The Correspondent, July 1997 by The Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong

POIIIIDNT 7be O.lficial Pttbliccttiott of'Ílte Foreign C'on'eslxtnelents' Clttb o.f'Hong Kortg

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Under the lights at the FCC

In Germany, we chase the police. THD GORRf,SPONIIDNT Jttþ 1997

FCC club presiclent, Keitb Rícbbutg, reuieu,s tbe partíes, histotic and. ch,Lb euents tbat toole place during tbe Hong Kcnlg Hanclouer THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'

CLI'ß 2 L()\'er All)ert Roacl. Horrg Kong Telephonc: 2i2.1 li1l Fax: 286U 4092 E-nrriì: fcc@fcchk org

Keith lìichburg President First vice President l)¡iìne Stornl()Dt Krrin ì\falnrstri>nr

Second Vice President -

PJ O'Rom'ke recently sbatecl

tbe Handouer.

Cotrespondent Member Govemors Ancìrer Higgins. Robin L),nanr. -Jonathan ì\lirskl. Christo¡rher Slauglrter, Sinl()n 1 \ iston l)r\ ics. Hul)ert yan Es. Ste¡rlren \.irres. Hrns Vr iclrs.

insights

clttb membets ouer lttt'tcb

Joumalist Member Governoß .\nclrcs Lr nch. Frrlcis Nlorrir¡tt Associate Member Govemors

\\¡illiam H Areson.[r -Ìohn Corì;ett-lr trlike Snith. -f ulirn \\'alsh

and otber nxótlters Luitls

Michael XIacl¿eJ) reports on press bñetings at tl:¡e clttb in the weeks leading uþ to

tbe HancJouer

Professional Comittee (;o n rc n u': Keirb RichlÌrrg

Multi-media Comittee e t t o r: f)inne Stof nì(xtt Finance Comitt€e Co¡l¿tllol: \\¡illianr H Areson,lr

Ct¡t t t

Membeñhip

Comittee

Cont'eilor: Hul)ert yrn Es l-r,rr.srlzr: u lian \\'rlsh -J

Entertainment Comittee ret r ¡r: Kîrin \lr lnrsrrönl

F & B and

('u

pedals which pivot away on impact,

in our archives. serious than

sounds.

1959, we undertook our

Since 19ó9, thanks to the

first crash test. And we still conduct

co-operation of the German police, our

over one hundred such tests every year.

engineers have been travelling to major

Painstakingl¡ we compile all

road accidents in which a Mercedes-

the evidence and feed

Benz has been involved.

engineers who are working on the next

Today, we have

the benefit

back to the

Analysis teams

will study the causes

Mercedes-Benz developments.

1949, we perfected the

safety

is a day and

first

safety car door which neither pops

And their effects.

1951, we patented the

t t,

Rrblications Carl¿?rror: Sirìron

rigid passenger car cell,

Terrl l)uckharrr. Rol)in I.1 nam, Hube¡ t va[ Es Prul lJrlfielcl Stephen Vincs, Andre's L1'rrch OI)in¡()ns t'xpresserì lrr rr riters in The Corresporuleu / xre not necessarill, rhose

talks witb

In fact, you might

Tel 2;

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Fr:orrì ttre Pr:esidefrt \Velcolne to the supercommiltee

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enclosed O

1997 The Fo¡ùign corrcspon(lents

air-

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ar & peace

Chrb Nleszs -Jfl'rat's cooking?

Lunctrljnes

29-

Chrbs FCC reciprocals in

lonclon

Lunctrlines

30-

Professional

The last gu,eilo

36-

Hangover

3940-

Social .AfÊairs

Lunctrlines Role rnoclel for the PIA

20-

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flacks

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28.

lullct

Problem solved: Hon€{ Konél buys Englancì

Fax: 2571 8600 E-mail: asiapix@hk Iinkage net

Irìpress Oflset

B:rxtcr

lVfedia ll atter:s The test-pattern conspir-acy

Tritrrte l¿1n

For.eigar Affairs Now it's Nlacau's tlrrn

Correr Stor¡rThey carne by land, sea ancl Undel the lights at the FCC

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ADVERTISING ENQIIIRIES T(rn Ducklì:uìì As¡.ìp¡\ lclcph(xìc: ..li:l 9íj{ F:r\: li-5 ¡i600

first

Lerttefs

The Conespottdetrl is publishecì nrt¡n¡hlv b) Tlìe Forcign C()rcsporrclents Club of Hong Kong

even say

our cars are designed by accident.

22-

The Forcign Corresponclents Clrrb

PRODUCTION Asiirpi.\ Print Sen'¡ces

by energy absorbing front and rear

additional medical training.

Cost6t.

Stefan Reisner ahont ttbe issLrcs stnt'olutding Macau's banclouer irt 1999

Comittee Tr iston D¡ ies

THE CORRESPONDENT \vEB SI1E

One team has even received

Dr Antottio Salauessa dtt

n r: Fr:rnr'ii \loriartl

EDITORIAL OFFICE Pxul Br) f¡el(I. E(ìit()r Tclephone: 2i11 2i1O Frx: 2527 9tÌ-t3 Àssistnrìt Editor: Nlelincla Persson

night affair.

open nor jams shut on impact.

of up to 1ó0 accidents.

Kees trletse-larr

So, as you can see, our

results are well worth the effort.

that others can also benefit from

C( )t I t(t I or: Bol; Drvis Freedom of the Press Comittee

The Correspondent

design patents are not enforced,

pursuit

wallcomittee

FCC General Manager Robert Sauders

of your feet.

Mercedes-Benz models.

of more than 25 years of experience in accident research behind us.

rather than crush the delicate bones

Hurnan Ancl tl-re

rl,

Rigtrts inne¡ is

Contacts Happenings

FCC Faces Gilber-t Cheng

Club of Hon¡¡ Kong

Covel photograph by Kecs ÀIetselaar'

crumple zones. cases

of unique accident data

stored

And,

Mercedes-Benz in

1982, we

developed Engineered to mo\¡e the human spirìt.

]uly 7991 THE

C0RR.ESPOI|IIENT

To the editor In the event that all of this might

From Mr Ted Thomas: It is the morning of 71uly, seven days since Hong Kong became leunited with China. PLA troops dicl not come goosestepping into Hong Kong as forecast by one newspaper in London just before the Handover'; the iron fist of

be the product of rny over-active imagination, and is a view not shared by other journalists, may I comnencl to youlattention, the words of Kevin Sinclair' - with whom l've shaled many a difference of opinion. Kevin, writing inthe Soutb Cbina Morning Po$ of 7 July said: "During the Handover, there was irresponsible

cornmunist extremism has not been felt in either the policing of our streets (still the safest in the wodd);

and by air," wailed Legislative

Councillor Emily Lau \Wai-hing. They are coming by land and sea and air!

Grirn-faced PLA solcliers goosestepped across the front pages of London's newspapers. The message

was inescapable; watch ont, Hong Kong, becanse here come the "bloody-fanged villains of Tiananmen Sqttare. "

The foleign media have been conned rnightily. I may be persuaded to sympathise

the stock market has not collapsed - indeed it reached its highest point ever on the

u'ith them if they weren't so goddam stupicl and easily

last day of tr-ading; and property continnes to

led.

appreciate in value.

Hong Kong business men have not folded their tents like the Arabs and silently stolen away and

From Mr Keith Statham: One week into the Handover: I woke up tl-ris molning to the sounds of

police have not cracked the

Alastail Cooke's "Letter fi'om America" - the \Øashington

of demonstrators and helded them into heads

concentration

pless is full of gloorn and cloon'r

camps.

Jonathan Milsky and Steve Vines have vowecl to defend the right of journalists and broadcastels to pr-rblish such rr-rbbish, so, in the same way

Execr-rtive, (as opposed to the

previous one frorn London);

" "'-- KE v rf! s

that one might

smile tolerantly at children who scl'atch rude words on lavatoly walls, it may be felt that we should tolerate bad

Hong Kong people

lr\cLAIR

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1'eporters too, but I most emphatically do not. If journalists have any duty at all, other than to help tl'ieir publishers make rnoney, it is sr-rrely to tell the

tluth. Anything veering too far from that central purpose mr-rst be seen as mischief. In the case underdiscussion, dangelous mischief . Mirsky and Vines have said that rny aim is to shoot the messengerbealing bad news. Not so.

My aim is to kick the butt of the messengerwlio is rnaking up his own neurs ancl getting it wrong.

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Then, ovet' breakfast, I reacl Kevin Sinclair's excellent piece in the SCMP, "Fuss over

and wide-spread hysteria about the arrival of the PLA galrison. Some of

the army of visiting

ior-rrnalists

managed to whip tliernselves into a state of near-frenzy. Of course, they

reliecl largely

are

nelvoLÌs about the change of sovereignty; Pl,A. tanks rolling into Hong Kong, etc., etc.

for their inforrnation

abor-rt the Chinese

military on foruer

legislatols whose attempts to create state of terrorwas unrelenting.

a \ùØhat

can yolÌ expect?" Perhaps my view of foreign media

hysteria was not totally unsuppolted. "They are coming by land, by sea

PLA ar-r-ival jlrst a storm ìn a leacup", which he puts down to "some of the

arrny of visiting joulnalists (who) managed to whip themselves into a strte of near-lrenzy". Later in the day I was told of Dan Rather's TV opening

"eveÐztlring is

vely tense hel'e in Hong Kong". Add to this the plrone calls from aror-tnd the world fi'om friends and relatives I'ho had read stolies about the anival "by land, sea and air'" of 4.000 PL\ "butcliels of Tiananmen Sqr-rare", and I cottldn't

To the editor help myself fiom thinking about the hear1,ìanded, double-bare1led blasts

the wodd following the Handover, and the implications it has for Hong

on "or-rr esteemed FCC menber" (is this supposecl to be witty or sarcastic?) Ted Thon-ras and his "Advance Hong Kong!" initiative fied by Jonathan Mirsþ and Steve Vines in yourJune isstre.

Kong's future well-being. Perhaps even Steve Vines is not sure of his ground when he finishes by

These two distinguishecl writers put themselves for'wald as defendets of the r-ole of "tell itlike itis" joulnalists. "None of us is perfect," admits Vines with the implication that, if we get the story wrong then, shucks, we'r'e just good ol' boys "tlying to get the yob done".

All of which, in hindsight, leads me to agree with the fears, (certainly

not the barrny solutions), of "our esteemed FCC mernbel and his interesting group offe1lows" (whouses the word "fellows" these days?) about the general tenor of a lot of the copy

that subsequently appeared around

saying... "we (journalists) do suffer' from herdlike behaviour and hacks do tend to follow the herd, even if it is heading in the wrong dilection." "By definition," Vines suggests, "the news is not necessarily good or' bad but interesting because it relates to dynarnic events." No mention, yott

will notice, anything about

the

responsibilities of the pl'ess to get the story rightl It may well be, as Mirsky sllggests, "always fashionable to attack the press" (a touch of paranoia here?) but one has to agree with him when he admits that "much of what appears in

it is garbage." Considering how

(and I won't even begin to answer lhe cheap shots at the PR business which peppered the articles by Mirsky and Vines), I am the last person q,ho would want to attack lhe press. Far from it. I am, and always wíIl be, a staunch defender of its freedoms, but even

Mirsky and Vines might aglee that theil colleagues who drop in to Hong Kong for 48 houls and, with little and no research, write garbage, aboutHong

Kong, do their honourable profession little or no sen ice and leave it wide open to this sort of gripe. Apparently, one Scandinavian "investigative reporter" was surprised

to find Hong Kong populated

\ùØhat can

you say? Chinese peoplel "PR men have sone strange ideas about what goes on in newsroorns," Vines claims, and this one is tempted to reply "Not a lotl".

eal'n a crust

Wigless with Wig & Pen T or,, standing

FCC membels

I-¿tr¿ichael Linrern-Smirh oi

provided in the form of witty tales and anecdotes from a wig and a

Robeltson, Double and Lee and Ted

pen. This usually results in

Thornas of Corporate Communications

humorous and lively discussion, as both parties make tongue-in-cl'ieek comments and tell hilarious ta1es,

Ltd, hosted another gathering of the \Wig & Pen in June. The \Xzig & Pen is a branch of the

london club in The Strand, which consists of two groups - Lawyers (\øig) and Journalists (Pen). Established in Hong Kong almost two years ago, the FCC is the \{zig & Pen's obvious home. Meeting every othel month, the \Vig & Pen aims to promote a corclial

often at the expense of their opponent. SimonMacklin, the Soutb Chin'a

Morning Posl's News Editor admirably did the honours for the Pens this time on the appropriately titled subject "\ù7here will I be on

our tourist industfy, Hong Kong's second most important dollarearner with over ten million visitors arrll,ng every year. Describing Jonathan Mirsky as the "Self-appointed guardian of journalistic principles", Ted wondeled how such a saintly sclibe could take the shilling of Ruperr Murdoch who had dernonstlated quite cleally where his sentiments wele when comrnercial interest vied with journalistic pulity and a keen

July 1st, 7997,". But on this

clr-rsader Lu'ge to set the newspaper

particular occasion, a NØig was not

and media world free of

relationship between the two

available to join us, and so as

intel'ference.

groups incorporating the welcomed oppol'tunity to exchange gossip and of course, enjoy several glasses of

sidetrack from the usual format, Ted

wine!

It is the tradition of the \Øig & pen that entertainment should be

Thomas once again seized the opportunity to castigate the foreign

press for their highlY coloured reporting on Hong Kong which was causing a good deal of mischief to

Complirnentary beverages for each guest enhanced the evening's

plogralnme and both the ìWigs and Pens look forward to ollr next gatheling in September

¡!r*t

'Welcome to the

supefcommittee

ÞÈ

'Ttn. new FCC Board in its lirst I -..ting in May expancled the

new opportunity to utilise the format

of dally press briefin

gs, as a

selice to

existing Finance Committee to create a new Committee of Finance and Planning, to take a serious long-term

the

look at our Club and how we can

again descend on the FCC.

reach financial stability and viability. \Øe hope to havealong-range plan in place by the end of this year, and all the issues a1'e on the table, including how we can make more efficient use of

One of our most important jobs now is to increase and expand our membership, and our membership

our space and any ways to better rationalise our pricing policy and structure. This new supercommittee corrects a past defect, namely the lack of any real long-rznge plan to take our Clrrb into {he next millennium. The Board has also agreed to take a new look at tackling some of the complex issues left over from last year', including an updating of our current articles of association.

are also attempting to make the Board itself fu nction more smoothly NØe

by strengthening the committee system, and making sure that substantive proposals are hashed out atthe cornmittee levelbefore comingto the Boald's attention. \We also intend to build on our successftil Handover events with more professional activities in the coming months, and more involvement from,

our membels in the working press and

hundreds of

correspondents expected

visiting

once

drive launched under the last board is showing results. InJune, we voted in atotalol26 newmembers; inMay, we voted in more than 30. Our efforts are paying off, and we al'e more than off-

setting the numbers of long-time members naturally leaving because of the change of sovereignty. In othel wolds, we survived the Handover, but we're not resting on our laurels. -ùØhen the cigar is finished

and the wine glass drained, the celebration is over and it's back to wor-k. To borrow the slogan of Philíppine President Fidel Ramos, the best is

u* t

î:':_

finally, i('sallover. The Handover the moment we had all been waiting for- has come and gone. And we've survived. Now it's time to sit back, enjoy abtg cigar (to borrowJim

Qo \J-

and coverage by, our colleagues in the local media. I have been in touch with ou1- cor.lnterpallrs at the Hong Kong Journalists Association about ways to work together in the future, so expect

Rohwer's imagery), and permit

see some joint events and other

challenges ahead - I think we need to pay a special tribute to the ones who

ourselves to exhale.

But befole we pull a muscle

harder and with more good humour than at any time I can remember, and they deserve our thanks. For three weeks, our main dining room was turned into the venue for a series of daily media briefings, and had to be converted back in time for lunch and dinner, and our staff proved time and again thaf they can strip a

room down and reanange it faster ihan a Mogadishu looter'. Andrew, James and all the guys behind the bar have now made the qualifying heats

for Hong Kong's next Olympic track team, for the new records they set running back and forth behind the main bar on those busy Friday nights. "Tiger" upstairs maintained his "no

problem" demeanour, and Alice at the front office never failed to look cheery, even while up to her ears in paper-work. Our hats are off to all the staff.

The Handover was such

momentous event for the tefitory, and also for the Club, that we are looking for ways to presetwe the moment for posterity. One idea from membel Ed Gargan of the Neu Times-is to start a wall collection pages from the Handover day, and that is aheady under-way. And with the Handover complete, Yode

of front

we can now turn our attention to other, pressing Club business,

ftiture.

really made our Handover activities

including getting ourselves back onto a sound fina¡cial. footing, atúactirrg the new members we need to keep our Club viable, building inroads into the local community, and building on the professional activities we started

And the corning of the \X/orld Bank annual meeting in Septembel offers us

happen, and by that

duringJune.

innovative new programmes

the

patting ourselves on the back - and as we now set our sights on new

I mean the indefatigable FCC staff, Theyworked

@ Jrly 7997 TED

CORRDSPOilIIEIIT

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Michael DeGolyer, of Baptist University, came up next to unveil for us the latest surwey results of the Hong Kong Transition Project, the 1O-year long str-rdy of local attitudes. Most striking was his finding that there was still widesplead ambivalence about

è q

the Handover - 60 percent looking forward to it, and feeling confident, but nearly a third of all respondents saying they either would choose to

\V/r-rn, a month it was! After all the W U.rit¿-up - the hype, the

hyster-ia, the hordes of incoming hacks flooding in - it looked for a while as if

this Gleat Event of the 20th century could turn out to be the Big Yawn of

the decade. But in the end, the Handover more than lived up to its advance billing, for sheer human drama, for emotion, and for some poignant and memorable moments.

There was Chris Patten's teary exit from Government House as a police band played and crowds gathered outside for a last glimpse at the last British governor. There was the spectacular British farewell al Tamar, with a rain-soaked Prince of 'ùØales showing typical aplomb as he read partingwords from the Queen. There was of course the moment itself, the Union flag coming down and China's red banner with the five gold stars going up the flagpole inside the newly built Convention Center annex. There was pageantry there was protest - in the form of Martin Lee's defiant speech

from the balcony of the legislative

chambers. And thele was celeblation.

for tvvo weeks, the FCC became the

have Hong Kong become independent

forthe

place wher-e news was made, whether

or lernain a British colony.

past decade, I've covered the fall of

it was the debate over legalísation of the Communist Palty in Hong Kong, new polling data on local atdtudes

The speaker who packed the room that first week was Rita Fan, President of the Provisionai Legco (PLC), who laid out for us a forcefr-rl case of why

As a foreign correspondent

"Baby Doc" Duvalier in Haiti, the bloody December'89 coup attempt in Manila, the Vietnamese troops withdrawal from Cambodia, the US marines landing in Somalia, the implosion of Rwanda. I've been where a lot of news has been happening. But nothing to me will compare with the moving experience of beinginside the hall at the Convention Centre as the bands played and the flags changed. The weight of history was in the air; it was one brief, but shining moment not

to be missed.

At the Foreign CorresPondents' Club, the Handoverwill also likely be remembered as a momentolls time and almost certainly the busiest. The FCC became the venue for a series of daily press briefings as ourrnain dining

room became the keY Place in town

fol the territory's best-known newsmakers - from across the political spectrum and representing all views to meet the press. Almost every daY

towards the transition, or the

Democratic Party announcing their new "shadow caucus" to monitor the

the appointed panel was necessary.

'{gÞlw'a"'¡'

played olrt upstairs made most of the major papers.

Asked about Chris Patten's legacy, and her line - "the last emperor of

Kong's economy in week two, Exco memberRaymond Ch'ien told us how

Hong Kong" -was picked up all over town. And rounding out week one, Tsang Yok-tsing told us how he and

Singapore might be considered a model for the new government's efforts to find an education and

the other leftists in the pro-China

economic strategy to leposition Hong Kong for the next century, and Emily

camp would keep a watchful eye on

Tung's tean to ward off any probusiness tilt; Allen Lee scolded local reporters for succumbing to selfcensorship;Ronnie Chan scolded all of us for being too negative in our reporting about Hong Kong; and entreprenelrr-legislator David Chu challenged all the press to meet him againinayear lor an "I ToldYou So" bash that I have no intention of passlng up.

It didn't stop there. Gary Coull gave us anupbeat prognosis

ofHong

Lau

fresh fi'om the all-night last

session of Legco - learned here at the Club that her column due out in aIocal paper Saturday morning had

been spiked, in what she called a blafant example of self-censorship. On Handover Day itseif, June 30, we were fortunate to have as our last

press conference guest undel the British flag the venerable Martin Lee.

"Vhy is it you find so much

nostalgia?" Lee asked. "Because people came here for freedom."

work of their appointed replacements. \X/hen there was Handover news, the odds are yor-r heard it first at the FCC. 'We started early, onJune 16, and as our kickoff speaker, Tan Yiu-chung of Tung Chee-hwa's Executive Council

told us how he would be lobbying within the Exco for an increase in the territory's monthly welfare, or CSSA, payments to the eldedy and the poor.

He also opened the debate on rhe Cor¡rmrnist Party, telling questioners that he thougl-it it was tine for the party to coûìe oLlt of the shadows and operate here legally. BLÌt our next speaker, Nellie Fong, also of Exco, disagreed, saying the Comrmnists hacl no reason to register asapafty as long as they didn't plan to paticipate in local politics. The dispute

Tbe big screen

July 1997

rH[

GORRf,SPOill]DNr

More press than UnionJacks, rigbt. l'"a l.

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Left, images from tbe Ha.ndouer u)eek

ç a

Somehow, in between the hectic press conference schedule, we aÌso

had time for a raft of club lunches, parties, and other Handover-related events. Maj. Gen, Dutton graced us with some parting shots, Jimmy McGregor defended the legacy of Chris Patten, and well-known humorist and writer PJ O'Rourke had us in stitches with quips like: "'ùØhen the British left

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Cbristine Loh

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Rita Fan

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Keith Ricbburg

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Mar-tin Lee

.Þ

IHD CORRXSP0ilDENT July 1997

bargain for members. But what sets

political stripe

town

welcome here to make

their case. That's always been our creed, and will remain so in the new SAR. On that score, we have a through-

train.

Secondly,

I was particularly

pleased to see all ofour press events

attended by large numbers of local r-eporters. It's important for our Club

exaggerated. tùØhen the working hacks weren't busy taking notes, they were gathered around the bar for one of our busiest times in memory, orimbibing at one of the three - count'em, three - Handover parties organised by Karin Malmström,

to build up those ties into the local journalist community, and to let our colleagues in the local media know

Robin Lynam and the Food and Beverage Committee crew. And, of

between Us andThem; I personally

course, the last colonial Zoo night on Friday. It was a squeeze - for all 500 of us - but no one was leaving. Three points stand out for me as

friends back to cover all of

us apart from any similar Club in is

the quality of our professional

events, For anyone in the business of news, or wanting to be where news happens, the FCC has now cemented its name as the SAR's pfemlef news venue. 'W'e won't stop there. The \Øodd Bank is coming, and that again promises to be a whirlwind of activity around the CIub. And once again, we think the FCC will be the place to be.

¡@

that the FCC is not, and should not be considered, alien territory. Our press conferences went a long way towards

breaking down that Berlin made sure

to invite

'ùØall

our

our events.

important achievements from our

And third, for me the busy month of press conferences

hectic Handover schedule. First, we

was important in re-

m nagedto reaffirm the reputation of welcome and heard, \Øe had three

establishing what the FCC is all about and how I think we will

members of Tung's Exco, the President of the Provisional Legislature, and

in the futul'e

businessmen from the pro-China camp, in addition to pro-democracy

partisan, and wedded to objectiviry and impartiality Anyone from any

violence in Macau were greatly

the FCC as a venue where all views are

t,'

Ireland, you didn't see them handing out mugs!" \Øe were also fortunate this busy last month to have anappearanceby DrJorge Rangel from the government of'Macau, the first senior official from Macau to visit us for a Club lunch in five years. He told us that the Hong Kong rnodel should not be applied to the Portuguese-run enclave next door, and he said recent rcpofis of triad

not only suwive but th rive - and by that

I mean our professional

advocates Martin Lee, Emily Lau and

events. 'W'e have a great bar in the best location in

Christine Loh - demonstrating how when it comes to soliciting news and views, we remain apolitical, non-

booze and company that already makes our Club a

Central, with food and

July 1997 THE

CORRDSPOI|IIEI|T

a set of questions on the new security ordinance which left no cleal answer.

All this, too, befole

Michael DeGolyer the next

molning packecl

tl-rem in

like either

rock star or a revivalist preacher, depending on which irnage you prefer. He rolled thlough his presentation quickly and outlined the

(--i

conplexities of public opinion with consummate skill.

Putting asicle what we have all suspected

)AV/D

all along but had never

ciìi=.

¿Eoco HEMBER

been able to quantify, that "Rita Fan is not popular", as he put it, he showed that once again men and women are

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.--

WE HAVL E¡, Ê N Tt- l l- tN ; ,) lÌH a H r^ìì

f oÀTlrÈ frì:Ì ij(! ìEA(! -ï-H li rS Nô'r N É a) -

different. The nub of DeGolyer's argument was that men are less concerned than women, who have

leal anxieties abottt the future. Later that day it was Rita Fan who

attracted a crowd. Most notably she complimented the British machinery

on its PR successes and painted

picture of herself as victim: "A huge machinery," she aimost gushed about the UK lnessage managers, "I don't hãve the kind of resources to answer this." Next up after a day's break, for the final Legco meeting was Tsang

s aI

Tbe FCC is otte of the

sources of news in Hong Kong

FCC

By Míchael Mackey

That afternoon Ronnie Chan, chailman of property company, Hang

problem... There will be no pieces of legislation curbing press freedom or any other freedorn for that matter," he said. Later, as if to underline the point still further, he added in response to a question from Jonathan Mirsky, "we lely on people like you, we rely on open and fair press". All this before telling stories of

Lee and journalists (now there's

surprise).

events the FCC has ever organised. Not only was it a Monday morning,

to date was that those who have done very nicely out of British rule are now leading the charge against the British, while people like Tsang, who were demeaned and had family members sent to plison during the late 1960s, have a much more balanced and healthy view. Afterbeginningwith his view that

which was quite simply a thorough exposition of so many of the peltinent issues it was worth not fiddling

almost

For the first few minutes i( if the first meeting with

seemed as

Tam Yiu-chung, of the Preparatory

Committee and Tung Chee-hwa's Exco, was going to suffer. But no, this is the FCC.

Jonathan Braude asked

question about the different role of Exco in the new regime and could

this lead to conflict with the civil

service. "ffI do the research myself I feel more free than the secletary of the Health and'ùØelfare Blanch... the

almost be a slap to the face. "Self censorship is unacceptable;

if you do it yourself that's

good value.

anything else.

the standard whinge from the proChina forces, it was so candid it could

some lather sharp criticism of Martin

ff,tr,*, began badly lor'the most I ambitious set ol prolessional

rWhat was surprising about all this

has "got to learn the job", he was just as sharp about the press. Rather than

Lung Development, who included

If there was sulplise in all these presenters, it was Allen Lee's speech,

to uncover the truth or

atthe

back was not a good idea".

Yok-sing, a community activist, member of tfie DAB and yet more

but it was raining. Heavy dark rain which can deaden a journalist's urge

LInder the lights

said, "China consulted at the time and

were told by members of the leftist community that taking Hong Kong

expenses to be there,

After callingTung "a rookie" who

he had "no reserwations about fe eling thankftrl for some of the things the

British left behind", he went on to say

that "Patten is due credit for some changes in the civil setwice". There is another ilony in what he had to say. Talking about the recent past and the political manoettvring during the negotiations about Hong Kong's future in the eady 1980s, he

civil servants don't need to worry," replied Tam.

"Mass media always wants figures. Today I can't give figures," said Tam in response to a question about the Mandatory Plovident Fund.

rH[

C0RRDSPOIU¡EIIT

July 1997

Maúin lee gaue tbe last press briefing beþre tbe Handouer

luly 1,997

THD CORRESP0NDII{I

your

Ilan Baxter Whalley

.l+ / '1ts,

À4icl-ra"el \ùlze stlake

"'ìÈ h À\ T a ?.E''-

Tt's

',1

rÊ \ 'i,rñ. ï:..tsfi ,1,\ fi,¡iiJ

,,J En'til1,

Iau, left, an'cl Tsang

Chinese officials tlying to get him to

in one, but she hasn't asked and I

lean on people; the Provisional

of it was quite challenging if

haven't raised it with her".

outrightly 1ulid.

Legislature, "I don'r rhink itwill be long lasting"; plans to start lobbying within the NPC; propefy prices, "we've got a problem, a real problem on ourhands";

But there is this problem with Tang, he tends not to know when to

stop. Asked

if he was afraid of

the

Helms Bul'ton act which would stop him travelling, his answer was just

and corruption, "I'm concerned".

this side of a r^nt. It included

That afternoon David Chu dicl what he always does at the FCC, i.e., say if there's any trouble after the Handover "see me". For this repolter the next press conference attended was businessman David Tang's, a very theatrical experience not without a good quote or two. My favourite iine

because he lived his life not only to the full, but in different stages and in different compartments. He was born in Ayrshire, where he was adopted as

obtained a private pilot's licence, but eventually decided that flying small aircraftwas too expensive and not as enjoyable as he'd hoped. From New Zealand,I don't know the order of events , but he worked for a while as a newsman in Vietnam, and

Hong Kong as an "even more

intense place for intelligence operations" with its increasing

complexity, was the central theme of Segal's ta1k. "There is less and less sense to talk

much that he became a Scot with a \øest Country sound. And to find out much about him, you had to be a night owl with a strong head because when he came round for dinner, he'd help you drink any avallable beer, wine,

port and then whisþ before he'd cheerilytake his leave to catch a dawn ferry home to Discovery Bay. There were consistent threads: He was a joumalist to the core, with a

was

as an Apple Macintosh computer addict he installed a new office

thinking abolÌtyet more of thern. Some

than lhe

very keen Freemason, and had been actively involved in Masonic charity work. As a journalist, he started the traclitionalwayin Britishnewspapers: on aweekly, the Crewe Chronicle. He

Complexity, incoherence, change: the next five years could be more interesting

lastfive.

paper he worked for to lever the British

Army into putting him through

parachute course, so he couldwrite a series of special features abouttraining fobe a para.This was a big hit for him; a big miss , which he used to tell against

- fì AEPCRTÊii.

a U

rf,E

CORRXSP0ilDENT

July 1997

amount of money. From there, he returned to Hong Kong, and after a very brief spell on the Far Eastem Economic Review in the early 1980s he rejoined the SCMP subs' desk. A venture into PR and publishing with colleagueJack Beattie

also worked on other papers in

despite frequent R&R trips to Manila's bars - he managed to save a reasonable

Segal, who spoke the following morning. He tied togethel all the different strands and got listeners

question.

himself, was meetingJohn Lennon at someone else's pop conceft before the Beatles were a household name, being offered an interview with him by agent Brian Epstein and turning it down as not being interesting enou gh. From Britain, he launched out to

Kong Freemasoruy. He was also a member of many other Masonic orders, the duties and friendship of

really does apply to his death. Ian said

took time and money before being

to anothel

lodge originally formed in China before moving to Zetland Hall to be alongside most of the rest of Hong

Borneo Bulletin in Brunei, where

sailed around Hong Kong and occasionally to the Philippines. He

response

His Freemasonry started in Brunei. Later he became master of Lodge St Andrew in the Far East, a Scottish

which formed averylarge part of his

coherence... a cl.ear signal that there is a serious division in the \Øest," he said

All this was in very rnarkecl counterpoint to commentator, Gerald

northern Philippines.

1970s, where he joined the SCMP as a sub-editor. Then came a spell of about four years as a sub-editor on the

the inconsistency of \øestern powers when dealing with China. "Its absolutely clear that there's no

bar of the Hong Kong Club around 1.948,I¡ut which now sound dated.

of China as a single actor an1.way," he said. This is problem made worse by

England's nofihwest, including the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. One of his proudest achievements during this time was persuading whichever

-I flL tNDL,.rr,(,(:¡;ì

arrived in Hong Kong in the mid-

romantic view of the "smell of ink" which he often talked about. He loved the sea, and during the one period when he had any money to speak of, he owned a small yacht which he

comments about who you went to bed with ancl who you woke up with that might have sounded funny in the

was, "I don't want to spend sleepless nights over that (MFN)', which just pipped one about Princess Dianaina cheongsam, "She'd look marvellous

not

rs an old friend of man;z FCC rrrerrrl>ers

working on newspapers (and I must admit I don't know the details) he

a child, but later moved arouncl so

Yok-sing

hard to know where to starl an

Iobituary about Ian \)íhalley, lI

relTtelTtb

!e4t-tes7

folded; Asiaweek loomed next, where

computer network. That job developed into running parent company Time's systems in Asia, until a corporate purge caught him in its net. Then came the Eastem Express, and agarn being laid off. Then came the Express's second incarnation, and

being laid off again. Then came

life. The usual obit cliche "untimely' he had been out walking during the afternoon of 19 June, came home in the earþ evening and nuked some supper in his microwave. He went to bed at about midnight, woke up in the midclle of the night and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. As he

turned on the kitchen light (outside the kitchen) and before he opened the door(whichwas closedto save on airconditioning in the rest of the flat) there was aÍ>igbang and he woke up on fire, being pulled out of the rubble. For about 10 days, he seemed to be doing very well in hospital, and received visits from many people in Hong Kong, plus calls from New

Zealand. There were other calls asking abouthim fromAustralia and Britain. But as he was asking me to

collect press clippings for him about

patch of freelance work, whichlasted until 1! June this year. As a yachlsman, his career was

the gas explosion that felled him, and talking about future job possibilities, he started complaining

somewhat chequered, though of feelingbad. Afterthree more days nonetheless enjoyable. He was a he was ina coma, and at 8:30 p.m. good (in the sense of safe) sailor on J July he died in Queen Mary who seemed to be dogged by fate; the year he fetched up on the breakwater after dark on a cold Chinese New Year evening during a race to Macau comes to mind. Then

there was the time he and others managed to severely damage the

rudder of their yacht on a wellNew Zealand, where apafi from charted reef off Bolinao in the

Hospital's Intensive Care Unit.

For a man who chose to be something of a loner, he was far from lonely. Ian was a very kind, caring man who had many friends, among which I and my family were privileged to be numbered. He had a life. Rest in peace.

July 1997 Tf,E O0Rnf,SPOtllEtÌ

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Problem solved: Hong Kong buys England PJ O'Rourke s/as back in torvn for his second

rzisit, and he left tl-rerr-r rolling in the isles, accordirr¡3 to contril>r-rtor Janet R.ae Brooks

back onthe Thatcherite course because

Beijing is way more market-oriented than Tony Blair," PJ O'Rourke told a sold-out audience on June 27 a¡ the last FCC luncheon under British rule.

"Plus the Chinese have extensive experience with settling royal farnily problems." O'Rourke, international affairs desk chief of Rolling Stonemagazine, is 50 years old and about to become a filst-time father. ("First acknowledged time," he says archly.) He claims he no longer has the "shameful morals" of young journalists who hope mortar rounds land on typhus hospitals. And

he thinks it would be nice to

somewhere for once where nobody gets killed. But h-rckily none of that has affected his abiliry to spot the absurd, tweak the

polrlpous and make fun of himself.

"I'rn so glad you asked me to

Kodak Professiomæü

col'ne," he began, adding that he'd been to Hong Kong only once before, July 1997 THD

G0RRf,SPONIIDNT

for 48 hours. "So I'm a complete total expert about everything to do with Hong Kong - except for forgetting howto spellTung Chee-hwa andwhat SAR stands for. If there's anything any

of you want cleared up, I will

avallable at the bar later, for a modest fee - payable in chits."

O'Rourke said he'd interviewed "the big guy" with a bunch of other journalists and yelled the crucial question plaguing all of Hong Kong: "\Øill mahjong still be legal after the handover?"

"Actually, Tung Chee-hwa wasn't

there yet," he admitted. "But the television cameras were and that's what defines reality, doesn't it?"

The handover coverage

which the

he said he monitored from

downstairs bar - was "a combination of

private enterprise worried him. "Does

Business W'eek Special Edition on Expanding Asian Markets and 'Suzy

that ling any 2Oth-century historical

says."' But he admitted the handover story was a confusing one, "even for journalists who've been in Hong Kong

for

whole week." He didn't blame the Chinese for wanting to get rid of the British. "I'm Irish," he said. "I know about that kind of thing. It took us about 600 years to getrid of the British. The lease still isn't up on the New Territorles around Belfast." But he said he would have a

preferred to be in Hong Kong covering

O'Rourke said he had come to

think of the handover as a kind of "Clintonomics" for foreign correspondents. "Kind of a full employment programme with growth, " he said. "Mostlyenlargement ofthe liver. "

There was "tons of stuff to cover - and nobody knows what any of that stuff is

going to mean, so we can fake everything." \7hat journalists needed," he said, was " 12 or 18 ofthese handovers things going per year all around the

wodd." "\Øe'll just convince countries to hand over little pieces of their territory to other countries as long as the

countries involved have good bars. France could hand Alsace back to Germany, Germany could hand East Germany back to Russia, Russia could take Alaska back from the United States

O'R-ourke said l-re l-rad corne to tkrink of tkre hrandorzer as a kind of "Clintonornics" for foreign correspondents. "I{ind of a full ernplo¡zrnent prograrnrne q¡itkr grosztLr," l-re said. " À4 o stl¡z enla-rgerrrent of tkre lirzer. " independence "instead

administrative control of Donald Trump to the Central Government of Hell. "If we run out of places to hand over," he added, "we can do what the Europeans have done for centuries -

England?

O'Rourke wondered if journalists were being tough enough on the handover story or if there was "just a little bit of Beijing cuddle-bunny going on." Of course, journalists were all interviewing democracy protesters -

"we're all interviewing the SAME democracy protesters" - and grabbing people on Lower Albert Road for streeters: "Excuse me, Mr Average Hong Kong Resident about to get a totalitarian government, would you care to tell a foreign devilyou've never met just how much you hate Mao?" TED CORRXSPOI{DENT

July 1997

bells for anybody?" he asked. And he wondered if business people had considered the rarnifications of having br-rsiness-oriented People's Liberation Army officers on the management team: "Sir, the merger strategy is a minefield, sir! Literally, sir!" "I guess nowl've offended the PLA, " he added. "There goes Rolling Stonds China edition. Circulation: 1.3 billion." 'Whywas the handover an occasionfor celebration anyway, O'Rourke asked. He said he didn't recall handing out "Good-bye, Mick' souvenirs and little cloisonné car-bomb things" when the British left lreland.

of covering

"pass the port to the left," -JØhy, he

asked, didn't Hong Kong just buy "Hong Kong can afford it," he said.

"Anybody who is worried about democracy can go live in London and the rest of England can be turned into a theme park - Englandland." But journalists can hardly expect to get anything but an upbeat take on the handover from Hong Kong people, he said. "Complaining toLarry King is not going to do them an awful lot of good."

ByAndrew Lynch

Jirnrnlz À4cGregor t>a-de fare-nzell to the club after raaa;lry yea.rs in tLre senzice of tl-re people of Hong I{ong and tl-re k>usiness colTrrnunitlz

"There's this all-powerful

even certain who precisely is running that government," he said. "Of course if you want to complain about anything that government does, you can go

immy McGregor has no frills. A mottled teddy-bear of a man in a

and

great deal of humiliation for

China all those years ago," he said.

plain blue suit, matching tie

withwhite shirt, he offers no hint of aff ectation or

whatsoeverforBritishpeople orBritain to feel ashamed with the track record of Hong Kong." And he also defended top colonial officials: "There was never a case I can

straight to ... prison." Nor can Hong Kong expect any outside help. "Britain's not going to do anything if things come apafi in Hong Kong because this isn't one of those really vital strategic places like the

flamboyance.

Falklands," he said. Clinton could

heart. "

with iooking after the

SirJimmy, as he became in the colony's last Queen's

interests of the people in Hong Kong." Confidence, Sir Jimmy said, heldup the system. But shoring up that confidence became dífficult as he learned when he travelled to promote the colony to overseas investors in the

probably be counted on to threaten to slap a "big tax on shower flip-flop." All believers in big government "and I don't just mean the mainland Chinese, I'll startwith Bill Clinton and

want to have it both

ways, O'Rourke said. "They think they can get the wealth and the productivity of the free market without any of those pesky freedoms. They want to be able to eat their cake and sit on it, too. And the new government here is not going to be any different. They'll tread lightly, for awhile. They don't want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. They just want to grab that honker and squeeze it and see if a couple more eggs will pop out. "In the end, freedom is simply not divisible-it's not divisible into market

And corporations, seduced by the idea of 1.3 billioncustomers, are alsopositive. "Right now in the Boeing boardroom,"

and non-market categories. The noble freedom that let ThomasJefferson put

O'Rourke said, "people are sitting around saying: "One point three billion customers -ifjust one half of one percent

became the humble freedom that lets you put lunch onyourVisa card. They come on the same bill at the end of

of these people bought a737..."

The last gweilo

government in China and we're not

Tony Blair"

and the United States could give

pass chunks of Poland around."

Frankly, he said, toÍ,alitarian government getting together with

the US constitution on parchment

the month."

Jimmy McGregor is

remember where British senior officials were more

plain speaker too. "Today I came without notes," he told a

concerned with the interests of Britain and looking after the interests of Britain than

Club lunch in eadyJune. "I

want to speak from the

Birthday Honours List, wanted to explain why Governor Chris Patten's reforms had not been as successful as they should have been. Once a civil servant, still a businessman) formedy a legislator and the Iast gweilo unofficial on the

1970s. Those potential investors we rewary of 1997 Although the Brirish had .

Governor's

Executive Council, Sir Jimmy was well placed to account for the Patten years, as well as his own years of struggle to widen democracy. The problem rested in the differences between the

never been able to decide whether to retain Hong Kong or give it up there was a

two governments: London ErJimmy and Beijing. "It's understandable that Chinese

people, on the one hand, and China, on the other as a government, and its people must detest the fact that this is a colonial territory taken by force by Britain in very dubious cilcnmstances

McGregor; condemning tbe

'S7as

consensus among business

leaders to try to extend British administration. "I myself took part in determined efforts starting at the end of 1975, Iong before most people have

there shame in that? No, said SirJimmy: "That might have been the

recognised this process to have begun, "

case 100 years ago or 150 years ago,

extensively to British politicians with

Certainly in the 50-odd years that I have been here there is no reason

Sir Jimmy said. "I was writing

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They were looking for an of Blitish administration

had disagleed consistently u'ith the

every 20 years or so. "Many of us did ¡hink China might go along with this proposal," Sir Jimmy lecalled.

liberty taken by NIr Patten and his advisers on the interpretation of the term functional constituencies. I had been elected lby oneì, I knew what a functional constitlÌency was. I knew wl'rat it was rleant to be."

City on Eclge 1997 Hong Kong

It was not be. Malgaret Thatcher negotiated theJoint Declaration signed in1.984andthe British and Hong Kong

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Role model for the PIA À4ajor-Getrerzll Br-yan DLrttorì, Cornrnander Britisl-r Forces, in l-ris last speechr at tl-re FCC, accordir-rg to À4ichael À4a-cke¡2, spoke like Tcl-raikovsk¡z's À4arch Slave: sloxz, porrderous and close up the sarrae old thring ajor-General Dutton's speech, which was also the last of any

Commander British Forces

in Hong

Kong, contained a first:

he complimented the food ("justthe right lightness"). This was before repeating what was the curlent mantra of the

would be the PLA, which many

use Hong Kong to change that".

associate with Tiananmen Square and the June 4 massacre. "I hope that in general the forces of the outgoing sovereign power can be a suitable role model for the forces of the

His conclusion was fairly fitting for the time when this speech was

incoming one," said Dutton. But has

delivered, an odd mixture of hope that the future might work as well as the past and cynicism that it might iust not. "Give the PLA creditfortheir displayed

the ploof of the

British Folces in Hong Kong.

intent,

Talking about their withdrawal almost puts

pudding will be in the eating in the months and years to come," he saicl. The questions, sadly, never really ran to ground exactly what the PLA was going to do about its image.

Dutton on autopilot: "Proud

br-rt

humancourage

rather right" Sil Jimmy's

one

enthr-rsiasrn for'

hand and the most serious violation of g ove rnme nt lights and

the rnan who put l-rirn on the

and privileged, style and dignity ... without a loose end left behind, a clean professional withdrawal... we guaranteed the security

Council is not

PL^, 25 sites to the Hong

handing over the old

Kong government ... legacy of land."

telephone exchange ... to do otherwise would be pe[y,"

on the

Execntive

r-rnbor-rnded. "I

procedures on the other." The reaction to the

"',

li,å:ÍJ?X?l i,. *, no * ¡¿¡i -nc'i1 '-.6"J

think he's very clevelfol

stalt,

sometimes too " Neveltheless, he said:

strong protest, showed the "deep compassion of this community".

"He's highly plincipled." But SirJimmywas damning about

Then came Patten andhis reforms.

those businessûren and politicians

addingthatthe British Forces'

Sir Jimmy pooh-poohed the notion

that the last governor acted in isolation. "Patten didn't come here

who wrote to welcome Patten's reforms and then "fell away like leaves in a storm" when the anger

knowing nothing about China, out of

fi'om China rolled in. "It would have

the blue, blundering around with some idea of doing some good in "Patten came here as a highly experienced politician having read, I suppose, everything he could read, having spoken to Hong Kong people extensively in Britain. "To imagine that somehow he set

off down this dangerous trail all by himself on his chargeris a bit ludicrous frankly. " Of the eight major proposals

in the reforms package, Sir Jirnmy seriously disagreed with only one on the functional constitr,tencies. In response to a question from

Graham Hutcl'rings

Tbe Daily

been very interesting for him to publish these letters of support. In fact, to tell you the tluth, I ulged him to do so. It would be much more intelesting than a bookwritten about Asia."

SilJirnnly had legrets: the failure to bring in an old-age pension hurt him in palticular'. His enthusiasm for the futule is guarded. "The Chinese authodties have

no intention whatsoevel of having Hong Kong develop further as a political embarlassrnent to China." Hoq'ever, he believed, Hong I(ong rnay yet clrange Clrina.

E="

leaving things behind. "\Øe're

But the list was not

the Hong Kong people, the million-

though I think he's vely'smart'

Steve Vines asked about

of the place ... 14 sites to the

without irony: ' Duttoñ trying to find a new set of words to describe the same o1d thing again," he saidtowards the end oi the list, before

Hong Kong. That's complete bullshit.

Pinky the Dolpbin and

massacre in 1989. "Tf's becorne an incident

killings from

by Laurence J Brahm Naga Group Ltd.

ngaporca n

opposition on one rcform to secure the rest, which his vote helped to do. "I thought it was time that democratic reforrns were given a fair chance," he

notice in many of the columns of the

Macau'X/atercolours

Br-rt his friends in the Libelal Party put theil opposition to the proposals into one all-or-nothing amendment. He was prepared to sacrifice his

difficulties that followed wer-e almost inevitable, SirJimmy said. The fact that human rights were not codified did not help when a light was shone on

that omission by the Tiananmen

IIong Kong Visitors Book fi360.00

Tbe

Telegraph, Sil Jimmy explained: "I

extension

current task was

was the response.

David Thurston asked

about the Otl'rer Image,

! 'horribly -

Dutlon: tbe PLA

unglamorous". And it could get worse, although not in a way that will delight editors expecting the Hong Kong story to blow up."My battles aren't over when I get l'iome. I still have to face the National Audit Office and if it all goes wrong the Public Accounts Committee (of the House of Commons)," he said. Then he came to "the interesting bit - the bit you're all going to ask me questions abor,rt. Tl'ie withdrawal of our galrison is the preculsor to another army's peaceful anival on 1 July" 'ùØhereas most of Hong I(ong's

institutions ancl personnel would remain - okay there ale some - the garrison would be the swap. Not easy under straight only any circumstances and the new boys

exceptions

need.s a PR

operation

the PLA listened? Dutton's strategy was

simple: he talked to them about eveqthing in the hope the PLAwould follow the British garrison's example. "They have been briefed on our

relationships with everyone

includingwhatwe do about the Sevens. \Øe've even told therrr how to deal with the pless, Its not an expelience they will ever have had before." Or vice versa. And, believe it or not, dealing with the press actually might happen. How this will happen is notyet defined, but the opportunity for some form of rapprochement is there. According to Dlrtton the PLA would be "sensitive" about its image and would have a "determination to

which proved once and for all what Scotsmen wear, or don't, under their kilts. "All publicity is good publicity," sa id 'à very sa ngu ine sounding Dutton, adding "we had to appeal to our female readers". That got a laugh, although there

was a stunned siience when in response to another question about PLA Inc. Apparently, the lowest paid

private soldier in the British Army is paid what for most FCC members is

almost poverty-level wages of HK$12,000 per month. His Chinese counterpart is paid HK$40. (Yes the price of a pint or your taxi-farc home, depending on which comparison you understand better.) Thele is a lot of understanding and explaining to be done - the PLA might find having a good PR operation would be useful.

I@ Jtly 1997

THE C0RRDSPONIIENT

And the oo wlnnef lsooo

some of the territory's leading human

rights campaigners gathered to hear the award ancl merit certificates being announced. Mak Yin-ting, chair of the Hong

Kong Journalists Association, said: "Now more than ever Hong Kong

needs high-quality reporting especially in the area of human rights.

Francis Moriarty, the Foreign Correspondents' Club's representative on the organising committee said:

"'We are extremely pleased by the record number of journalists and

This year's Human Rights Press Awards have proved an even greater success than last year's, with record entries for both English and Chinese language entries. On the closing date of Aprll 22, 1997 a total of 319 submissions had been receive d - a 45 percent increase over last year's figure of 224.

The goal of the Human Rights Press Awards is to create increased respect for the basic rights of all people, heighten general awareness of human rights issues and, where threats to those freedoms exist, to focus attention upon them. Judges

were looking for originality, professionalism, amount

of effort,

news organisations taking part in this

depth of understanding of issues and,

competition is keen.

where relevant, courage on the part of the journalists or publisher. The awards were divided into

year's contest. The quality of submissions is very high, and the "The more than 300 entries show that thele is an increasing interest in reporting on the broad area of human

rights, and that the Human Rights Press Awards have established thernselves as an important event in the professional life of the HongKong news media." Ms Robyn Kilpatrick, immediate past chail of Amnesty International Hong Kong, said: "We are sponsoring these awards because journalists are a vital tool in the struggle to obtain basic human rights for ail. \X/e feel

Merit Certificate: Deborah Orc - SCMP 2l /2/1997 - Lnalyst; bankers feel heat on critical China research

deadly legacy

a c^mp moving operation

Magazines

Merit Certificate: Mariana \Øan

First Prize: Peter Cordingley and

20/10/1996 - Democracy's Old

Alison Dakota Gee - Asiatueek 7 /2/1997 -The lost children - A cover

\Øarrior

The second annr-ral Hr-rrrra-n Rigkrts Press Aq¡ar<ls

competition. Judges, entrants and

'sf

seven categories: newspapers, rtagazines, commentary, radio, TV, photography and cartoons. Englishand Chinese-language entries were judged separately by panels of five

judges. Photographs were judged jointly by another panel. The judges included some of Hong Kong's most professional journalists, academics

goodbye before execution

Cartoons

Merit Certificate: Contributing reporters of Varsity magazine - L7

First Prize: Larry Feign - Independent 24/ 3/ 7997 - Do you think Hong Kong

submissions from Varsity published from April 1996 - March 1997

sampan off Cheung Chau being held by Marine Police . Ricky Chung, SCMP. A student

Handover?

Merit Certificatei Sara Seneviratne Hong Kong Standard 17

1.0

/ 1996 - Chinese dissident NØang

Dan's 1L-year sentence: Legal system

Commentary and analysis First Prize: Editorial'ùØriters - Asian 'Wøll

News

Street

Journal 70/ 6/ 1.996 & r8/ 3 1996 - T aken from

Soutb Cbina First Prize: Jane Moir Morning Post Series of articles: 5/1/7997 - UN Probes Death of Viet Boy, 5 L9/L/L997 - Proof of Hospital Bias Sent to UN 3/2/1997 - Doctors gave Viet with cancer "too little hope" II/2/I997 - Sick Viets face death if repatriafed

Kong Standørd, Series of articies: 37/5/1996 - Court hope

Hong

Merit Certificate: Hong Kong Today, RTHK Radio 3 "rü/eekly Columnist"

I/1.1/7996 - rü/eekly Columnist Director: Terry Nealon

RTHK

23/3/7997 - Asiafile - Refugees

Merit Prize: Chris Hsia - RTHK Radio

23/12/7996 - Coping with

3I/5/1996 - Doctors torn over infant

disfigurement (Operation Claus)

Santa

and human rights activists. The Press

euthanasia

Photographers Association and

70/6/1.996 - Quarter of rejected babies

Cartoonists Association helpe d judge these specialist categories.

sìck or disabled

Television

70/6/1996

First Prize: Matt Frei - BBC 25/9/ 1996 - Refugees - a journey's end

- Review may tighten

that journalists in Hong Kong shor.rld

be encouraged fol their hard work and the press awards are one way of doing just that."

Rights such as health, education, the family or justice was eligible. Articles cor,rlcl, for example, highlight the rule

Features First Prize: James Cox

USA Tod.ay

14/2/1997 - China's migrants: Millions

the appointment of Arthur Li Kwokcheung as vice-chancellor of Chinese

First Prize: Larry ChanYu-fai, Hong Kong Standard. "Shut up" - A chinese security guard covers the mouth of a convicted rnan on his way to the execution site

University is dragged away by police

Stephen Shaver, freelance, for

Eyewitness in Asia. Old'$loman in

Merit Certificates: . Ted Aljibe, Hong Kong Støndard "Have mercy" - A woman begs for mercy in front of a line of police at

Mongkok, LpriI7996 . Oliver Tsang 'S(/'ai-tak, SCMP, Frederick Fung Kin-kee surprises Qian Qichen, Chinese Foreign Minister, with a petition during the opening of the Preparatory Committee in Beijing in October

the site of a clinic at Richland Gardens

1996.

o Tony Aw,

SCMP.

Vietnamese

Human Rights Press AwardJudges . Fred Armentrout, president, Hong Kong English-language branch of PEN International o Fong So, managing editor, The Nineties Magazine

Radio First Prize: Elaine Parnell

babies

demonstrating against

series of editorials on human rights abuses in China

for dying

Mainland Chinese immigrant caught in a

Radio

Merit Certificate: Ella Lee

. Martin Chan, SCMP.

Photography

and democracy have taken a step

Human Rights Press Awards a997 English-language Categories

against Provisional Legislature outside the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre . Larry Chan Yu-fai, Hong Kong Stand.ørd. "Farewell" - -ùØives of convicted men in Shenzhen wave

Merit Certificate: John Colmey and Mary Binks - Tim.e

SCMP

20/4/1.996 - The key to keeping the

backwards.

adoption laws

child

will have press censorship after the

Asian region.

Any atea covered by the Universal Declaration of Human

story investigation of

Merit Certificate: Hedley Thomas peace in prison

of law; press freedom; government or corporate secrecy; equality; use or abuse of state powers; or the treatment of employees, refugees, prisoners, the elderly, young people or immigrants. All submissions had to relate to Hong Kong.or the wider

hitehead Detention Centre during

. Larry Chan Yu-fai, Hong Kong Standard. "Heavy load" - Protest

prostitution in Asia

'Tn" awarcls attracted 45 percent I -or" journalists than lait year's

Merit Certificate: Susan Yu - ATV 5/8/7996 - The forgotten war - Lao's

SCMP

person jumps from a roof at

are on the move to cities

Merit Certificate: Jennifer Lee - ATV 29/4/1996 - Evicting memories - the Rennie's Mill story

. Rev Louis Ha, Catholic Diocesan Archivist . Anthony Lawrence, writer, former BBC correspondent . Angela Lee, human rights education officer, Amnes[y International

HK . Jacqueline Leong QC, former chairperson, Hong Kong Bar Association

. .

Edmond Lo, former chairperson, Press Photographers Association

Kees Metselaar, photographer, FCC Board member

Dr Bryce Mclntyre, lecturer, Dept. of Journalism and Communications, Chinese University

. Joyce Nip, assisstant professor, Dept. of Journalism, Baptist University o Benny Tai Yiu-ting, assisstant professor, Dept. of Law, University of Hong Kong

. Anna \Øu, lawyer, . Zunzi, cartoonist

human rights activist, former Legco member

Jt:,ly

1997 THE

CORRf,SPOI|IIENT

Now it's Macau's turn As À4acaì; prepares for its ouzr-r krandorzer, FCC corresporrdent rrreml>er Stefarr R-eisner interrzieqzed J|'4a,caut's Secret?ry of Corrrrnr-rnication, Culture a-rrd Tourisrrr Dr António Salavessa da Costa

that I mean in the context of Macau, which is one of the most crime-free cities in Asia, if not tl'ie world. One of the reasons these inciclents thrLlst Macar-r in the linelight, as yon put it, is because they are so out of character with the safe, quiet ancl relaxed atmospl'rele for which it is farnous. It should also be noted that the

crime rate overall. \Øl'rile the recent

e\¡ents have gained widesplead publicity, they are an abe¡lation. The ganzbling business is the biggest inchrstty in tbe territory. Wat kind of ;tssisla.nce is your gouernment olfering for tbe d.euelopm.ent of other indushies?

opening of tl'ie airport. In the first three months of this year calgo figures soared to 8. 5 million kg, eight fimes the anÌor.rnt in the first quarter

of 1996. Last May the cargo n.lovement through the Macatl International Airport was 3.4 million kg.

The Macau Government has an active

\Ybat

the day-to-day life of the population. Business for resiclents, as well as

trade and business development

tbe øitþort?

visitors, continlres as ttsual. Our security forces report that the activities

involve two criminal groups. The

progranxne. In addition to the fact that Macau is a free port, and will remain so when it is integratedwith China in 1999, we have specific incentives for the

dispute is confined to group

members who

have

systems" approach taken towards

witb Cbinø up to tbe bctndouer

Hong Kong.

was rocky. tX¡'bøt clid Macau do differentllt to seÇure a smootb trótnsition by 1999?

Macau and Hong Kong

are

tbe transition?

After 1999, willMøcau

be just

siruply

incorpora.ted into Guøngclong Prouince or will Macau ruótintqtin

Thele are no problems. Any further

tbe borderto tbeMainland to regulare

which might rise over the next tvvo years will not be viewed as obstacles but matters which can be agreed upon in an atmosphere of mutual

fundamentally diffelent. Macau was

migration?

never a real colony, even in the beginning in the 16th century. Accordingly, we have been able to build a consensual lelationship with China whereby we have developed autonomously and without

Macau will continue to preserve its distinctive identity aftel December 20, 1999, becorning a Special Administrative Region. It will go on playing an important role in the

confrontation. In our discussions with China we have not faced contentioLrs issues experienced by Hong Kong because

the governmental and legislative environment has been firmly established for many years. There is clear understanding on these aspects on both sides. Under the Organic StatLrte, Macau

is an autonomous

territory with its own budget, laws and administrative system. IY/hat is tbeMacau Gouernntenf d,oing

to secure tbe rule of law andfreeclom of expression for tbe future?

Democratic elections wele intloduced inMacau more than 20years ago. Or,rr political system, based onthe division of power, and our laws which respect individual freedoms ancl l'ir-rrnan rights are aheady filmly established China l'ras given its undertaking that the

will r'emain in place under the same "one country, two present system

TllE

CORRDSP0M)DNT

July 1997

Are lbere open questions and unresolued problems witb China for

development of the Pearl River Delta region as a selvices territory, a hub and a key port and trade area. The border contlols will remain. As Macau enters the 21st centlrry it will be, as it is today, a unique city

blending Chinese and Ettropean cultures, offering a very special envilonment fol its inhabitants. The Macau Government has put in place an excellent system of free education, a quality health system, modern infrastructure, environmental protection services which will help to provide a firstclass, world-standard environment.

At the same tifire, we have not neglected Macau's heritage. An extensive programlne has been undertaken to preserve and restore lrundreds of histor-ic buildings. These, combined with the many festivals, festivities and cultural events which have be come a feature of Macau life will continr-te to shape the city's character in the years ahead.

discussions about events or activities

Hong Kong bad approximøtely 8,O0O

and wbat belp do Jou get from Cbina to control tbe influx of criminals ønd

\X/e set

elo

growth, and we expect that we will have Inot'e carriers serving rnore countt'ies in

the months ahead. Ail Macau, for example, is now

flying to Bangkok, Taipei,

Kaohsiung as well

Xianen, and l-ras recently increased its service to -üØuhan to three flights a week. In July regular flights to Manila began.

weaþons?

Passenger levels are such that it is considering higher

S Ë

a special

Macau came into tbe limeligbt recently uitb tbe uøue of organised crim.e rnurclers. Wbat caused lbis outbreak of brutølity?

It is irnportant to view these recent events in thê right perspective. By

Beijing, Qingdao, Shanghai,

you bøue

Communication between

Media Information Centre to assist journalists interested in Macau before, during and afterthe Hong Kong handover. The centre is located close to the fenytenrrinai, in the Tourism Activities Centre. Visiting repofiers are able to obtain information about every aspect of Macau and obtain guidance and support in preparing their reports. Special visits and brieling sessions can be arranged. An information service is also available in Hong Kong.Journalists can obtain background materials and lealn aboutMacau before coming here.

50-60 air

is still room for further

in relation to the incidents.

kind. of liaison

media people from øround tbe u.¡ot'ld tb e b andouer. rí/h at prouisions were made to bønd,le tbe spillouer to Møcau?

\øirh

movements per day there

the coults to answer charges

in the past.

for

agreement was signed with

the Philippines.

and several people have now been brought before

Macøu has more or less oPen borders u,¡itb China. Wbøt

for

airlines. In June aî

through violence. In-tmediate action has been taken by the authorities to bring those involved to justice. A numbet of arrests have been rnade

understanding, just as others havebeen

øre Planned

Macau currently has 20 air service agreements. The latest was signed with Korea and will involve regular passenger and cargo flights by Asiana and Air Korea

uncharacteristically sought to resolve their- differences

ong Kong's relationsb ip

futrber links

crimes have not in any way disrupted

frequencies to other

destinations. The highly competitive clrarges af Macau Airport, coupled with its convenient location for many travellers to Macau, Hong

were introduced in Macatt

have been at the foundation of ottr lelationship for hundreds of years.

tourism and manufacturring industries

colrnterparts. Recently, these discussions have

well as property firns. In addition to our a natnlal geographic advantage - ^s gateway to China and a convenient location for trade throughout Asia incentives involve a wide range of tax

covered concerns about the íncidents

concessions and exemptions.

The Macau security forces

regulady liaise ancl have discussions

with their Chinese

which occurred The responsibilities ate cle ar clrt. Cl-rina handles immigration and cr.rstoms procedures for tl'rose entering Macar-r frorn China. The Macar-r ar,rthorities ale responsible for their security ancl safety within

Wben tbe new ailporl oPened some intet'nationa,l obseruers feared tbü û would becotne an open door.for tbe n'øffic of illegølgoodsft"om Cbina into Western markets. Were tbose feørs

Macau,

.iustified?

The practical natule of these

afrangelrlents can be seen in the fact

Not at all. The sl'ripment

that Macau has been extremely

transshipment

successfttl in maintaining a very low

and

Kong and China offer a distinct advantage and provide a strong springboard fol future growth. In May there was a record 190,000 passengers on 7,720 flights. 'ùØhen the new direct ferry link between Macau Airport and Hong Kong opens next year passengels will find flying into and ottt of Macatt even

more attractive. Steføn Reisner is tbe Hong Kong

correspondent for tbe neusþa.þer in Hamburg.

Die

of legal goods have been steadily increasing since the

lvocbe

Eq JLrly

1991 THE

GORRf,SP0NIIEilT

The test-pattern conspltacY o

Local Needs Local Response. Supporting education. Protectlng the environment. Providing young people with

In deptl-r report f>y a Ckrina tra.der and long-tilTre FCC associate rrrerrrt>er, .n.kro splits l-ris tirne t>etqzeen (Jrtarl^gzl-rou a-nd Hong I(ong. Along tLre uralz hre hras rnanaged to t>ecorrre a Chrina. -l\/ l1es/s junkie.

cultural and recreational

opportunities. Organizing care of the aged and disabled. There are many ways to

support Hong Kong.

Jn uorrg Kong I rarely even turn on Ithe TV. Il- just sits there amid the

background fIIIer, ersatz boisterous crowd, anlthing, but definitely not

clutter, a home to a Tibetan sheep

worth paying attention.

skull mounted on three brass legs and

towards their minions.

the right to know what's going on while expecting them to believe in fantastic feats of self-sacrifice (good

HongkongBank is playing

a pot planf which droops over the

part. Our

corner of the dusty screen, a jungle that encroaches on a monument of a

clothing the announcers wear a political barometer: austere Mao

long-lost civilisation.

jackets mean the hardliners have the upper hand, while snappy suits and floral dresses slrggest the reformers are doing well.

lo a happy, healthy, secure future for everyone Hong Kong, young and old.

But the moment I step foot in China I become a television news fanatlc. I search out everything from

stations that replay Hong Kong TV.

The evening news The evening news in China follows the national anthem at the stroke of 7pm, seven nights a week. It comes

from China Central Television in Beijing and is broadcast to every city and hamlet

with electricity in China. I have been in avillage where during the eveningmeal the rice cookers had to be turned off,

is, of cor_lrse, not nes/s in Ckrina-, it is reall;z a-n e><ercise in u¡iskrfr-rl tFrinking arrd art e><tension of tkre arro gaÍrt attitLrde ttl.at autocrats kranre toxzards tl-leir rrrinic>ns NTeuzs

the fluorescent tubes flickered and faded but the TV had to be kept alive.

Maybe. But for the past few years

Ask any peasant and he will confirm he

the first 15 minutes, and sometimes

will buy a TV before a refrigerator. Of course, no one pays any attention to the evening news. Sometimes I'm certain I'm the only person in Chinawho

paying attention.

Ahuge surge across the national power grid strains to charge up 250 million TV sets at 7 pm, while a few hundred million more minds switch off at exactly the third beep of the time signal. The

TV news is a white noise machine,

They contemptuously deny ordinary folk

ol' Saint Lei Feng gets recycled every few years despite rumours he was a sex maniac); absurd slogans ("develop a stock market with Chinese

the main evening news inMandarin to

local stations in dialects I will never understand to CNÑ to local cable

inwishful

arroganf attitude that autocrats have

The news hints at something going on through subtle images. The type of

to contr¡bute

China. It is really an exercise

thinking and an extension of the

even the first 30 minutes of

45-minute

broadcast are devoted to the handshaking activities of the top half-dozen leaders, something only of passing interestto a handful of Pekingologists. DoesJiang Zeminreallywatch the TV every night to make sure his Koala haircut is shown in the best light? So

why should a biÌlion of his fellow compatriots?

News is, of course, not news in

characteristics"); biased reporting (you don't have to look further than

human rights or independence); and

Taiwan accept the

leaders without question. Severalyears ago a local TVstation in Guangdong was about to relay the

evening news, when a technician pressed the wrong button and shared his favorite pornographic video tape

with the entire county. He was executed. !Øas ìt a warning to pornographers or to those who intend to interfere with the news? As pornography is now readily avatlabTe all over the country andas there have been no interruptions to the news with the exception of one day during the student demonstrations of 1989 we can maybe draw some disturbing conclusions.

Blessing the Beeb The BBC is so much more feared than CNN, the result, presumably, of Ted Turner's periodic unashamed brown-nosing. China's dislike of the July 1997 THE

GORRXSP0I|IIENT

tseeb is a testimonl. to quality

repolting

and corlmentary. Is it the day-to-day nen's repolting ol the documentaries? Any pap tlrat Mulcloch can serve up is

acceptable as long as the Beeb banished. In any er.ent, satellite TV

is is

tin-res louder than normal ads, K-tel

witl'r Cantonese fish markel cl-iaracteristics - to block out news

items like Taiwan President Li Duh,

they never do it again by callying them off in a u'ay that ensures

Tibetan spiritual leadel the l)uh

quadriplegia.

mostly ava ilable in tlle nrore expensive

Chinese dissident Wang Duh. A u.hole genelation think an amputated "Duh"

hotels which usually offer porn

is a Chinese name

channels or real live porn, so thele is less time for news to distract the

have it as a seconcl name, except for tl'ris guy called SØei Juh. It soon occulred to me that there is a team of tlainecÌ people sitting in the cable stations with fingers on the br-rtton, biting at tl'ie bit to cut out slabs

growing number who can afforcl to pay the price.

it's only a stranger; 'help people who collapse on the street'- and make snle

andthatbadpeople

In April, I began to feel great ^ sense of deja r'.u: I was often certain that I had seen a news item before, and the visions were so vivid it became disolienting. Until I looked atmywatch and realised the "version" of tl-re 7:30 news began at 7:35. For the first five

minlÌtes the public

service

Haveyou everwondeled

annolrncements jan'ed the senses while the studio in Guangzhou had a head start on deciding what the

why duling prirne-time

lest of the province would

The Cantonese are special

of every neu¡s cast throLlghout the day

see. By the time they

viewing the advertisements

with English sub-titles? Between the millions of

leplayecl the news, offensive items were coverecl hy inollensive items taped from the

Chinese who

previous day. Sneaky, but

on Hong Kong's two English

stations are

Cantonese

live

War & peace By Ed Peters

D.,"r Crimsditch is a joLrrnalist s I journalist ol the old school. A

throughor,rt the cor-rntry, has a circulation of about 4,500, coveling

one faction ol another and that's difficult to get lid of. llhen the publisher offerecl me the job this time around my filst question was, '\Øhicl-r ministerial post are you interested in?' But we're not towing a palticular line. We'r'e trying to make the paper a platfolm for everybody, while keeping the loonies out." Navigating the political minefielcl

veteran of nr,rmerous Fleet Street tabloids, including the Stør and the Sport, l:re nurses a great fondness for Campariand sashirri, smokes like the

home and foreign news with tl're accent on the former'. Advertising's fairly light ("no, we're notmaking rnoneyyet"), a plea to readers to post, fax ol e-mai1

proverbial chirnney and expresses hinself though an impressive amoury

their opinions meets with little

response, and the Oscar's story leads

of laconic throwaway lines. Currently editor of The Daily Star

with Lebanese Gabriel Yared who wrote the score forThe EnglishPatient.

in Beirut - ("no relation to the

pales in comparison to

one in London which was sirnilar to an ex-wife - the

Grimsditch's previous stint in Beirut, wl'ien shot and shell were an exlra factor'

close enoughto Hong Kongto pick

not entirely

effective

owner didn't understand me

up the TVwithout any special

because many news reports

and obtained a divolce") -

complicating the normal

mention the day of the

Crimsdjtch is in the trnique position of having worked

exigencies of trying to put newspaper together.

assistance and about

million householcls who have local cable systems tl'rat

pick up Hong Kong's four stations, the number of English speakers in the audience becomes totally insignificant. The fact is all

play a rnajol l'ole

in Guangdong, especiallythe Pearl River Delta, which is why so much effort goes into censoring the TV news fron Hong Kong. The Cantonese are special: they don't even know n here the Mandalin stalions are on the dial.

on four stations. They probably have

theil own union fighting for

Test patterns and the blank-screen

treatment

cost too much to maintain

Mr-rslim and Christian raged

for very long. I wondel if anyone else noticed. Or-

in the early 1980s, but left when it got too dangerous

cared.

on Clrristnras Eve

know what you look like.

been reseled

time u¡as

Tl-re ads mttst have caused a few ploblen'is, becattse cl-ianges came

difficultto natch

when a test pattern appeared abn rptly in the middle of a news broaclcast. My Cantonese companion sirnply said, "\Øei Jing-sheng", naming the wellknown dissident, withor.Ìt even looking up fi'om his congee. The mole TV I watched, the more test pattel'ns I saw. It sonetimes takes days to figur-e or-rt

stations objected to this underhand revenue ealning tactic. It's hat'c1 to irnagine anyone fighting fol the light to watcll tlre original proglatnrning. In any event, tl-ie commelcials begat public service announcements Unforttinately, they were made by tlie sarne ploduction company that clid

what was covered over, even with the assistance of newspapers not available in China. Then the test patterns begat the

the high-decibel comn-iercials,

THE C0RRESP0M)ENT JrLìy 1997

for-ward and extremely annoying. The blank-screen treatment seems to have

on both Englisli stations alound this

quickly. The tining

obnoxious and ten-

Now we have a new system w-hich is simple, stlaight

June 4. The first 10 n-iinutes of the news

to news items, maybe legular TV

He was in the hot seat while the conflict beñveen

when

occasions, but u'ill probably

Just dare open yolrr lnouth Martin Lee,

strange

commercials

gar-rntlet of snipers everl night

compensation for- repetitive stlain injr-rlies. The1, 616¡'¡ need to speak English, but they do need direction. u,.e

I first noticed sornething

peace.

potential for special

the four Hong Kong channels

butwith

week. Nonetheless, it took me a wl'ii1e to catch on. This seamless censorship has

fol the anniversary of

black hole. Very quiet. Very

black. And boring enough to make the Cantonese opera on the other channel look interesting,

The future \Øhat dc¡es tlie future hold for the diligent team of TV censors? It would make sense to ship ther-r-i to the source and 1et them pr-actice their tracle in

Hong I(ong, After all they are concerned with the interests of 70 million fellow plovincials, v"'hose

extlemely low budgets: 'Don't wling your filthy mop olrt the winclow, you

capital, Gr-rangzhou, has just overtaken Hong l(ong in terms of

might for-rl your husband by mistake' the molal l¡eing look first to make sure

population.

on the paper both in war and

"I used to have to ¡.rn the

sorne solidality with tl're lads," says

Grirsditch. "But I was nevel injured.

The only time I had sorie tror-rble was qrhen I was alestecl by a Syrian soldier who thor-rght I was an Israeli

1984.

"I've worked on three papers called The Døily Star,

which is handy as I don't have to remember a new title when I get filed,"

spy, maybe because I've got sr-rch a big nose. It was solt of

okay

deadpanned Grimsditch. The Star is the only daily English-langrrage paper in the Lebanese capital, a city 5

which is curlently pr,rtting itself through a crash .o.r.r. in lejuvenation. HistoricaÌ

I went down to the

printers to show-

if you s¡ere a Brit,

although less so after the US bornbecl Libya."

Aftel escaping from the s¡ar zone, Grimsditch spent

E Grímsclitch : platfornt

buildings are being restorecl, the irreparably damaged demolished, nes,/ ones built. and money is potrring back into the city as many expatr:iate Lebanese who fled the fighting retlrrn to invest in reconstrlrction and pick up their lives where they left off. "I'm an irretrievable Libanophilic, " says Grimsditch, when asked why he carne back to Beirut. "That sounds like a blood disease and maybe it is."

Ctrrrently The Star, a l2-page rnonochlome broadsheet distributed

for

awhile on the Midclle East Miryor in London before

euerybocly

Independently ownecl, The Star adheres to no political line although Grimsditch says if 1-re had to criticise it, it would be for being too "wet, woolly,

libelal". "Some of the papers hele lun stories that could be headlined 'A politician speaks' right alongside another stoly that could be l'ieadlined 'A second politician speaks'," notes

Grimsditch. "You have to be caleful, otherwise sooner or later you get identified with

joining the dporl("thlee times mnch money to wf ite cmp"), a wacky tabloid infamor-rs fol its sex ancl alien as

stories, a r.irtr-ral parody

of the bog

stanclard tabloid. After foul years Glimsditch finally lost patience ancl informed his boss David Sullir.an, never lepr-rted to be tl-re rnost cultivatecl of rnen, that he was igr-rolant. "He looked it up in the dictionary ancl when he found out what it lneant he fired me,"

says Grimsditch with

certain

satisfaction. Ot1-rel jobs have inch-rded Jr-r\' 1997

IHI

GORR]SPOIIDDNT

a spell on the New Yorþ Post and in Canada as owner of

sabbatical

FCC reciprocals

a a

restaurant, motel and bar. Coming back to Beirut, Grimsditch has found some of the old problems

London

still remain. Computers which were promised in six weeks take four months to arrive. After the war years when planning was at best shofi-term, there's still a distinctreluctance to look much beyond the next accounting

By Robin Lynam

period. Living in what Grimsditch calls "The S(/orld's Biggest Building Site" makes the one-time "Paris of the Middle East" noisy and dirty. And extracting

Q onrething many membels Lend to L) forg.t when tlavelling is the

blood from stones is a damn sight easier than getting a comment out of

cooking

the government. "There were a lot of electricity cuts at one stage and we wanted to find out why they were happening. After going

round all the departments, it turned out that only the Minister himself was

allowed to comment, and we didn't get the answer till two months later. Not much use to a darly realIy." Other difficulties rear their heads

with the staffing of Tbe Star. Key positions foreign and features editors and- chief sub

are held by

expatriates, although -Grimsditch is

making efforts to try and recruit more locals. "But the standard of English is not that good. I had a CV the other day

whose author professed to speak several languages, but on the top he had written, 'For the Regard of Mr Grimsby'."

Other popular areas of cuisine \Y/.1f, it's linally coming - the not going to be neglected. are certainly Room bining n.* lr¡ain W menu. I realise that it has taken some Of course there will also be a good time to arrive at this point, and I do selection of vegetarian dishes, good apprecrafe your patience, but you'd quality meat dishes and a selection of be amazed at the number of things Chinese specialities. Fish,' however, that have to happen in the kitchen as well as being healthy can be prepared in so many different ways while a new menu takes shape. that we're confident you'll want to try you who've never For those of really thought about this process, first a lot of different things from that side you have to get a feel for the dishes of the menu. Another area in which we're you think will work. Then you have you'll to make samples, have photos taken, confident is with desserts write out descriptions and recipes, notice an improvement. One of the and finally get to the hardest part - kitchen's best kept secrets has been training the staff in a new style of that we have a very gifted young pastry chef who just needed a little cooking.

much better. I'm not asking for experts it would have been enough to watch -the TV news every other day, but they

very fofiunate in having a encouragement to demonstrate his good team in the kitchen who are flair. Together we have put together willing to learn and to contribute their some new sample dessefis which own thoughts. This makes the job you will be able to try out, but the much easier and more enjoyable and ever popular souffles, which I think everybody has responded well to a are very good, will definitely be staying. new challenge. I hopeyou enjoymyfirst offerings \Øe're aiming for the second half I look forward to seeing you and That newmenu. ofJuly to launch the allows us time to import all the fresh upstairs in the Main Dining Room. produce we need but couldn't bring in over the handover holiday period. The direction I've chosen to take

hadn't got a clue."

is towards a new emphasis

Expatriates are not necessarily that

brilliant either. "I interviewed about 50 or 60 people who responded to an advert in the UK press, and it's very disheartening. Some of them had university degrees, been in newspapers fo r fley ears, and couldn't

even find Lebanon on the map. And when it comes to world events it's not

Having run Tbe Star since June

\X/e are

1996, Grimsditch plans to stay for the

seafood. There will be dishes such as Squid Ink Pasta with Lobster and

foreseeable future, enjoying the city's

Squid on a Ginger Butter Sattce,

"tremendous optimism", not to mention the opportunities for skiing.

"I love journalism, and I'm

blessed to be paid for what doing," he says.

I enjoy

Tf,E C0RRDSP0M)[I{T July 1997

Panfried Monkfish on Cous Cous and Fresh Char Grilled Tuna, and rnore of that nature.

surplising nr,rmber of cities in which

restaurants are excellent, there are pool playingfacilities andthe club also offers sorne of the cheapest accommodation

the FCC has reciprocal clubs - in some cases more than one. In London, for

in Central London starting at aronnd HK$600 pel night.

which

example, we now have three, all of I managed to visit during a

at one <¡f our other London

recent tlip back there. 'ù7hen British author and political activist Ken Follett spoke at the club recently he dlopped in for a drink in

reciprocals, the New Cavendish, as I was relievecl to discover one evening having established that British Rail's idea of the time atwhich it should be

the nain bar and, having admired it as

rr-rnning its last service to rnyhome

first-time visitors who have never suffered a post Zoo Night hangover

Kent and mine differedby a matter of some two hours.

are prone to do, he mentioned that he was a founder member of, and indeed

A quick call to the New Cavendish announcingmyself as an FCC member without a reservation and enquiring

shareholder in, the Groucho Club in Dean St, Soho. Insofar as the FCC can be said to a

have an equivalent in London, the Groucho-named of course in honour of Groucho Marx's famous

obselation

that he didn't care to belong to any social organisation that would have someone like him as a member -- is unqr-restionably it. Its membels are drawn mostly from the media and showbusiness and mernbership, for'

polloi outside those respective chalmedcircles, is exceedinglydifficult

An equally good deal is availabl.e

colrrtesy of Lyn Grebstad, even inpoverished freelancers get to do things in style sometilles -- I sent

fax

to the manager asking whether the club rnight be intere sted in establishing

reciprocal ties with the FCC. Following a chat over some very good coffee people in London are apt to look at you askance if you drinkwhiskyinthe middle of the afternoon - she agreed

Insofa-r as thre FCC can l>e said to l-rarze a-n eqr-rivalent in London, tkre Gror-rcl-ro - is unqr:estion-abl¡z it hopefully whether they 1. had a room and 2. would rnind my checking into it sometime after midnight, produced a reassuring "no problem". For those who have not visited it,

the New Cavendish lequires some explanation. Situated in Great Cumbedand Place about five minutes walk from Marble Arch it was originally established as a club for laclies, and althor,rgh gentlemen and more recently FCC rnembers are allowed to use the premises, its history has left a cettain stamp on its style.

to plrt it to her boald of governors who, I am pleased to report, accepted. The FCC is now the Groucho's first and so far only reciprocal club.

exacting dress code than our own, and takes an equally dim view of the users of mobile phones. In dealing with the

recornmend droppingin. The bars and

somewhat dishevelled hack arliving on the doorstep at ten to one on a

'SØhen

next in London I do

1'ose

to the occasion magnificently.

The night porter let me in, checked me in and, following my timorous enquiry about drink, opened the bar

to polÌr me what seemed like a necessary nightcap. I have stayed in a fair number of quite expensive hotels where that simply would not have

happened. The rooms are comfortable, and

pausing only to telrify an elderly matron in her night dress who ernerged into a corridor which she cleady did not expect to contain me, I seltled down for the night. The bill - including one of the best breakfasts available in London and mynoctr-rrnal

the hoi

to obtain. \Øhile staying in surroundings of unusual splendour at the Savoy -

Sunday morning, however, the club

The club has a somewhat nlore

scotch and soda - came to around HK$400. In a city in which getting a modest lunch for that is becoming exceedingly difficult that, believe me, is a very good deal. The other London reciprocal into

which I dropped for a cheery afternoon's chat with the passing

throng is the legendary \{zig and Pen. Occupying one of the oldestbuildings in London -- a surwivor of the Great Fire of 1666 -- the Vig and Pen is no longer quite the journalist's watering hole that it was before everybody

moved

ont of Fleet

Süeet, but it

retains a welcoming atmosphere. The club had recently fallen on such hard times that - shockingly -the general public was being allowed to use the restaurant, and there were

widespread rumollrs that it would sholtly close. I am happy to report a lescue package was put together and, much I gathel to the relief of the staif, it's membels only once again, so remember to take youl' FCC membership cardwithyou. Make time for a drink there - they very correctly

that

only serve doubles detour.

it's worth the

I@ July

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Function:

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FREE LUNCH

Residential

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PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS The Professional Contacts page appears every month in The Correspondent and on the FCC Correspondent web site at >http://www.fcchk.org < . Let the world know who you are, what you do and how to reach you, There has never been a better time. Listings start at just $100 per month, with a minimum of a six month listing, and are billed monthly to your FCC account. copy

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For more information telephone 2512 9544 or fax 2575 8600

THE GORRf,SP0illlENT

July 1997

July 1997 THD CORRESP0NIIXNT

+ '1ll' -\uqFi'', I

,ji

ยก.,1: '

._l

( :

The Handover period saw the Club's professional party goers out in force for no fewer than three bacchanals to n'iat'k the event. On Paint the Town Red nigl-rt there wasn't a dry thloat in the hor-rse.

Photos try Aira & Terry Duckham, Karin Malmstrรถm, I(ees Metselaar & Hu van Es

TtE

GORRf,SPOilDEI{T JLrly 1997

Ju11,

199-

THE CoRRxSPOlรฌlIlENT

Tbenty five years afid countíng Gilben Cbeng rcceiues bis Hott'orary lífe membershipþr 25 years seruiceJrom President Keitb Ricbbutg

Hollínguortb gets arou.ttd Aboue, Clare gaue a preJtandouer gtLests o.f bonotn' Sit' Edwarcl Iúeatl:¡ ancl Iorcl '\Iaclebose R¡ght, Clatre uíth Rear Adtniral Charles tX/. ,IlooreJr , ConunctnrJer LISS

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Pat Eliott Sbircore andfriends at the oþening ofher exbibition, Signed and Sealed, in tbe Main Dining Room

THE GORRf,SPONIIDNT Jul¡, 199-

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Iauren Hutton andfans

A montbly portrøit of FCC ircepløceøbles

Gilbert Cheng À'Ierr-rber since: Age: Profcssictn:

Nationalitl-: Least likely to say: ÀIost likel1- to szr)':

June 19!7. Nh,rch olcler tl-ran r,r'hen he startecl urrtk in the bar. Nliracle u.'orker'. Nfidclle Kingclom. I'rn sory tl-rat's impossible. NIo-nen-tai.

Pbotogrøplced by Terry Duckbam

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THE C0RRf,SP0Iì¡DENT TLrh 1991

hobably the best beer in tfie r¡¡orld.

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