetheless, we have 16 entries for pool, eight for snooker and six for billiards. The finals take place on:

Diane Nourse, Cbarles Collingutood, Jucly Bennett, Ricl:a.rd. Gocher, Pbiliþ Nourse

FCC Snooker Tony Craig Cotnrnlttee -Chairman

Lonclon Globe Theatre Company.

THE CORRXSPOM)f,NT Novembe¡ 1996

Novembe¡ 1996 lHE

CORRXSPOIYDDNT

New membefs

Farewell & Adieus

(ì

orre sp onclent

lMe rrrl>e

Maria Ronson

James Sciutto

Charles Simkins

Frederic Brown

t Worldwide TV News

Voice of Americn

Freelânce

Yosuke tVatanabe

John Bartram

Kyodo News

Reuters

Kiyoii Yanaguchi

Vang Hui Ling

Andrew Bolt

Tsukasa Yokoyama

Asia Business News

dir 4 ì

Peter Engardio Lefi to rígbt: Paul BayÍíed, Man"lna Silua uitl¡ q)nfuía Hydes utbo bas retìred to CalíÍorfl¡a.

Left to rigbt: Paul Bayftelcl, Kees, Pbiliþ Botuting, Peter Erxgardio, Dauid. O'Rear, Cbrßtopber Slaugbter

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rHD G0RRDSPOilDEI|T November 1996

G/F,

Reach hungry FCC mernbers

1\4

rnl>ers

John Fox

Jonathan \ù/alcoff

Federal Express

Davis Polk & Wardwcll

Cynthia Lockeyear

Ann Àrefeldt

Albina Lanny Huang

Consulate Gene ml of Sweden

MGM Gold Networks

Herbert Ho

by advertising here. Contact Andrew Sedman on 2521 7993 Coca-Cola

Int'l

HK Gov't Lalìds Registr)'

THD CORRESPONIIENT

NÍkon

A montlrly

portrøit of FCC í.mepløceøbles

F90X

l{owever Good You Are, You Can D0 Better ,,,

Rebecca Lee Member since: Age:

Profession:

Nationality: Least likely to say: Most likely to say:

1982 Anybody's guess, but much younger than the polar ice cap. Photographer, writer, polar explorer. Chinese I hate all this snow and ice. Look at that cute little penguin.

Pltotograpbed by l(urt Tbomsen

Sp.ns.re<, THI

GORRDSPONIIENT

November 1996

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Nikon IF90X Higher speed, greater aecttracy. Every professional photographer knows that it ¡s cr¡t¡cal to get every single frame right. Because even in several rolls, the perfect moment comes only once, and that one frame must be flawless. Now there's a camera with an

autofocus system so fast and accurate, an exposure system so advanced, you can entrust to your camera what once you only entrusted to your keenly developed senses. Even in complex lighting condit¡ons, D-type AF

Nikkor lenses send information on lens focusing distance to the camera's computer for advanced 3D

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matrix metering computat¡ons. Better still, it forms the core of a powerful system that includes a vertical shooting grip MB-1O and a new speedlight 58-26 with a wireless slave flash. The new Nikon F9OX. With features to make a great photographer greater. f-,n nlotL' tùbtñ.1ttr)/r /D.ù/l).ìd¡i ,/rs.o¿/!rrr GIr() 8o\ lS I Hoilg Kot)ll

Name : Address

2nd Fl0or Hutchison House,

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F90X

0 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong

Kong

Tel: 2524 5031

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Fax:

281

0 6586

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