The Correspondent, December 1999 - January 2000

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The Maeau Handover Results of the E.G.M. Bali's Perfect Host

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THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'

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CLUB

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Philip Segal President FintVice President - Chrislopher Slaughter Ray Rudowski Second Vice President

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Correspondent Member Governors [,isa Barron, Rowan Callick, Bob Davis, Hubert van Es, Cathy Hilborn Feng, Mark Landler, Saul Lockhart, Mishi Saran

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ain Dining

Associate Member Governors Ben Beaumonl, Dave Garcia, Marlin Mer¿, Carl Rosenquist

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Comittee

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Coretitutional Comittee Conumor: Satl Lockhart

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"Iron Butterfly"

18 Gliding in New zealand 20 Bali's Perfect Host 22 In Search of the Last Opium Den 24 Misadventures in Sydney

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The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong

The Corresþondent is published 6 times a year. Opinions expressed by writers in

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2521 6467 THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1ggg-JANUARY2OOO

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r.ins or st. pauls at A nock or 1,eee 9:09 a m , September 9, to celebrate Macau's Handover to China on December 19

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ANNoUNCEMENTS

Boand Resl0natien From: David O'Rear #4359 It is clear from the results of the EGM that the Members want the President to have a free hand to manage the affäirs of the Cltrb, without requiring him to follow past procedures ancl conventions. So be it.

When one loses a battle of principles, the only honourable thins to clo is to resign.

Therefore, I have resigned my seat on the Board of Governors.

From: Alan Ferrier #5422

From: William II. Areson #1720 This is to inform you that I am resigning from the Board effectively immediately.

From: Jon Rittger #2457

I hereby submit my formal resignation from the Board of Governors of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, as I feel that I can no longer make a constructive contribution to a governing group that is so hamstrung by the self interests of a few.

Ed,itor's note: The Board has aþþointed

Club does in putting pressure on Hong Kong and Beijing when the bureaucrats and politicians try to abrogate the right of free speech. If the people who started this dustup really can't stand, phil Segal, and don't like the transparent, effìcient way the Club is now run, and worry their business is going to be hurt when the club stands up to Beijing or Mr. Tung, then it seems fitting they resign, from the board if not from the Club altogether.

Mishi Saran of

Reuters to fiIl the aacctnt Corresþondent slot and, businessmen

Daae Garcia and Martin Merz to the Associate Member positions.

EEM Gomment.s From: Michael Mackey #5907 Those of you who wrote letters to The Corresþondent, complaining about the current board and President will be delighted to know that I will happily sign nomination papers for those of you willing to stand for the next board.

I was delighted to see that the overwhelming majority of both Correspondents and NonCorrespondents present at the EGM voted against the totally inappropriate motion to remove the President from office.

As an Associate Member of many years standing, I have been appalled by the childish and quite improper machinations of a minority cabal of members to get rid of Mr. Segal. They have, in my view, done more to harm the reputation of the Club than anything Mr. Segal could have achieved on his own, even had their allegations against him been correct.

Their extraordinary antics would almost lead one to question whether ulterior motives existed and whether Mr. Segal's "crime" was that of endeavouring to uncover impropriety among Board members or their cronies.

I hope that the now firmly entrenched President will be inclined to seek the resignation of all of those

Board members involved in this puerile plot. If he is unsuccessful in this, perhaps he might wish to requisition a further EGM and put it to the Membership. He would certainly have my vote.

False RoF.optfn$ From Michael Flagg #7028

In light of the overwhelming repudiation of move to fire Phil Segal as president, I wonder if

instigators are now going to resign from the board.

The þreaious issue of TLre

Correspondent

ried a statement by the FCC regard,ing the transfer of

reþlies.

I

share the FCC's sentiments about the importance

of protectins press freedom in Hong Kong, which is guaranteed under the Basic Law. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the free flow of information have long been upheld and cherished in Hong Kong.

This situation has not changed with the posting of the Director of Broadcasting Cheung Man-yee to an important overseas mission, nor will it.

The suggestion that this perfectly proper promotion opportunity for a highly respected and successful civil servant to a senior "ambassadorial" post in the capital of one of our key economic and trading partners is somehow a politically-inspired back door attack on press freedom is frankly muddled and ill founded.

I

have already said, but I want to re-emphasise, that

such a claim is an insult to her successor and the dedicated staff who work at RTHK. The editorial independence of RTHK is not shouldered by one person alone, but by a team of well motivated editors,

charter of editorial independence.

Ms Cheung's successor (Chu Pui-hing, her longtime deputy) and his team should expect support, particularly from others in the profession, rather than a pre-emptive dismissal that they will simply be a mouthpiece of the Government.

RTHK's editorial independence is a fundamental

principle of the government's policy on public broadcasting. I am committed to ensuring RTHK's ongoing editorial independence as is the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting Kwong

Ki-chi.

I take strong exception to the claim Ms Cheung has

been removed from her post. As she has indicated herself, she was looking for a new challenge after 13 years in her currerit position. She expressed an interest in an overseas posting. She is ideally suited for the Tokyojob.

I am surprised that the FCC seems to imply

that Ms Cheung shóuld not be considered for a more seniqr positicm. She is a career civil servant, with extenEive knowledge of Hong Kong affairs, strong.leadership skills and rich experience in the field' óf communications and public relationS. These are the very attributes required for this post.

The FCC draws an extremely long bow in further linking Ms Cheung's promotion to the consultations on a proposed Press Council.

WESTERT' 'TOTEY UTIOTI ITRAilSFER

The question of a Press Council was raised in a consultation paper issued by the Privacy Subcommittee of the Law Reform Commission, the members of which are mainly private citizens including

a former chairman of the Hong Kong

Journalist'

Association.

It is absurd to suggest a link between the release of

the consultation paper, over which the government had no influence, and the posting of a senior civil

To quote Mark Twain, reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated.

I

servant.

least one of these people say he didn't think the club should stand up for the rights ofjournalists and for free

cT o

speech.

N l

I appeal to all concerned not to politicise this posting and to give the management of RTHK a chance to prove itself.

I

m

just about sitting around the main bar getting potted on Friday night. For people whose views are so inimical to the cause ofjournalism to be ensconced year after year on the board seems to me downright dangerous.

A¡e we to have this same silly debate again somewhere down the road, as we did a few years past when the same people tried to remove Mr. Bowring's board? Ald what if the next time they succeed?

Ultimately this fight we just had isn't about cleaning up the Club, although that was certainly a welcome byproduct: It was about the journalists in the place getting up and saying they care about the work the

the

Director of Broadcasti:,ng Cheung Man-yee to Jaþan. The acting Chief Executiae M'rs Anson Chan, uho as Secretary of Administration zuas sþeake'r at recent FCC luncheon,

was appalled at the recent general meeting to hear at

Writing letters to governments protesting, for instance, the recent RTHK affair, seems to me the Club's real reason for being. The FCC, after all, isn't

car-

Tbefastest wøy to send n oney worldwidei

From David Roads #003 the the

journalists and producers committed to RTHK's

lllroetar of Br0aüeâ$ti,n$'$ Transfep

Stop Press In

Back in the Club Pacita and David Roads.

Hotliner: 2117 9088

Editor's note: For those of you who do not hnou, Dauid has been seriously ill this past year So ue are delighted to extend, a hearty "welcome bctch" to Dattid' and uife Pacita.

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER Iggg-IANUARY

Novembeq Legco rejected over'whelmingly

the Law Reform Commission's proposal for government-appointed press council by a 39 to

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THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1ggg-JANUARY 2000

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vote with six abstentions. The FCC was among the many bodies to object to the plan. Subsequent to the vote, the Newspaper Society was looking into an

independent press council.

3

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E.G.M.

The memheFship $peaks

Business as

An E.G.M. was held on November 10, in accordance with the Articles of Association, to consider whether the Club "had lost confidence in the President" and if passed "the President shall be removed from office immediately". The Special Resolution was defeated overwhelmingly. Sandy Burton reports on the sometimes-raucous evening

Usua,l y now most members have probably had their fill of Club politics, and I am no different. For those of you who may not have heard, I am still in offìce following the Extraordinary General Meeting of November 10, where a motion to dismiss me from the Board failed by a margin of almost 10 to 1 in votes cast, and just short of 3 to 1 in ballots cast. (The salient debating points delivered that night are available on pages 5-7).

I am thankful to all who supported me in person or prox¡ and hope that those who opposed me will still work with the Board until Ma¡ and even stand for election to the next Board. by

Much was made at the meeting of the way the Club

has been "thrown into disrepute" by our internal political disputes of this year. While that may be true ar the very margin, let us look at the bigger picture.

We are gaining new members at a steady clip, and losing fewer each month. When it all shakes out, membership keeps rising. Sales are up year on year, the deficit is lower, costs are much lower, and the new dining room has met with general approval by the membership. Tiger is running the club day-to-day in his normal, expertway. The new menu in the dining room, for those who have yet to try it, has some real gems on it. Political fights are never nice, but the Club is miles away from falling apart. Instead, it is actually stronger now than it was a year ago. \Ahile it was obviously nice to have the confidence of the membership reflected in the ballot, a number of people also said that the huge turnout at the EGM marked a re-invigorated democratic spirit in the Club.

Certainl¡ what would be nice after this meeting would be to see fewer people running for the Board unopposed. Last year, only the two Vice-President slots were contested.

Where does the Board go from here? We still have to decide on a permanent General Manager. Also, it is

probably time

to look at updating our Articles of

Association. Except for a few touch-ups here and there, they remain as they were in 1952. Aside from the alwaysexplosive issue of how many votes Correspondents should get versus other members, and whether others should even vote for the top two Board positions, there

are mundane housekeeping elements to constitutional

reform we have long neglected. For instance, Life Absent Members do not appear in the Articles, and so there was confusion about whether they could vote at November's EGM. Our lawyers said they could because our constitution is so vague, but I am not sure that is what most members might have wanted.

The whole document needs to be thoroughly studied, with any amendments of course going to another EGM and requiring 757o approval before passage. As in previous years, any EGM on constitutional matters would probably come immediately before our Annual General Meeting at the end of May. (Editor's note: A constitutional Committee has been established,. 'Ìnent on þage 3.) s

See

announce-

for re-weighting of votes and allowing

universal franchise, those are decisions that a majority of the Board would have to agree on before the Board unilaterally put any such resolutions to an EGM. I have only one vote out of 17, exercised only in the case of a tie. But for what it is worth, I favor giving every member of this Club a vote for President and

First Vice-President, who should continue to be Correspondent Members. Votes for these two offìces should probably be in the same ratios as those exercised at General Meetings. Right now, that is 25 for Correspondents and I for all others. The idea of giving one person one vote is a non-starter, and I have heard few members seriously suggest otherwise. But should Associates have a heavier weighting relative to Correspondents? Should Journalist members be given a heavier vote than Associates, at the expense of Correspondent votes? \A4ry not let me know your opinion? I may not be in the Main Bar as many lunchtimes as some members would like, but as has been the case since I became President, I pick up my own phone and answer every letter or e-mail addressed to me. That practice will not change.

Pln,4 Philip Segal

TFIE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-JANUARY 2000

t is probably unreasonable to expect an organisation established by foreign correspondents as a social club and dedicated to the preservation

of press freedom to conduct its internal affairs discreetþ behind closed doors. Nonetheless, speaker after speaker at the Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.) expressed chagrin the and embarrassment -that Board of Governors had found no dignilied alternative to airing its dirty laundry in public at a time when the media

has come under

Governor) William Areson, one of the six people on the l7-

ing a non-binding 'vote of no confidence' against him in Jrly, spoke for supporters

Resolution was a long-sim-

of the motion. "Our

between

foreign

correspondents, who dominate the Board, and representatives of the nonjournalist members, who now comprise a majority of the

reason

main

for calling this E.G.M.

is because the President, acting

on h is own or in concert with one or two other Board memtrers, has been making decisions and taking actions

membership, over voting rights.

Once a group of disgruntled

members (including some Board members) called for a vote of no confidence in the President through an E.G.M., the FCC had no choice but to debate the matter in the open with all the cacophony of

for which we journalists opinion and lack of {ecorum are known.

By the time the meeting was finally gavelled to order

by First Vice President Christopher Slaughter more than one hour behind schedule, the overflow crowd of more than 300 packed into the newly-renovated and raucous. As 17 dining room was restless members rose, one by one, to speak for and against the motion, they were greeted, in' true British and Australian Parliamentary style, by jeers and cheers much to the horror of the Americans present. There was even a taunt by one of the president's opponents to "see me outside."

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-IANUARY

alike had returned a powerful vote of confidence in Club President Philip Segal.

Supporters of the ouster sounded a tone of crude defiance from the outset. 'At 'the risk of being the bastard õ .the Father's Day picnic, I at ] motion," declared *ou. the "q Associate Member Kevin Egan.

Associate Member (and Board

person Board who sought Segal's resignation by bring-

increased

scrutiny from both the public and government officials.

Underneath the Special

mering conflict

Yet when the final talll' la,.r posted at midnight, it was clear that journalist and non-journalist members

2OOO

without consulting the board."

Segal's most contentious fait accompli, according to Areson, was that he "created an environment wherein the club's (G.M.) General Manager was forced to resign." nother alleged offense with er,en more serious long-term implications, Areson maintained, was Segal's role in the issuance of FCC "position papers" without prior approval of the board. The latest such statement, addressed to the HKSAR government on the removal of Cheung Man-yee as head of RTHK, "elicited a very strong reaction from Anson Chan and that is not good" said A¡eson, who was greeted rvith a shower of abuse by working journalists for his turwillingness to displease the powers-that-be.

Segal's cruelest cut may have been to replace Areson as Treasurer. Areson challenged Segal's claims that his administration has reversed the club's financial

E.G.M. issuing statements which might draw critical response from government.

"That we should be sending letters

The results By votes:

Against

For 327

By ballots: Correspondents Non Correspondents

For 11

52 63

Spoiled ballots: 3

Abstentions:

2

decline. He credited the recent stabilisation of

losses,

which were averaging between $200,000 to $300,000 per month in 1998, to measures taken by the previous Finance Committee to reduce entrance fees for Associates, a policy which has attracted hundreds of new members. He attributed the reduction in food costs, which Segal trumpets as one of his major achievements, to a club menu which is now regrettably, in Areson's heavier on pasta -than on steak. "Keep in mindview that -the profit margin on pasta is much lower than on steak," he said to boos from vegetarians and applause from meat lovers.

"The President," Areson concluded, "should have resigned in the face of a no confidence vote (in.|uly)."

In order to end what he called "his unacceptable pattern of behaviour " Areson appealed to members to "remove Philip Segal as President."

Segal tersely countered the charges point by point.

He refused to resign, he said, "because nothing in our Articles fof Association] provides for this. We are not a Parliament," he explained, "we are a company, and you don't remove directors with ¿ simple majority of a Board. So if you want to throw me out of here, please do it after this meeting."

He defended the negative evaluation of the G.M., which was drawn up by a committee of five officers including himself, based on substantial input from

protecting the rights of journalists is beyond doubt," insisted Segal. "We are 3,r79 a journalists' club, and if we cannot stand up for ourselves, there is no point Against to our existence."

Segal explained that he did not 1,20 reappoint Areson as Treasureç because 179 "Areson had said repeatedly that there 299 were no significant cost reductions to be made in the Club, and this is whywe needed to raise prices." Segal was willing to do that, but only if costs could be cut correspondingly. Where upon he began poking around the pantry and looking into the account books. While such interference bred resentment on the part of the G.M. and some of his friends, it yielded information on how to cut the fat. "Our food costs came down from 4I% of sales last year to 30Vo this year," boasted Segal, "and this month they are actually at 27Vo." "In short," he concluded, "the Board does work."

Then he reminded his constituents, "this is a volunteer job. If you kick me out tonight, you will never get another person who wants to put up with this sort of abuse to ask the tough questions that need to be asked.

Let me serve out the rest of my term." I

Constitutional Committee At its November 23rd meeting, the Board voted to create a Constitutional Committee to review the Articles of Association. If you would like to join the Committee, or have views on the subject, please

contact the convenor, Saul Lockhart.

What was said Here, in the interest of the transparency which we demand from public officials and other newsmakers, are highlights of the ensuing debate:

.

David Roads ( Correspondent member since 1949): "For the first time I am ashamed [of this club]. We are the laughing stock of Hong Kong." ¡ Steve Vines (past President): "The micro-manage-

ment [Segal] is being accused of is addressing a problem which is an enormous one for this club: maintaining its financial viability. I am therefore voting for micro-management...If we can't defend the interests of a free media in Hong Kong, we should all go home, we should all be ashamed of ourselves. I'm very proud that the board has done this.

. Unidentified

(Associate):

"I would have

never

noticed the politicising that was going on unless I'd read about it in the papers...it is a disgrace for the Club...I find that very disappointing and very sad."

Edward Stokes (fournalist) : "One correspondent has 25 votes, while local journalists and fnon-journalist] o

associates have only one vote each. Until the correspondents are brave enough to change the system, you will continue having a rotten club." o Jolm Mclanachan (Associate): "Do you like this building and this new dining room? It's all supported by the income that comes from the associates. We pay for this club." . V.G. Kulkarni (Correspondent): "Gentlemen, you are all aware that this is a media club. If it ceases to be a media club it will not be here. This is not the point

(See

the G.M.'s own staff. Although he regretted the subsequent leaking of the confidential

evaluation, he maintained that its trans-

unless revisions are requested, released 24 hours later. The Club must not flinch from

Before and after Have you been there yet? The Guam lsland Fiesta was the first event in the newlyrenovated Main Dining Room

The E.G.M. A packed house THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER I999_JANUARY 2000

of questions open...this year's conduct is even worse."

MAIN DnrrNc Roona

masthead on page 1 for contact details.)

mission by computer one day before a Board meeting that was scheduled to discuss it was a well-intentioned effort not to "sandbag" the G.M. at the meeting.

He denied Areson's accusation that FCC 'positions' on various issues are made unilaterally by the President, noting that drafts of statements are routinely circulated among Board members by e-mail and,

of this meeting, so please do not be swayed by this red herring." o Francis Moriarty (Journalist): "Letters are drafted and then they go out by e-mail to anyone who wants to comment before they are released to the pubic. Mr. Areson has strong feelings on this point, and I respect that. He has said that one of his reasons for objecting is that he himself has business interests that involve China, and he fears that if we take a stance that seriously upsets China, he may be made to suffer for something he might not support." . Philip Bowring (twice past President whose second Board was the object of the previous E.G.M.) : "It is not unprecedented that whenever a President and a Board endeavor to run this club effectivel¡ they come up against vested interests." ¡ Unidentified (Associate): "I want to have a Board voting on what they're goigg to do next. I do not wish one individual to make decisions, irrespective of his standing in society, iirespective of his professional abilities. I don?u6eê ateaÍn effort here." . Jon Rittger (Associate): "This is the first time that this has'ever happened in the history of the club.

There have been a lot of divided boards in the past...by the very nature of this club. Every time you combine journalists and business people, you're going to have friction." . Jeremy Richardson (Associate): "I was 2nd VP last year. [The] Board was a complete and utter nightmare...the organisation of the Club's Board leaves a lot

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEI\{BER I999-JANUARY 2000

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What will the Macau Special Administrative Region be like once? Dauid Baird believes Macau will be more r,rrlnerable than its sister SAR across the Pearl River Estuary and will need alert media watchdogs

eporting on Macau is no hardship. It's a hospitable place where there is always time for talk or refreshment, with that special Portuguese flavour. But at midnight on December 19, the descendants of the first Europeans to establish a base and maritime trade links in Asia departed. Indications are that their influence will swiftly diminish.

World attention focused briefly on the tinl' s¡.1^t. when became China's second Special Administrative MSAR. After the change of sovereignt¡ Region expect Macau, as an MSAR, to fade back into relative obscurity.

But post-Handover Macau will be more in need of alert media watchdogs than ever. It is much more vulnerable than Hong Kong to infringements of its traditional tolerance and freedoms, for several reasons. Matching public apathy, the Macau press has, with rare exceptions, shown little taste for investigative reporting or for exposing scandal (which the enclave certainly does not lack).

The local Chinese dailies tend to treat the Motherland with kid gloves one wonders how incisive their -reporting will be on the MSAR government. You can enshrine all the guarBanker turned antees you like in a Basið Law, but they mean little u¡1s55 the press does its duty and the-people are prepared to stand up for their

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Troops of the l\,4acau's postHandover Chinese garrison parading in lhe log¡stics base of Nanping, ten kilometers from lVacau

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The new government has a soft task compared with that of Tung Chee-hwa and company. There are no meddling Nlartin Lees or Emill'Laus to campaign, criticise and expose. Indeed, there are no political parties, only "interest groups". More than half the population was born in China, not a place where awareness of democratic rights is highly developed. In Macau, not surprisingll', they have kept their heads THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-J.\NUARY2000

down and generally tried to have as little contact

as

possible with the alien rulers.

To help maintain the rule of law, a strongjudiciary is essential. Unfortunatel¡ unlike Hong Kong, Macau lacks a well-established, independent-minded judiciary with extensive.e¡perience. Localisation of the public services has been a rush job over the past five years, completeid at midnight on December 19 when six Portuguese and one Macanese relinquished the top civil-service posts. Many in Macau fear that the new government will have problems because of senior a

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political leader Macau's new Chief Executive Edmund Ho

directors' lack of experience. Some see it as a cunning plot by Portuguese bureaucrats to get themselves lucratively re-employed as consultants after the Handover.

Right up to the last, Beijing dragged its feet over an agreement on organising the judicial system and regulating the use of the tuo languages. The ofhcial use of Portugr-rese within the civil service is important for the Macanese becausc, thor-rgh they speak Chinese, many cannot read it.

Covsn Srony administration. They hope for more effective action against crime and a government more in touch with popular feeling. One who

ËK{Ì ('\ËÈËrit+ *i

about the Foundation director Wu Zhiliang, born in China but partly educated in

expresses confidence

future is Macau Portugal.

"The new leaders will be more responsive to the demands of the people because they will be closer to them," he believes. "It's up to the local people to fìght for the Basic Law and make our views known.

The Chinese way is to do things behind closed doors, but the young people are of a different opinion.

They will fight for more open space, they are more ready to speak

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Macau's one-man opposition Antonio Ng in his office

out."

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in an increasingly Chinese city, where this decade's hey will, however, live

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Above: Porluguese and Chinese leaders of the Joint Liaison Group, Santana Carlos (right) and Han Zhaokang (/eft), meet the press Left Macau police hold back press photographers as notorious triad boss Wan Kuok-koi arrives in white van at Supreme Court for his sentencing, Nicknamed 'Broken Tooth', Wan was given a 15year sentence after the court found him guìlty of heading the infamous l4K triad's branch in the territory.

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construction lrenzy has grafted a modern façade on the old-world charm. Despite Portugal's presence for more than four centuries, today fewer tlnan 2Vo speak Portuguese

and the number is diminishing fast. Stressing its multicultural aspect, the last Governor, General Vasco Rocha Vieira, insisted the enclave had

a future as a bridge between East and West with Portuguese influence playing a significant role.

But this may well have been wishful thinking.

"The Portuguese are going away. Every day they leave. My friends are going. I feel ver¡ very sad,"

law should the courts have to rule on a government decision?

rustrated, Santana Carlos, Portugal's ambassador to the Sino-Portuguese Joint Liaison

Group, said after the last unproductive plenary session that China would "do whatever it wishes after December 20 and take the full responsibility for the decision" on the judiciary. Portuguese was the language of the Macau's courts until recently. Only in 1992 did the University of Macau introduce a law faculty offering a degree in both Portuguese and Chinese; a training centre for bilingualjudges and prosecutors lvas only established in r994.

The speedily promoted graduates must tackle a backlog of about 8,000 cases. Many of these involve violent crime and, inevitably in a place where everybody knows everybody, the pressures can be extreme for the recent trial of triad leader Wan 'Broken Tooth' Kuok-koi, who was sentenced to 15 years, the senior judge had to be imported from Portugal and one lawyer admitted he was too afraid to perform his duty.

How firmly will this judiciary support the rule of 10

Macau's one-man opposition, Antonio Ng Kuokcheung, sees a gradual erosion of human rights because the Basic Law is too vague. "The situation will be left open to more repressive government," he believes. "I don't think any judge here would dare go against the Chief Executive."

In the Legislative Assembly, dominated by proBeijing business interests and labour associations, Ng, one of eight directly-elected members out of 23, finds little support for his outspoken stand on democratic reforms and social justice. He is pessimistic, too, about

any great progress in curbing corruption, which appears to be endemic in the enclave. "Society is not interested in this issue," he notes. An anti-corruption

mourns Father Manuel Teixeira, the 87-year-old priesthistorian.

Wine importer Lourdes Rodrigues, whose family'

has lived many generations in Macau, thinks the Portuguese lajguage will disappear. "Why, even government péople write to me now in Englishl" Chief Executive Edmund Ho, well-regarded and undoubtedly well-meaning, has little affinity with Lisbon. Educated in Canada, he does not speak Portuguese. He has close guanxi with Beijing and he has already made it plain that China comes fìrst. This hardly bodes well for those who want to see Macau maintain its autonomy and unusual identity. The Macanese community of about 20,000, who traditionally acted as mediators beû,veen Chinese and Portuguese, naturally fear for a future in which they may have no role to play.

Legislator and Preparatory Commission member Leonel Alves, regarded as the Macanese leader, spelled out the challenge at a mass meeting: "Macau's

more dynamic, more interventionist and more daring in the struggle for its

o o

rights."

o

!

Joaquim Madeira de Carvalho, whose forebears arrived last century, admitted it was hard to control his tears as the Portuguese flag came down. But, while fearing that the enclave may lose its special identity, Carvalho, president of the Islands

c

(,o

body exists, but compared with the Hong Kong's ICAC

it is toothless.

Municipal Council, says: "Perhaps

Legislators voted down a move to allow investigators access to private bank accounts and recently the

police themselves were accused of thwarting

TIIE CORRESPONDENT

DECEìVIBER

I

an

ggg-JANUARY 2000

we

should think of Portugal as the father and of China as the mother. Macau is like a child which is now going to walk on its own

investigation by physically preventing inspectors' access

to an office. The appointment of a public administrator with no judicial experience as new Commissioner against Corruption is hardly promising.

On a more optimistic note, many Chinese residents look forward to a breath of fresh air from the new

Portuguese communit¡ if it wants to continue in this territory, will have to be

feet. "

But, Iike any child, it needs to sound the alarm should it

Perhaps.

guardians Farewells Macau's last governor General Vasco Rocha Vieira talking with 87 year old Father Manuel Texeira The venerable cleric is a Macau institution THE CIORRESPONDEN'[ DECEMBER 1999-JANUARy 2000

stray into dangerous territory.

I

11

Mac,tu HaNnovrn a meaningful financial reserve to face

Ma,cau SAR \Arhat does the future hold for China's newest Special Administrative Region?

Speaking to an FCC lunch before the handover, DrJorge Rangel, Macau's Secretary for Administration, Education and Youth, discussed the change of sovereignty which ends nearly 450 years of Portuguese administration. Excerpts from his speech ccording to the agreement signed by China and Portugal, the government of Macau is responsible for the organisation of the Handover ceremony and all other related events, which will take place between the afternoon of December 19 and the early hours of December 20. The Handover ceremony will be the highlight of the celebrations.

However, the official programme for the guests from all over the world, will begin at 6 p.m. on December 19 with a spectacular cultural event. It will not be a farewell part¡ unlike what happened in Hong Kong. We don't want it to be a farewell party, and it's not a welcoming party.

It will be a moment to stress the identit¡ the meaning and the future of Macau, and to serve the singularity of our territory. We will express our confidence in the future.

We welcome all members of the media to Macau. In fact we would like to see you more often in Macau, now and in the future. Macau is counting on you to witness the handover of a legacy. Portugal is leaving behind not

o

!

Ø

any

presence, but a turning point towards a new cycle in a relationship between Portugal and China, and Portugal is very committed to make this a success....

e also had to endure some problems, of it was not easy, this period. The course related to criminal activifìrst (problem) ties, the result of internal disputes within the triads of Macau. But the triads are not specific to Macau, they are ever;'where in Asia and

After the Q&4, Mr Rangel added: We're talking I think much more important is what happens next. So this is just one

eve n tualities.

in most other leading countries in the world. It

is

a selective and localised violence to which the police

and judicial authorities are responding now, effectively. The fight against organised crime is a priority of the administration. We cannot believe that crime will go awayjust because we are going to have the

llandover. Fighting crime will still be a priority in the future.

For the Handover, there will be 3,000 officers from our security forces taking part in police

only the stones of churches, fortresses and monuments,

but also a territory with modern infrastructures and a different way of life, where personal freedoms, liberties and guarantees are essential values cherished by the people of Macau.

The joint declaration, an historic document signed in April 1987 by the governments of Portugal and China, has resolved the so called "Macau issue". These last 12 years have witnessed extraordinary changes and within this framework Macau's transition process has assumed an even greater relevance in the history of international relations.

Portugal and China have moved a giant step forward in the search for consensus in honouring their commitments. We have been doing everything in very intense dialogue involving the two countries. ortugal leaves in Macau an independent judicial system based on its own humanistic system of law It leaves a modern administration with young, qualified and motivated leaders and senior professionals, the result of a sreat investment in education and the efforts put into training and localisation of its staff.

One should not, therefore, find it strange in fact it is a recognition of the strategy we have followed that when selecting his future - officials, the Chief Executive senior government Mr Edmund Ho, has chosen people from the civil service. It is a well-prepared team, capable of leading the territory into the new century

and of defending its unique identity and heritage.

Portugal leaves behind modern infrastructures, a fundamental condition if we are to ensure the success of the territory's autonomy.

All this was possible without incurring any internal or external debts, with all financial

operations, in accordance with international rules for events of this nature, and considering the high level of participation.

Portugal has been the administrative power in

Macau for about 450 years. In an environment of tolerance, a unique place has been built where the art of consensus and balance, of wisdom and co-existence, of mutual respect, has been a reality for centuries.

What motivates us, that's all those involved in the preparation of the Handover ceremon¡ is the fact that this event does not represent the end of a

today a lot about the Handover, but

special occasion, one special moment when we'll all be together; Portuguese officials and the new government officials in Macau, and also the leaders in China, and representatives of so many other countries to celebrate a special occasion.

But I think much more important than this will be I do hope that the FCC and the media in Hong Kong and international press can continue to pay attention to Macau.

We will welcome that very much. We believe that if you are with us, if you continue following developments in Macau in the future, this will also mean that many of the guarantees that were given to us will be made,possible. Because if you are with us, I think we can succeed. If you forget about us, we are so. small and so close to our neighbours where there's. a different system, a different way of life, tþt. we can run the risk of not being able to survive as a Special Administrative Region of China. .'

To be autonomous we have to continue to be different. We have to continue to cherish our own values and our own way of life and to make this possible, we need you very much. I

what happens next, so

Q&A excerpts On guests from Taiwan

I

believe there will be people from Taiwan attending but the hnal list of the guests is still being discussed in the Joint Liaison Group, so again, I cannot tell you exactly who they will be.

On the 'Broken Tooth' trial

I don't believe there's

a rush to finalise the

trial

On Macau's administration Macau was a province fnot a colonyl of Portugal until 1974...then we cha¡ged the Macau organic law, our small constitution, and Macau started to be

a territory under Portuguese administration in February 1976...It means the administration is Portuguese, but the territory does not belong to Portugal.

On theJoint Liaison Group

On siphoning off money

TheJ.L.G. will cease operations on the December 31...but the dialogue will of course continue, since the presence of Portugâl will still be a strong one in Macau and I hope that the economic presence can still be strengthened in the future.

When you talk about the financial situation you shouldn't talk only about the reserves...we were not only concerned about leaving money

On staþg on

I will stay in Macau. Macau is my home, I was born there. We created the Macau International Institute, a think-tank... ttálstudy Macau's problems...The Institute will take a lot of my time in the future...[I'll] try to be useful to Macau in a completely different position, not in government.

much as possible Declaration mentions...a special fund that derives' from land options...fwhich nou,has] more than HK$8 billion. ...We don't have anv foreign debt so the territory will be transferred to China without debts, with this reserve, and also with a sulplus in our budget... [In] this period of transition, we worked with balanced budgets and ...used the surpluses [to build the infrastructure]. behind, but we decided to invest

as

on all the infrastructure. The .foint

commitments fully paid and settled, and with THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-JANUARY 2000

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER

1

ggg-JANUARY 2000

13

un¡n" pr"- and post-Handover Chief Secretary for has been the key person in the HKSAR's successful Administration, Her speech to a packed FCC lunch covered a change of sovereignty. on the political landscâpe , just one week before s third olic address. Exce ts from her s up

when I last addressed this

was looking surprised to find, actually øathering and was it was way back in 1994. that d, fin IurPrised to FCC)...I had addressed...(the I ttme Norv the last

¡ì'i0"""g":ïl?*,Y,",ï::'i:::-'l:'""-*T'::: and I don't.'l'l\ t:-1T i:11'-l: T,-i,''ï ;i;ii' ;ffi ;;;T9:1"å;"1:?::';-",',ii;;î:ï::"it:î:ìi

lli;ïìi';; ;'' " s ; {'.1 :".1': ï'1"^P :::,î*1T'::Ï, : ::l l F o'n "l : :l1o ::ì1lll.1:1: Ïi"ä. * o to'ivse characrerisrics 3 ^:::1 say? so whar can a girl chinese ïril*n the waY '" with.

You. *un, ro share tbrward going Korrg ..'""Ho,'g ',*,r t'",tt a[tel the lransltlon' to some' the ri.i,lí r.t me sav that' maY look a t"in Xo"g Picture I

good reason r'vhy Hong Kong should not forge ahead economically, socially and politically, and maintain our position as Asia's premier international r-ro

crty.

On the fìscal front we have formulated, in a diff,rcult environment, two very pro-active budgets that helped alleviate some of the financial pain beir-rg felt by many

in the community. The effects of these rlreasures are now starting to trickle through as evidenced in the recent signs of a pick-up in consumer sentiment.

Our status as an international citv demands that rve con(inue lo push ahead with our ambitious and visiorrary infrastrlrcture programme...\Me are also embark-

inu upon a landmark reform of th e civil service which will better equip itself for change... as part of our ongoing pledge for more openness and rnore

To a large extenl 'rlfãctrs'the Pr e-corrceir'êd o"t'"se what would haPPen

;ì;;i,, *rlìt' abour ;;;;rt wrru""-

and 1997' l' er .|ulY on its head' The isis took most of t mY own feeling

¡. Politicalll

accountability.

Both the public and the private

sectors in Hong Kong have weathered a ver)¡ difficult two 1,ears with considerable resilience and I think that bodes well for the futur-e...Central to this is

I show that once l(c'ng will have lurrted asain Hong ciisis irrto oPPortunlq''

"'"t.ia

took at the Political and

am

ì*ur.

confidence in our currenc\/.

well

lalrdscaPe' ^l *"ltlllq ".nio.,. otP"ttePlions o' u

The Hong Kong dollar has held firm and in doing so, provided f,inancial stabiliq'not only at home, but elservhere in the region.

Whilst undoubtedly affected by a downturn in business, our banks and financial markets have continued to function normally without major disruption. On the other hand, the Asian contagion did highlight areas where we needed to improve on competitiveness and regulatory framework. A raft of reforms in the bar-rking and linancial market sectors are gradr-rally falling in to place, initiatives rhat will significantly strengthen our position and attractiveness as the major fìnancial centre in the Asian time

z-one.

Another fault line exposed in the fallout liom the major financial turmoil was a property bubble that was THE c()RRESP()NDENl' DECIEMBER 1999-lANt.lARy2000

14

bound to burst. The result has been an extremelv painful experience for many, and I do not underestimate its impact on many ordinary homeowners and buyers u,ho find themselves holding negative equity in their properties....We have pieced together a string of strategic co-ordinates which place greater emphasis on catching the technologJ wa\/e, including e-commerce, reshaping and repositioning the tourism industry', whose success we too long took for granted. There will be tremendous new opportunities for Hong Kong's role as a middleman, generated by China's entry into the WTO. Let me say that the government has not been a passive bystander in all of this, although it's arguable if

we have taken or followed the lead. \Â4rat I do not accept, is that in seizing opportunities like, for example, the Cyberport, we have somehow walked away fiom our non-interventionist policies; that we have suddenly switched from laissez-faire to cronyism.

Frankly I think it is a bit lai.ssez-faire to say that Hong Kong is a laissezJaire econonry. F{ow can that be so when the government owns all the land, and by virtue of that, has a big hand in the property market? FIow can it be so when almost half the population lives in heavily subsidised public

are to position ourselves as the New York or London

Asia, we have to tackle our serious environmental problems; upgrade the level of English; create a qualiq' of life and lifestyle that stimulates more leisure and sporting opportunities and nurtures a passion for a multilayered, multicultural arts scene, driven by local and overseas talent.

For me, the preservation of the rule of law must be this community's top priority. We all instinctively know that our deeply rooted legal system, and our independentjudiciar¡ sets us apart from the rest of Asia. So does our free and prolif,rc press. Lose these or see them diminished, and we really do become just another city in China.

Here, let me make a plea for a somewhat less knee-jerk reaction.everytime the catchwords rule of law and press freedom pop up on the radar screen. The simple fact we now need to embrace is that Hong Kong has, for the first time in its entire histor¡ a written constitution. And as ,any American will tell you,

"The FCC is a Hong Kong

that means constitutional 'argument and legal challenge.

Interface that with a common-law system built up over 150 years to the civil-law system in the mainland, and I think you are bound to end up with a challenge to ensure that our continuing common-law system can mesh effectively with this new constitution. I fear that much of the upset we created over the right-oÊabode issue has its roots in this challenge.

I hope we can maintain perspective because I have no doubt that there will be further testing of the limits, more controversy, more legal debate, more litigation. My appeal to everyone involved in these debates is to frame them in the context I have described. We must be able to square our unique constitutional circle if our legal system is to survive and flourish and underpin our autonomy. Without that, "One country, two systems" will lose its meaning and its promise.

As for the current debate on press freedom and professional standards and ethics, triggered by the proposal for a press council on privac¡ who can say that this debate is a bad thing? Surely in a free and pluralist society which treasures the right to free speech, and a free press, this is a eoocl thing.

Firstl¡ it has allowed the wholc communiry to express rts concerns ()ver the nature of reporting in some newspapers. The Inct that more than half of those asked in a recent survey indicated they would support a press council even at the loss of some press freedom, is a measure of the community's concern.

Secondly, the way the profession and its representatives have reacted to this challenge, their

.

icon. Your

housing?

Our policy has always been characterised as positive non-interuentionism; that is we make a conscious decision whether to inlervene or not and we do not intervene - it is in the overall public unless interest to do so.

Cyberport is a natural extension of this interest. We are after all

before the eyes

facing a revolution as potentially prolound in its impact on

of the world."

members keep

Hong Kong

humanity as the industrial revolution, and for us to sit on our hands debating the niceties of positive non-interventionism

when a serious entrepreneurial opportunity

is

presented to us, would not win us any plaudits in this practical and progressive community.

Sadly there is so much misguided talk about the Cyberport being a slr¡,eetheart property deal that some people have lost track of whal we have achieved at a stroke. That is, a quality development which will be wholll-el¡¡¡"d by the government, and which has alreadl' attracted 12 big high-tech names as anchor tenants, at minimum government outla¡ with a potential for handsome prof,rts for the taxpayers in addition to the creation of a strategic cluster of information technology and service companies, which will provide us with a front grid position in the fast moving digital world. What we have is a cyber-based platform to help Hong Kong go up the value chain.

I concede that there is much else for us to do. If we THFt CORRI,SPONDENT DE CEI\{BER 99g-JANIJARY 2000 1

of

15

determination to face squarely the questions of professional standards and ethics, demonstrates, I think, their maturity and responsibility. They are laying the groundwork for selÊregulation which must strike a balance between the freedom to publish without fear or favour and the concerns of the community that standards in some cases have become unacceptable.

On that note, ladies and gentlemen, I should like

to wrap up, and I do hope that I've been able to demonstrate thal despite the slings and arrows of

the last two years, Hong Kong has not lost its way but is simply engaged in a process of renewal. We are re-gearing and re-tooling for the 21st century. We have not abandoned the values on which we have built our past success nor have we lost our appetite for

self-examination and vigorous public debate, particularly over issues which are fundamental to our future success, such as the rule of law, press freedom, and above all, the role that they play in the autonomy we enjoy under the basic law.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you once again for inviting me to address you all.

The FCC is a Hong Kong icon. Your members keep Hong Kong before the eyes of the world. Of course, we don't always agree with what you write and it occasionally causes us a good deal of frustration, but that would be nothing compared to the alarm we would feel if ever

we became so uninteresting and so unimportant, so dull, that you felt we were no longer news. Personally I think we will be good copy for a long time to come. I

Q&A excerpts On Margaret Ng's non-admission to China He (Tung Chee-hwa) did enquire about Margaret Ng's case with Mainland authorities. We have of

course noted the comments and the concerns raised by different sectors of the community, including those raised by the legal professionals, and these concerns were also reflected to the Mainland authorities.

On Beijing's intolerance or excluding certain Hong Kong residents and citizens They have their way of doing things and we have our way of doing things. And it will come with no

surprise to you to hear me say that their viewpoint does not always coincide with our viewpoint On linking the proposed Press Council with Article 23 of the Basic Law (which concerns treason etc) I am not looking at that (the Press Council) from that point of view...I heard parents talking to me about this...and I hear other people complaining about the excesses in the local newspapers. So it's not just ... some isolated articles. I think there is genuine concern about the professional standards of the media...The question is what should be done

while on the one hand preserving to the maximum possible press freedom, but also addressing

community concerns?...Of course the

press

has rights, but all other members, individuals of the community have rights too. The question is,'as usual, how you balance these rights. (Regarding) we have already said we have no timetable for enacting law on Article 23.

On rule of law ...For the first time in our history we have to deal with a written constitution. I think (we must)

properly (balance) the common law system, which we are required under the Basic Law to continue and

16

which everybody wants to see continue, and the civil

den¡ is that the Basic Law is not only a local piece of (SAR) legislation, it is, at the same time, a national .... law. In a sense we are going through a learning curve, as much for ourselves ... as for the central law system in China. Because, what nobody can

Growth is Good

By David O'Rear

conomic growth is a lovely thing. It creates jobs, taxes and profits (well, two out of three isn't bad). Governments win re-election (where such things are allowed). Money is available to invest in healthcare, education and infrastructure.

Children grow taller, people live longer and crime waves subside. When economies grow strongly there is a reduced risk of war, although often the environment takes a beating. Growth is good. \A/hat we have in East Asia today is growth, but it isn't the lovey-dovey kind of growth. It is not, as many seem to believe, the result of more labour, more money or more productive use of capital and labour. Rather, it is the result of the devastation of the past two years. If pe ace is the absence of wa¡ growth in East Asia today is

the absence of collapse. If growth leads what's happening in Indonesia?

l:

about implementing the timetable laid don'n in the Basic Law...but if you talk (in terms) about press freedom, about freedom of assembly, about freedom of expression and basic hurnan rigl'rts, I think all those are alive and well.

In the election in years 2000 and

2004, you will

have a more directly elected Legislative Council.

THE CORRIìSPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-JANUARY2000

100)

in

East Asia's exchange

rate markets, and that Hong Kong is experiencing record deflation (and Indonesia had hyperinflation), perhaps those factors should be considered. So, the second chart measures "nominal" growth, inclusive of depreciated currencies and inflation. In both charts, anything under 100 has yet to recover its pre-crisis levels. (Remember why China isn't included here? Its because the numbers are totally false.)

So, in real terms, only the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan can bè said to have recovered, while in nominal terms we are left with Taiwan and Japan treading wate¿ and everyone else gasping. It shouldn't be surprising that the volume and value of economic activity in Indonesia is a'shadow of its former self. But, why isn't Korea's l\Vo (real)"growth this year reflected in these graphs? There are two reason: First, because this way of portra¡+g the data minimises the year-toyear change, and second, because Korea dug itselfone enormoushole last year and is still filling it in.

Singâpole

3: FOREIGN TRTIDE

PlúlilpLres

Nominnl US$-based Index (1997 = 100)

Japut Korea

I think we probably have the world's most

(It) depends on hor'r' exactly we go

:

Tâiwân

On 'overall public interest'

On Hong Kong being more democratic under China

stability,

REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH GDP Irdex (1997

government because the Basic Law cannot possibly spell out in great detail all the ways in which certain principles will be implemented. So we do need to go through this learning curve...to have a better understanding about each others legal system and there isn't at the moment.

socialist housing programme...(with) half of our population living in housing that is heavil¡ heavily subsidized by the government. So that is, if you like, an instance of where we actually intervene in the market. You cannot talk about a free land market where all the land is owned by the government...In the case of the Cyberport, most people will regard it as something exceptional...We are getting [it] at minimum cost to the governafter all we don't (invest) a single cent other ment - equity in the land value (and) we own (it) than the at the end of the day. The profìts from the residential portion, one third of the project, will be equally shared between ourselves and the private partner...

to

lloweve¡ since the biggest story since the Handover was the enormous upheaval

Tdwrut

Mâlaysia

Singâpore

Hong Korg

Plúl¡ppines

Thailild

Jîpdì

Ttr¡lonesiâ

75 E0 E5 90 2

95

,j9,,,

Korea

115

Malaysiâ

120

Ilong Koug

NOMINAL ECONOMIC GROWTH

Thâilmd

GDP Index (1997 = 100)

Indonesia

Taiwm Sfuga[ote Philippines

inall¡ we come to foreign trade, the saviour of East Asian economies. Or is it? As shown in the combined exports and third graph, trade imports is smaller in 1999 than in 1997 in all

Jspù Korea

Malaysir Hong Kong

thnilmd Indorrosiâ

countries- except for the Philippines. In all cases, imports are down more than exports. Indeed, imports

are down so far in Malaysia, Thailand and Korea that they outweigh the (modest) rise in exports over two

The first two charts show the size of various economies as indexed to their 1997 levels. (If you're reading this in the Main Bar, you'll understand why economists like indexes. If we used the actual size of the economies, Singapore would be down around your knees, and Japan would be pushing'through the Main Dining Room ceiling. Very hard to graph.)

The first graph shows "real" or "constant" growth: the change in the volume of economic activity when inflation and exchange rate changes are left out.

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1ggg-JANUARY 2000

years.

So, when thinking about East Asia's recovery, remember that we are yet to see stead¡ consistent growth from a reasonable base. What we are seeing is an effort to climb out of a hole, back to solid ground.

And we're not there, yet. I Dauid O'Reat; regional economist with the Economist Unit, recently resigned from the Board of

Intelligence Goaernors.

(See

Letters, þage 2).

a bit

Don't ask me about that

sounds

other I7%, okay? Itwasn't any really important stuff, I don't think.)

even believe me, it's not student flights can routinely last an hour or more, and end primarily due to meal times or calls of nature.

And as with any sport,

And after that you

can

flying on care and own as you your and money to time have the do as much more

do. The clubs all

the work involved in learning it is more than repaid by the remarkable moments it can give you rocketing along just under the clouds at 100 mph,

have

gliders for rent at reasonable rates. Commercial training fields also rent gliders, though their prices of course are somewhat

circling lazily over a beach that looks as if it stretches to the end of the world, the

higher.

So it.'s some work and it's not free, but it's a grand experience. the Gliders don't just glide, you see, they soar pilot keeps them up by finding rising columns of air in winds gusting against a hilltop, say, or in warm air that flows upwards to form clouds. It can get a bit rough at times ( "\A4"rat other people call turbulence, glider pilots call lift," said my instructor one day with some pride), but for the most part it's nothing worse than most air travellers have already experienced. And if this all

theoretical,

sight of a rainbow in the air.

Even the more routine moments can be very satisfying. I doubt I will ever forget my sense of triumph the first time I didn't bounce the glider on landing. I bought the beer that da¡ feeling very much like a combination of Charles Lindbergh and Neil Armstroirg.

Anybody want to Chinese New Yéai?

I

join me for

some flying over

FCC Ou artet' s Golf

Weekbnthe Gold Coast -

We each have something we always wanted to do...right? Well Bud Pratt's was gliding. Here's his tale re your safety straps tight?" asked

the

flight instructor. They were, but just as I said so I found myself wondering why he was asking. And then the ground rolled over to where the sky should be, scrolled rapidly down the front of the canop¡ and suddenly was beneath us again.

"That's a confidence-building manoeuvre," said the instructor.

"Ah, yeah," I replied, starting to breathe again and noticing with surprise and relief that my eyes were still open.

This was two weeks into my training to fly gliders, something I'd wanted to do for years and had finally

decided should be postponed no longer. Who was

it who said you can't stay young, but you can stay

immature? No matte¡ he was right. Some things just need doing.

Hong Kong is pretty much equidistant from all the world's major gliding centers New Zealand and - and the Western Australia, Germany-France-Ital¡ 18

04 That Is,

Not Kowloon

United States. The choice of where to go to depends primarily on the kind of terrain in which you want to study, your budget, and the quality of the local beer. I chose New Zealand for all three reasons, and wound up spending five grand weeks at the Wellington Gliding Club.

Gliding attracts a remarkable variety of people.

Those I met in Wellington included restaurant owners,

a lawyer, éomputer company executives, music teachers, and yes, one newspaperman. There are no preliminary requirements to fulfill, though obviously a reasonably good physical condition (Can you stand on one foot with your eyes shut?) is important. That, and the ability not to "fill your hat," as they say in Wellington, during those confidence-building manoeuvres.

Training costs run roughly from HK$10,000 to $20,000, depending on where you do it and how long you want to stay with it. Two full weeks of flying is pretty much the minimum time required. And there's also a written examination. (I passed with an 83Vo score.

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMßER 1999_JANUARY 2000

Clockwise from the lop; Winner Bill Areson takes a ceremoñial sip from the victor's quaicl'' while Keith Slatham looks on; Absent N/lember Jo Mayfield with the golfing qulntet (L-R) Jon Rittger, Bill Areson,

John Callanan and Noel Quinlan with Keith Slatham on top; Jon Rittger (L) and Ray Cranbourne posing for posterity

Photos by Ray Cranbourne THE CORRESPONDENT DECEN'IBER 1ggg-JANUARY2OOO

Bill Areson, Jon Rittge¡ Ray Cranbourne and Keith Statham met up in October with now Sydney-based FCC stalwart Noel Quinlan (long time muso and demon dice player) and his film director partner John Callanan, for a week's golf on six of the dozens of superb championship courses that line Queensland Gold Coast.

The quality of the courses was rarely matched by the quality of the golf but a great time was had by all. Not surprisingly, Bill Areson, the official scorer, walked away the FCC 'Overseas' Golf Society's with the quaich trophy which, in- previous years, has been the goal of competitions in Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand.

19

U

o i

Bali's Perfect Host

o

Not many people can make a clean break and start something new he is now a and adventurous in another place. Stefan Reisner did hotelier in Bali. Saul Lockharl reports eading to Bali? FCCers now have a place they can call their own. A bar run by of course the FCC-Bali absent member Stefan- Reisner.

Actually, Stefan is not running just the bar, but the hotel it's in.

It takes guts to make a complete change of life and lifestyle, particularly in midlife. Many dream of

it.

Few manage

it. Former FCC stalwart

I t

Stefan

Before and after Stelan instructing ther workers (above) ancl the beaming host on openlng

Reisner is the exception. He did it.

From 1989, Stefan Reisner was Der Stern's correspondent based in Hong Kong covering Asia I'd get back and China. "I was constantly on the go to Hong Kong and then be off again," he said. "Itwas fun, but also very wearing. " A familiar litany for people based in Hong Kong, regardless of profession.

Like millions of otherr, St.fu' neãdea to the holiday isle of Bali in 1995 in desperate need of u break. But unlike the others, he had the beginnings of that lasted longer than a the urge for change ready to do something holiday, and he was week's about it.

Another ex FCC-er, businessman Peter Rieger, who had made the jump from bustling Hong Kong to tranquil Bali many years before, introduced Stefan to Mr A. A. Oka Wiadnyana, the owner of the Puri Asri (it means 'Peaceful Village House'), a boutique hotel in the village of Petulu, just outside Ubud. The following year, 1996, Stefan checked in as a guest to recharge his batteries, once again worn down by constant travelling.

As he sat by the pool surrounded by gardens, with bushes and flowers so thick he could barely make out the bungalows just a few feet awa¡ Stefan wondered what it would be like to run a small hotel in this little corner of paradise. the Asian Contagion He soon had his answer arrived, Indonesia's economy took a direct hit resulting in Mr Oka needing an infusion to keep afloat. It all happened pretty fast but Stefan was ready to put his

nrglrt

iõËãî L" FCC contingent at the offìciat op"nrg of tnã puri Asri

Hotel's Bird's Nest Bar'. (L-R) Dorothy Ryan, Saul and Alison Lockhart.

'Mein Host' Stefan Reisner and partner, Mr Oka, Kees lvletselaar, and Annie and Hugh van Es

eing the FCC, it is reasottalrlc to ask horv an ex-correspondent cotrlrl possillly run a hotel. The answer is an irttt't'estiug one because back iu anotllct' l'einc¿rrnairl läct he tion, Stefan ran a restaunìtìt was the chef as well as the manager. Anrl tllc rest¿lt¡ranI was in France and Stefan ..ru"ã Frcrrclr fìrod' So rvh,v isn't Stefan still in France serving la t'ttisi nt !runtçuise'

()f course Stefan was rvise enough to open the bar rçitlr an entourage from the FCC' And so it transpired tllrrt ['ormer president Hugh van Es, accompanied by his rvife Annie, did the honours and opened The Bird's

Nt'sl one lortely summer's eve'

in the FCC contingent was a repreof the Red Lips Brigade, Dorothy Rvan,

lrrcluded serìlrrLive

photographer Kees Metselaar, who was either en route fiorrr liast Timor toJakarta or vice t'ersa, and yours truly rvitlr rvife Alison. Kees' wife Vaudine England, the SÚ'lV /)orl r orr-espondent in Jakarta and an FCC member in

llcl

she right, was supposed to be there too to East Timor- from tl, but though plane landed in Bali, could not get

orvr.r

plirrrrrccl a Bali stopover en route .fakar

ottt. l)ct.er and Isabella Rieger drove up from.|imbaran irt [ht' south of the island for the event. Annie van Es' bt'otht'r'and sister rounded out the Hong Kong contin-

a partner in a

I found myself hotel," Stefan mused, seemingly surprised at his

make reservations.

To be fair, I must advise the readers of this article of a problem, an insurmountable one methinks. With so

much natural habitat, yoLl would expect some wildlife.

And srrre enough, there is, much of it of the feathered Full kit Photographer Hugh van Es, in ceremonial dress for the opening varietl'. But there is one little birdie specifically n,hich' caused those of us from Hong Kong, in particr-rlar Annie van Es, an inordinate amoult of grief.

For want of a better term, we nicknamed the feathered freak, lvhich none of us ever laid eyes on, the Mobile Phone Bird because its call was exactly like the ring on Annie's phone. Now [hat wouldn't be too bad if it was the middle of the day and we were lounging around the pool. But this lvretched creatlrre started its day in the wee hours. Again, that's not too bad if 1'ou're just coming home, but if'1,ou're already asleep...

Puri Asri Hotel P.O. Box 37 Ubud, Bali, Indonesia Tel: 62-361-973123 Fax: 62-361-973124

13-bungalow

situation. "I packed up three jumbo boxes and flew to Bali", leaving behind an entire life.

"The fìrst guest was supposed to stay one week, but it turned into two months and he left with a waitress!"

Stefan refuses to dil'ulge the name of the happy guest or whether he was a member of a well-known club at the top of Ice House Street. The mind boggles.

20

back in a natural settir-rs. The English tradition of morning tea (which could be coffee), delir,ered to the door, is practiced. Like all hotels, Puri Asri can arrange r,r'hatever you want. It also provides airport pick-ups and deliveries, free trahsportation to and from Ubud, and the cheapest chauffeured-driven cars should yor'r want to go farther afield.

One thing that may be held against Puri Asri rvhen it comes time to joining the Fawlty Towers Group is the \A¡eb Stefan brousht the hotel -into the modern world with a Websit'e' (www.baliaccommodation.com) from which you can not onl,v find out about the hotel, but

Stefan Reisner

money were his dreams where.

"So

gent.joining assortecl Bali-based writers, photographers and restaurateurs. Ancl a good time was had bY all.

According to Stefzrn, Puri Asri was asked to join the fanred Fawltl' Torvers Group of Boutique Hotels, "but the contract r'vas lost somewhere behveen England and Bali so I'm not certain if the merger went through."

Puri Asri has a long wa)' to go l-o equalJohn Cleese's infamous hostelry, but on the other hand it rvould ner.er be mistaken for a five-star operation. But it is comfortable and the staff is willing and polite. The bungalorvs are big, bul rustic, complete with en suite bathrooms and comfortable porches. They're each set

E-mail: <sreisner@spot.net.id> Web site : <http / / www.b ali-accommo dation. com> Room rates: US$20-30

Bail lo¡n

was served.

'l'll!: TtECoRRESpo*tra*rna,,o--*urt*tx)1)-l\NtrrRì'2dx)

(:( )Rtir

'I,()NDENT

DECEN,'BER r999J.\NUAR' 2000

21

a:

a^l

o ffindnnrc oc ÜÙ"\wulll\./

Search

of the Last

é

except Jimmy was relieved (he wanted to whack something that day) and we turned back.

The re-crossing of the river was worth the whole day.

Doug, Norm and one of the Thai rangers got on the large raft and Jimml' and I boarded the smaller, half submerged one. There was a rope stretched across the river and the idea was to tie the small raft to the larger raft and we would all pull ourselves across current to the other side. Great plan.

he cross-current proved stronger than

Golden Triangle (L-R) Doug Moeller, Dave Garcia and Norm lnnis in front of the "leading restaurant"

The adventures of Dave Garcia continue

Den

blessed with his presence

Hong Kong.

Doug arranged the trip in typical manner, trying to cover all the bases methodically with lots of pomp and circumstance. We were to start off in Bangkok, wait two days for our visa, move to Chiang Mai for one night, Chiang Rai for another night and finally to Laos where we were to board a boat and cruise down (up?) the Mekong River to Luang Prabong.

Doug insisted that he had to stay on the river, so his travel agent arranged a hotel that none of us had ever heard of. There was good reason for that the thing was last repaired in the Sixties. It was also a haven for package tours. Everything you want to avoid when you tra'r'eì.

My Chinese brother-in-law, Jimmy, who made his fortune in the textile business there and lives in semi-retirement in Bangkok, decided he would take us up to his property on the River Kwai. Jimmy is a commando wannabe. He has all the gear. He fitted us up with all kinds of armament and off we went to the jungle, stopping along the way to pay homage to those who lost their lives at the bridge during the war.

22

-

this time Thailand and Laos have been

embers Norm Innis and myself, with former FCCer Doug Moeller, took off to visit Laos on a 10-day odyssey which rvas intended to be a cultural experience. Our ulterior motive, howeveq was to find one of the last bastions of traded opium that mystical drug which was mostly responsible for the formation of

we

thought and midway the rope was stretched like a long bow. Our smaller raft drifted too far and we had to let go. Norm and Doug simultaneously let go leaving the poor Thai ranger with the rope. You gotta hand it to this gu¡ he held on to the last second and finally twannnng, the rope whipped him through the air like an arrow. He launched himself in a fine arc for about 20 feet and went head first into the water with a dive that would have earned him a perfect 10 in the Olympics.

We were

discovered the "Rubber Triangle" on the way up. It's at a restaurant run by a Thai politician who is leading an anti-aids campaign by giving out condoms. His restaurant is aptly named Cabbages & Condoms. We

knew that it rvas important to support this guy so we bought some T:shirts and (no not condoms) a few cold beers.

The next day we discovered that we could get Lao in Chiang Mai in one day. As we progressed, we learned that the visas were available in Chiang Rai within four hours. !\rhen we finally reached the Lao border, we disco'r,ered they can be bought on the spot for US$ZO. Another conspiracy devised by travel agents to get you to stay three days in a place at a hotel where you don't want to be.

We crossed the border and boarded our boat on the Mekong River. Thère are two types of boats you can rent, one approximately 10 meters long with a covered roof and a basic boat engine which putts along at about eight knots. Or you can opt for the smaller four-meter visas

all laughing like hell

until I discovered he had

my camera bag on his back. Luckily I had the camera with me, but all my lenses got a dunking.

That evening it was off to Bangkok's famed Patpong for a

We arrived at his property to hnd he had arranged for two Thai special forces rangers and the district chief of police to accompany us on our sojourn.

First a river crossing. One of the rangers showed up with this eight foot by three-foot bamboo raft semi-submerged in the water. The other showed up with a small fibreglass boat just barely big enough to carry himself. How the hell we were to get all this foreign beef across the river on this flotilla was highly questionable.

Jimmy crossed on the raft and I went with the bathtub! On the other side we discovered a larger raft which we sent back to get the others.

Finally we were all across and we started our trudge into the jungle.Jimmy's idea was to go uphill where we might find some deer or other type of animal to hunt (it was his property, so the hunting was legal, not that that really means much in Thailand).

he time was approaching noon, and one thing that I have learned from my previous

experiences with jungles during my misspent youth is that you don't mess around in them at the heat of the day. The animals know that. You any animals running, or even walking, see don't jungle during the day. They're napping. the around f,rgure this out? humans can't Why I finalll, stopped the safari about 30 minutes into the funny enough at the base of the hill and trip that I was going no further. Everyone announced THE CORRESPONDENT DECEI\,IBER r 999-JANUARY 2000

journey down memory

lane.

Patpong is not the Patpong of my earlier memories. It's now a mish mash of transvestite bars, street stalls selling the best knock-off anything you can imagine and hustlers selling everything else you can imagine.

We decided to hit the bars. Our guide was an ex-Silicon Valley

techno freak who made a lot of money, came to Bangkok on holiday,

fell in love with the first hooker he

River crossing (L-F) Norm lnnis and Doug lVoeller afloat

met, married her, bought a bar and restaurant (in her name), and set up a rice cooperative all in three months. in her home village We were hard pressed to find a bar with real girls in it. Lots of bars had the tall, beautiful sex change heshes with great bods a_nd looks, but are just not girls they're katoys, transvestitds. It was all too much for -us and after a few drinks, we wandered back to the hotel.

Chiang Mai and Chiang'Rai were pretty uneventful, so we decided to visit the Golden Triangle. Another big letdown. Because of the publicity of this place, you tend to fanaticise about dirt roads, tribesmen with guns, mules carrying strange sacks, border police etc.

No way paved roads, street stalld selling all kinds of junk, hawkers, hustlers and a concrete monument declaring that you are standing at the Golden Triangle.

The highlight of this part of the trip was that we THE CORRESPONDENT DECIìÀ.IBIJIì 1 999-JAN UÀRY

2OOO

variety which has a large automobile V8 engine in it and speeds along at 60 knots and makes one hell of a lot of noise. We went for the slow boat.

n the Mekong at last, slowly putting down the river, watching village life and basically taking in the sun. At the start of this trip, Doug ordered everyone to bring two bottles ofgood wine. Norm and I met at the .airport and decided that this was stupid and bought two bottles of tequila, two bottles of vodka, and just to keep Doug huppy,we also bought two bottles of wine.

The wine and tequila combo coupled with the hot afternoon sun had the desired effect and by the time we reached the first village where we were going to spend the night, we were well cooked. Our Lao guide said that they make some good local whiskey in this 23

I

village and that it would go well with the beer. \44ry not?

Bottles of beer later, another half a bottle of tequila

and an equal amount of local moonshine, we felt tha[ we lvere reacly to go look for the elusive opium den.

Some

time during this blurrrrr of alcohol consurnption, we rnanaged to latch on to some 50somcthing-year-olcl English casualty of the Sixties, I(arma Nlama. She was busy escorting two young, freshout-oÊuniversit)/ minions. \A¡hen it rvas time to \/enture out, we decided that natching this cosmic woman lead the rvay could actually be entertaining.

The village had one main road and during daylight,

it's a hubbub of local traffìc, mostly farmers with ox carts and motorcycles. At night the pseudo Euro hippies and backpackers take over rvandering around looking to score. Peeking out of alleys are local Laos beckoning you in.

One guy we met told us that he doesn't like the yolrng backpackers and hippies because they don't know what they are doing. They end up getting sick all over the place. He tried to getjust us old farts to follow him, but we opted to follow our Karma Mama on her quest to teach the walts of the Sixties to her young, innocent charges.

She finally found a guy. We were way too twisted on our hangover cocktail to do anything more than sit off

66!Vhy

to the side watching the drama unfold. much at the same time. One girl turned

It all hit pretty

a fine shade of lime green and barfed right in the Lao mamasan's face. The other girl stood up, started to reel and chucked all over someone. Norm and I got the cosmic giggles and were rolling all over the place laughing our

guts out.

The next day we nursed our hangovers with a nice Lao breakfast, drank one beer for effect, and cruised down (up?) the river. \A/e stopped a few times at local 'r,illages and enjoyed the scenery. Our next stop was Luang Prabong.

Luang Prabong is a world heritage site which means greedy tour operators and entrepreneurs can't come in and change anything. The only thing that can change is that yor-r can improve the original site back to its original splendour. This is truly one of the great cities of the world and well worth the trip.

Next stop Vientiane, which at one time was a great place. But nor'v it looks pretty much like a developing Thai city with lots of traffic and harvkers. Nonetheless, there are plenty of interesting sites to see there, but it was a bit of a letdown after everything previous.

Here's where our odyssey ends. It was fun, blurry and twisted.

Alrd a good time was had by all! I

me?"

he most astonishing thing happened to me in Sydnel' recently was bizarre, absolutely bizarre. In fact, it might have been the opening of an X-Files episode.

The weather had been overcast and I had been doing a lot of solitary walking around old inner ciry suburbs that used to be the slums where I lived as

a young reporter, and which are now gentrihed It it

I wandered down to Circular Quay and caught the 5.15 p.m. ferry to Balmain. Absolutely divine, as we chugged past the gleaming Opera Flouse and under the Harbour Bridge. The boat was full of tourists, of course, heading for Darling Harbour.

I was going to Balmain for its wine bars and bookshops and restaurants. Feeling mellolv. A gorgeous evening in the South Pacific's most wonderful city.

Idl¡ I glanced at a fellow passenger, a woman who looked Korean, in her thirties. She had a boy holding is light until 8 p.m. or so. So,

24

A long-time FCC member, Brian lost his battle with cancer in November. A stalwart of the Club, and former board member, he will be deeply missed Remembrance from Ðavìd Thurston worked with Brian when I hrst came to Hong Kong

1985. It was during one of Asia Magazine's periodic rebirths (it had been the flrst overseas investment by an owner of Australian newpapers

in

named Rupert Murdoch).

Brian had been taken on as deputy editor and I as a roving correspondent, and we'd been promised lots of money to work with. It didn't work out that way and Brian was not one to hang around. So he left. I had been immediately struck by his professionalism and his desire to encourage those who needed a boost.

Each evening, three or four of us would share a taxi from Quarry Bay to the FCC ($16!). "Man di, MAN DI!"

he'd bellow all the way at the uncomprehending driver. It was the only Cantonese he knew, it meant

Travel doesn't always go according to plan as the peripatetic Keuin Sinclair recently discovered in Sydney

expensive housing for stockbroker 1.uppies.

Ao)*uy, one Sunday afternoon the skies cleared. was a glorious day and with Daylight Savings Time,

Brian Jeffries

her hand, obviously her son, who looked Eurasian.

The wind was coming aft. The lady went to the handrail and took a box out of her backpack. With the boy at her side, she opened the box and started to shake the ashes of some person's remains over the side.

She had obviously never heard the old sailor's doctrine of pissing into the wind, because half of this bloke's ashes were whipped back in the wind over me and two Japanese passengers. The other lwo victims

went totally beserk; apparently it is bad luck in Japanese belief to ha'r'e some dead stranger ashes tossed all over you. It's not too good in Kiwi belief, either.

I dusted off my smart black blazer, wiped my face with a tissue dipped in sea water, and strode ashore in Lrrgent search of a rough Cabernet Savignon. \ÀIhy me?

\Alhy of the millions of tourists in Sydney, am I the guy who goes for a ferry ride and ends up with some

dead bloke scattered all over me? \ÂIhy me, Oh Lord? I

TI-IE CORRESPONDLNT DECEIvIBER 1 999-JANUARY 2000

"Slow down, slow down." He hated speed, but he was fascinated by space and one evening announced that he'd put his name down for a place for the time when commercial space tours came into being.

"But you'll be 95 by the time that happens," I said. "\A¡hat's that matter? As long as I can get through

the hatch," he replied, motioning upwards with

his

right arm.

He forked out big bucks to go up in a plane to see Halley's comet. With characteristic honesty he proclaimed in the bar: "Of course we saw especially

it...I think."

We had several conversations about whethe¡ given the chance, we'd take a one way trip into orbit. Brian was at his best chatting one to one. FIe was self contained, shy even, a.quality sometimes mistaken for unfriendliness. "Excuse mè," (if you were lucky), "do you have to stand so close?" he'd çay to strangers or friends alike at the bar. "Can't anyone have some space around here?" He didn'twant to get rid of you, he just hated huddling. And he disliked people who shouted. we talked about We hardly ever talked shop - eat, except once, tinned rice pudding (I never saw him at Christmas) and the Hubble telescope; we talked about falling in love and about slowly getting a little more decrepid - "old timer's disease". \Arhatever the subject, he would show his enthusiasm for it by easing one step back, eyes flashing, one finger prodding THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMßER 1999-JAN UARY 2000

the air. "Well, I think it's all perfectly simple..." and he would explain- his view. He always had one, on everything. Never dogmatic, usually open to change, but always he had a measured view.

What Asia needed was a science magazine, he insisted. He badgered the bosses at the Far Eastern Economic Reaieu, on which he worked after leaving ,Asia Magazine, with, tireless conviction. How right he was: haven't science and technolo$)' been kelwords of the decade and aren't. we er-rtering the new millennium with the richest man in the rvorld a technocrat? Back then we júst had started to have mobile phones, the size of small bricks.

Asia Technolog¡was at last given a fling by the Rnieu's publishers, Dow Jones. It was Brian's baby but he stepped back with great grace when Dow chose to jump over him and hire an editor with an academic science

background. As deputy he continued to devote himself to the idea with energy and that endless supply of positive thinking that stayed with him right to the tragic and testing end.

Brian would later found his own rnagazine, I'he Asict, Pacific Sþace Reþort, and in the past few months had been turning his atle.nlion to opportunities presented by the Internet.

-f -f e was t t -^^r:

fi_3"'-".T

with words,

ìl":#:i"ir:

The reader comes first. This was a talent to which that academic editor of AsiaTechnologl was later to admit a

big debt. Similarly, a former editor of TVB News remembers how Brian, who had previously not written for television, became immediately and instinctively at home with the medium, sensing the essential difference between the viewer and the reader.

Many people do not know that before coming to Hong Kong, Brian had been a hard-nosed wire service correspondent covering stories for the Associated Press, in, among other places, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, where he developed his devillish skills at squash, and Iran where he covered the Ayatollah revolution.

(See Rick Tomkins' remembrance, page 27.) I recall him telling how he had slept through a coup in Nigeria after a hear,y nig^ht out with the foreign press corps. All

25

think any'one

was. Was

it

because he

rv¿rs

it because have been room for two people? I'.,,,,:tir,::ì:,ìT think it rvas probably the latter; he alwa¡'s said hc ll¿Lrl t<l leave nhen the cleaning lady came. Most of' ì.rs ro¡1¡i,.,,,..¡ to pour excessive rents into the pockcts o[ our landlords.

The FCC was his other home, his livirrg room, dining room, work room, and here it rryas tlt¿rt lte rvoul¿ provoke, stimulate and encourage an)/olì(' rvith rvhor¡r he felt at ease, and perhaps dismiss thosc rvirlr *4rorn ¡e did not. He always had something positivc to sal,zrbo¡t a man, which he was, or was

David Thurston reading his letter to Br¡an at the FCC wake

lines were cut, but he got his story out, through the U.S. embassy, by pretending that he was an Amer-ican.

When Brian left school, he had been persuaded to auctioneers in Sheffield, England. After two weeks he left to pursue his dream of

join the family firm of

becoming a journalist. He trained on the Shelfield T-elegraph. In his early twenties he went to r,vork in Toronto, returning to England to work for Reuters in London before being taken on by AP as a foreign correspondent. During this time he also freelanced for tlle Sunday Exþress and I'he Times.

One day while "lur-rching" in a Fleet Street pub, he was startled by an explosion nearby. Terrorists had attacked the Law Courts. Scoop in mind and a biro borrowed from the barman, Brian ran to the scene and in so doing he was knocked down bv an ambulance. The ambulancemen thought Brian to be another victim of the bomb and took him to hospital with a broken leg. Later that day he received a sympathetic visit from a cabinet minister who congratulated him on his stoicism and courage in the face of the enemy. Brian reluctantll, 6s¡f..sed to being a journalist in pursuit of a front page story and had got in the way of an ambulance. The minister, after some huntþhing, patted him on the head and said

the vast, mysterious, beautifi-rl universe tvlrct.ling abotrt him. He marvelled at it.

Brian was ir-rdeed a private, self contlinccl rn¿r¡r, and was possessed of a shyness lhat sonrc people

misunderstood. That was their loss. Hc rvas r'outpletely without vanity, malice, prejudice ancl bieotr'1,. Those who knew him rvell will remembel horv crLsily he corrlcl be jogged out of a bad mood because on tlrt' rvlrole he preferred a good laugh. Those who knerv lrirrt rvell rrow know that nothing will be quite the s¿rrrc rvithot¡t Brian

ttf),t,(tì'(l

tín'ì,ä',rr,,""

likc

"t)' t I s' tt ttk ¡tot¡tt I t t i tl 'l'httt'¡ itttt tultrtl Ñottrltitt'tl trt

n

l¡tt

¡ou: u sorl

rttt enthttsiastit'

oJ ut

I Ilttn

Lo

You uere a good times th'a't I h'nttc een gen'erout

srt\': "Dott'l Antl I tuottltl

lo kttttttt."

þlanc leaui

ct'ertled

i¿ci. I h'n'"' '''tlo) rc¡r( lo lttt't' .\'ott' (t1 iltrcuragrttt(tìl ,,lVirtl I itrtnt.

"llul I it'tttt!

I't¡

notion ol the rigltt nrn'

uith your

all.for?" you tttoukl say. 't matLer We tl'on't neerl

a'sh'

htt'ou," you'd demand' We'd haae a fezu

uithout sqting goodØe' there' We won't recognise be alua)s Ilttl tluu l)rirm, )torl'll half a Carlsberg yu I'll buy but nteet, ue one unollu't ittlttttt ¡nore

Int'r.s tttttl )'ou'tl lettue, somelimes

ttttrl ¡tttt\ba lt)t'con slflrl a{a¿n'

¿trïr¿,uÌ, IlS. llt'tn, tttbrr Lhere's alcohol in Space' See you at the bar, around here' soo¡ttr llttttt lttltr Ilrc uay thel driue

The bell tolls for Brian Pat Elliott Shircore holds a Burmese bell for Mike Moles to hit

A letter to Brian from David Thurston

Rick 'linnkins, a former AP photographer, worked with Brian Jeffries

ritten Monda;,March 22, 1999, rrt 12.40 a.m. in my home in Phuket, Thlillncl . My reaction to hearing the nctvs tlrat Bri¿rn had cancer and only a feu, weeks to livt'. llliarl livecl another seven months. The letter- rvas lrt'r'ct' ¡lrailecl because once he arrived in Englancl tì(-'\vs ( arlre back that, with a bit of luck, the end of the ¡o¿rrl \\'¿ìs lìot so nigh as first feared. Then I was fortttnatt: [t¡ be able to see him several times in Devon whet-c rvtr spt'ltt trlttclt of the summer, he in the care of his sistel rrtlcl llrotlrerin-law and the Torbay General Hospital, anr[ I fìrllorving the death of my mother who also hacl livccl tlrcl'c' Dearest

Brian, "Elder lrother",

Yo uould' ctrinh'

to go to

Slrttr lir'rl' ßul I

leaae uilltt¡ttl u [arnuell Not as drtttt'¡lrtlul fts lott'

in Africa and Iran trite simply, one of the most decent, but

utterl)/'tvacko people I've known. Brian tvas undoubtedly a stubborn man. \À4-rile

in Kinshasa co\/ering one of Zaire's rus

rìLunerous rebellions, a whole group of Lo deci<[t'rI go out and spend some goo-goos on a

sr,uìlptu()us rlinner-. The restaurant was only half a mile

fr'orn tlrt' lroLel, br-rt heedful of warnings about crime, decitk'rI to take a taxi. Except Brian who decided lre tvasn't soing to squeeze into a rickety vehicle with ¿r br¡nch ol sober hacks. So while we waited for a cab

rvc

in front ol the hotel, he strode off on foot.

Fif tt't'rr ruinutes lateq as we still waited, Jeffries, robbecl of cver-ything but his black socks and white bl'icls, str.ocle back up the driveway, muttering "oh, jus¡ [:r'i";' ()f f', li:i.+ off."

O1't orn'sc, as e\¡eryone knew in Nairobi, one ne\¡er aPProa(lrt'c[ Br-ian when he u,as doing his expenses.

Failrrrc'to heed this course of action inevitabll' t'esltltcrl in a loud "fx*'k off', and if not fãst enough, a

was once asked why he came to Hong Kong. "Because," he said "it's a long way from Africa." Apparently he had been at a press conference with Ugandan despot Idi Amin. Tvpically, Brian, in the interest of mankind, deviated from the prepared list of questions which caused some furore.

Afterrvards, he received some unpleasant advice and it

thtrrnp fì'ortr a flying telephone book.

Bliirrr, ls solne rra)/ know, was a sirorer, but not just :rtry or<lirr;rr-1' slÌorer. FIe rvas a slloret: without equal.

no longer on the African

contlnent.

26

lrcrJctted

Briatr in Africa and IraP

rian

Some 10 years ago, he did the smartest of things, he bought a flat in Hong Kong, a booming city but a jittery one in the wake of the Tiananmen massacre in China and ahead of the handover in 1997. I never visited it. I don't know why I was never asked, I don't

tr'rr's.

in their lives. Blessed be his memorl'.

"\AIell...never rrrind...vou've done well. "

was suggested that he tarry

i¡ttlf nattiJi'tl 'iìlr:i"t,

created, m

ntot? contittue, mahiltg' tttt¡rt'ttnd

Lhe mistrtkes i So,

þerfect uehicle.

I

TllE

trct'nsþortntiott tìtttil it linls ,th,e ntind lo belieae the þeþcL uehicle.fi¡r tltt t r'\RY 2(X[) (IORRESPON D[,N'l' DI']'(ìtilvll]t'lR Ml)!l'l \N

Back in l!)77, while in Uganda ro report on rhe Ittttrtlct' ol irn ar-chbishop, ive became the reluctant gttcsts of Irli Aurin, individually quartered in concrete gttest Ituls :rt a guar-ded resort along,Lake Victoria that A¡nirt llltl corrver.ted into a command post. Abour 2 a.ln., a t onrmotion ar,t'oke many of the hacks and sent evel-)()rì(' sr larr-rbling outside.

The guarcls, or goons if yott ¡lrcli'r, had hearcl a stranse sound, possibly an

'1'l

M

( ì(

)RRrasr,( )N t)

tìN].

D

[,cEñll]ER

r

909_JÂNU ARy 200[l

unauthorised motorboat starting, stopping, coughing and sputtering on the lake or along the shoreline' A search was mounted, the noise pinpointed and the ¿ 56¡¡dly sleeping and snoring culprit ferreted Brian Jeffries.

-

I was going to tell )'ou about the German correspondent, happily bonking an African bar girl, who lost it, so to speak, rvhen he looked up from his endeavours to see an autographed passport picture of our hero above her bed. 'Oh', she exclaimed. 'That's Mr.JefTerson'. But I guess I'll pass on that one. inally a story r,r,hich highlights the character of a truly decent, honourable man. In 1979 we were in Tehran together, covering the

Iranian r-evolution. Brian had gone ahead as the nerv AP bureau chief, but once he got there discovered the companv had screwed him monel'wise. Fed up, he quit on the spot. However, he told them he would remain on post until the new bureau chief arrived. Now this \{as a ver)¡ hairl' time.

Demos everyday, rioting, troops shooting into crowcls and the old hacks likell' 25 not a target of one side or the other. Brian could have jusl- stayed in the office, directing the rest of us as we went out on the streets.

But that wasn't Brian. As angry as he was with the compan)¡, no matter how betral'ed he felt, he went out on the line without complaint, day in and day out, producing terrific coPY. That's the kind of guy Brian 'was. We all respected him tremendously." l

from Nairobi

27

What $hould the defense do?

By Wendy

I Richardson

n twenty-twenty hindsight on a hand, otherwse known as the post-mortem, it's easy to see how

Eyewitness on Asia A signed copy was sent to Brian's Marilyn Hood (left) and Pat Elliott Shircore at the wake

From Penny Byrne who was at the funeral I went yesterday. Glorious village on edge of Dartmoor, where Charles Kingsley was born Y and there is a window dedicated to him in the I lovely little church.

My tears started when four Marty Feldman characters of undertakers sef up two trestles for the coffin. Then they staggered back with Brian's dead weight and I thought for an awful moment, when I noticed how skewed the supports were, that he was going to do an Ayatollah. But no. Could see to sing 77le Lord's My Sheþherd, but Paul's (Brian's brother-inJaw) reading of David Thurston's tribute really set me off.

As I was the only "friend" there, I was the only one laughing at the FCC etc references. I suppose the other 29 friends and co-villagers of Anne (Brian's sister) and Paul's, must have thought me very dis-

\

Z

es

respectful.

The local vicar was oka¡ but the tall, lugubrious, black-robed monk from Buckfast read words that he appeared never to have seen before, which was, of course, quite likely. The frnal hymn, The Da1 Thou Gaaest Lord is Ended, set me off again particularly the reference to different spots around -the world and conjured up the vision ofall at the barl I could just see Brian throughout saying "Nice of you to show up!!" And as I said to Paul later, after farewelling the coffin and hearse at the church gate (pretty harrowing, knowing it was headed for cremation), I can just see him arguing with St. Peter.

"Don't you think it was pretty silly to put Castor and Pollux so close together?" while bellowing at the saints and angels crowding around. "Do you have to stand so close?"

Most of us went back to Anne and Paul's lovely a quiet wonderful spot for him to have been. You couldn't get anything more dissimilar to the Hong Kong he knew. I took the India photo album (Christmas 1987 Brian joined me and fellow club members Mary Lee,- Sue Girdwood and Betty Fu on a trip to India to look at tigers) and the house looking across to Dartmoor

28

family was delighted, saying this was a side of him quite unfamiliar. Anne wants to have some copies, particularly a great one of Betty Fu teaching him mahjong. I left at about 4:15, just as dusk was starting,

enthusiasm by West in this deal ensured that North,/South made their contract.

Dealer E,

E

/W mlnerable.

and drove heading into a fabulous sunset, thinking how Brian would have been able to explain the refraction of light etc etc. Cot home at 6:15 and had one final howl while telling Tim all about it.

He cried too, but said at least Brian will be finding out all the answers to the questions he must have had.

We have placed a notice in I'he Times which should appear in the Saturday edition. The funeral is to be on Wednesday (November) 1Oth 2:30 at the little church in the village. It will be an ecumenical service with a monk from the local Abbey assisting our rector which I think would please Brian.

If

it will go to The Turner Ward of Torbay Hospital which had cared for Brian so wonderfully. They were kind, considerate and once they all got to know him all had tremendous respect for him and they could

41086 +AKJ

Most would open 1t with intention of a jump on the second round. Yet, in this case West chose to open 2l and then bid the clübs everal times after that' This never happened as'the bidding went like this:

West

North

East

South

K5 + Q9 6532

'2s

Dble .'

Pass

Pass

Pass

2a

N E

W S

.l¡ A

+

+7

was double and see what either partner or South would do. As you can see the answer was "nothing". So, now

i3

4

West was

in the bizarre situation of defending

108

5l

South

4l

3ô

Pass

Pass

N/S

more patient friendly which they all feel is

so

Donations should be sent to: F Christophers & Son Bridge llouse

I

Kingsbridge Lane

Ashburton Devon TQ13 ?DX

UK

Tel:

[44]1364654065

Fax: [44] 1364 653053 THI (ìORRIjSPONDENT DECEMBER

t999-JANUARY2000

outside of their holding?

Pass

¿Þ2

it

was

West led out with the A â and followed with the K, assuming that piartner had a singleton wrong! At trick 3 a low heart was played but too late. Having played the A, declarer crossed back to the J l. Then by ruffing the low spade in dummy and then playing the Q * it allowed declarer to discard J ? when E did not ruff. A heart ruff back to hand followed by two top trumps. End ol'story.

If West had held up the I(ô, or played a heart or spade at trick two the contract goes down.

If you were \Mest and picked up this hand what would you bid?

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER

1

ggg-JANUARY 2000

vulnerable.

ç9764 t3

+Ç

With this bidding, more or less, everybody knew where the cards were placed, with the exception of the vital Aâ. How could the defense know that

â

ôAQ,t07652

West

certainly do with extra funds to help make the ward important. There is to be a big modernisation project starting some time next year which they are all looking forward to.

Cheques or bank drafts should be made payable to: "Turner Ward Torbay Hospital". Please also indicate that it is sent in memory of Brian Jeffries.

3

doubled with 7 of the suit. East could have called 4l or 4t to take out the double, but by keeping quiet did the best thing. This is the full deal:

10

East

3+

West was not particularly interested in East's major suit, when South popped up with 3+. All West could do

Dealer West,

North

Dble

ôKJe8752 ?K43

ç J7 . AQJe742

anyone wishes to send a donation

+AK709 5 +3

I ?A10652

I

âQ643 ?Qe8

Frorn Ann Jacklin (Brian's sister)

iAQJ876

.l?-

to beat the contract. However, a touch of over-

ô?fAqJ876

¡ÞAK109543

ôKJ983

N

W

E S

"J10853 lK95

+-

s4 ?AKq2 a t0 42

.ÞQJ876 West led At), then the Aô followed by more diamonds. South finally managed to win three tricks ouch! East,/West could for a penalty of 1,700 points have been in 6l but that would have been far more work for less prof,rt. Well done our quiet East. I

29

Who are you?

game and tltt' occasional

The Publications Committee recently conducted two surveys olle on the profile of our membership and the other on The Correspondet-¿t,.

Steae White first reports, with tongue in cheek, ot who we are ancl then tackles an opinion survey of the magazine.

Membership pnoti¡e he Publications Committee has just f,rnalised

a

surve)¡

of members using a

random

sampling of the membership gleaned from the FCC mailing list.

Attempting the impossible since there is no such thing as an "average member", here is a pen portrait of George and Georgette. For the sake of simplicity, we're going to use George and the male pronoun (instead of the cumbersome 'he/she'). But before you start screaming ladies, a new survey is being prepared, even as you read this, on lady members.

George is mid-tolate-forties and has been an for almost six years He's also a member of another Hong Kong club. He's never served on a committee of either club and is not sure if he would want to as it takes up a lot of his six-day

Associate Member

week.

George is a partner in a law fir-r-n in Ccntr¿rl specialising in fìnance, grossing, incluclirre ìronuses and housing allowance, just over HK$1.1 rriìlion a year.

He's married with his daughter just fìnislrins her schooling here in Hong Kong while rhe son is alreacly, attending university at "home". The son ¿utrl tlrc inlarvs are visited once a year and the son retlrrlÌs <[trlinu pirrt of the summer vacation. He rents a flat on I lonu I(ong Island and owns a place back home. He's cvcn tlrinking of buying here, but that's been an on-aeaiu/olf:itgain idea for some considerable time now His business takes him abroad quitc ol'tr:rr (Hong Kong's his company's regional H.Q.), aborrt ciqlìt or nine times ayear. Add to that the duty c:Lll l¡atk horne and the family's owrl two-week trip to Th:rilarrrl. llc's on

a plane for one reason or anothel

nc:rr 11, cvely

month. When on business, he goes Busiuess (llass. He, or rather his company, went onto a Frerlrrt'trt Flyer' programme years ago. (On personal fliglits, ht' uncl the family sit in economy.) Business tr-ips ¿t\'('r'rtr¡c ttvo to three da1,s und he stays at the local lly'itlt. For holiday's, he prefers the Inter--Contittt'rrtrtl or Shangri-La.

"o*,ftå;8ffi l/

lhe nahrre Plc¿sc indic¡rc

ol yor¡

O Cortspondcnt Ú lorrnalì* ñ A'sociate Tl

sPccil) Orhcr rPleâsc

In an average

year, George u'ill visiI tlrrt'c tlr four Asian capitals and either S)'d'e)', I,.trr[.tt or New York. On business, he's beginning to sct' trtorc ofsouthern China and personally, ¡. uttd his spoLrse (or let's call her Suzie) love [r'il¡Pirrg ovcr partner,/S.O. to Macau quite regularly. They hope it rvill ltt¡t t'lratrge too much after the handover!

f$å8i¡f; ""'"

membcrship:

r

hnve Yoil bectr 2/ Ëor hov lons Õ Less thâD 1 tear

3

mcmEr:

O t-nY"ur

O s-l Y""re

O

to Y"u'" o' n'o'"

3/ Are you

othcrClilb(s): añcrùer olân]

BTi.*,""**"''o' FCC commìttcÙ(slì servc on â¡J 4/ Do )ou cur€iltly

Bì:,(,i**.p""tu ÀrÄreloil...r

;;ä;;;

O Female

(ì OHKresieil,,-,

u

gu"d,;,0!ä,i'ine" Bïltl;?,H;, O ú' "O

¡õ oo

u' rincludrrrg incornc fâll persunal âNu¿l groilP' does YoÚr bß'ad ol rhe tolìowing B/ lnLo which pø."{0ol HKS I Mìllidt

¡.ncfirerclr ooo-o O Up ro HK!4n m -; CIHK'

30

O

rillio¡

sing Visa or Amex, he clines ortt t\\lcc :ì week, sometimes with his spoust' (t't al)' sometimes on business. Revealirril-lr', he only dines at the FCC abottt olcc or rltavllc twice a month, although he lunches at the (ìhrlr c¡rrite legularly. He appreciates wine, imported bct:r' rtttr[ <>ll occasion a whisky or a gin.

George drives a two-litre Mazda, but is thirrkirrq o[ up-grading next year to either a BMW or a N'lcr i \\'hat *itÈ ni. insurance policies, the mortgage ll¿rcli hotllc and his modest po.ìfolio of stocks ancl shalcs - he'll consider it later. 'thc George enjoys a game of golf (he's a lnerlrllt'r t¡f oll FCC GoH society) , but he can't spend enotlsh tirtrt' the links to i and Suzie hav THE CORRESPONDENT DECEù'IBEìl 1999-1',\Nt

\lì\

''lrxll)

of tennis complete his

rtment have all the latest caught a mini-Internet f him in sPeed surfìng. m at home (Imelda comes ), their domestic running about HK$6,000-7,000

The Cot re.rporulent

l/How often doyou reâd The Co¡respondonf,l

D

aI (lroo pieces

moutllll

2/ Horv

At

$5,000. l'lte his rvl'isl tva

3/Horv

their 'I\vcntieth' TheY als the same for .jì-r.,tt,, (about twice a month) and like those in venues .on.",'t, (llut in easily accessible you'll see frequentll" Less ishinrslratsui or \A/anchai) ' annual their to addition in a sporting event ,lr.n', ^t Seveus ¡liJerimage' "lf i t òLrld only get my handicap down" ' " Sotutrl like anYone You know?

0plnlon survcy

tl llte EorresÛunüent

:

highli¡4h ts:

Most ntetnbers (70%) read/look at every issue sent to therìì - in order to have an opinion it's logical that 307o rcslronded 'some issue'. On average, each issue had a lcircler-per-copy of two.

Elevcrr legular sections were then listed and indivichurls u,ere asked to rate between Excellent, Goocl, ;\r crage and Poor.

magaztne as a whole l3Vo, Go od, 47 Vo, Average 37 % and P oor

The' :rverage results tvere Exc t: lle

tt

for the

3Vo.

Diff'cr.cnces occurred by section, of course, with most likccl (Excellent plus Good) being Front Cover and Corcr. Story 84Vo, Feature Stories 72% and Letters 70o/o.

-l'lte lorver scores were for the Travel

Firratrcc '14% anð, Golf Society 46% sections.

every

na¡y

issue p¿oo¡"

O

*rd

do

ys¡

44Vo,

!\Ihcn asked. "Which regular sections would

issres

some

your copy

honre

O

not at

aI

ofTùe Corespondent?

at ihe office

¡¡1¿ ¡¡¿

¡6llorrirg regular scclions oIThe Corresponden¿,

Exccllert - Front cover ¿jrd covcr - Lencrs - President's Colù¡¡n - Financiat C-oJùm, - Lùnch/cuesr Spe¿kers - Book Review - Club events a¡d social

Cood

Avcrâge

poor

srory

- cotfSocicry F-calüre stor¡es

Mediâ-sp€cjtic IcâtÌ,res

4/ Wh¿r regujår sections wou¡¿ yo¡r tike

uother questionnaire was included in the landom mailing along with the membership pr-ofile. It asked what you, the reader of !-h,e Corresþondent, thottght of the current [orrnat/t:ontent and invited suggestions on can cellation i rn p tov t ttrett ts, expansio n / contt action,/ as to how suggestions other of iegtrlrtr features, and any members' serve the Cltrlr's rnagazine might better It frrrrtlll' enquired if you would use or recommend 'l'he Corn'.sþonclent as a medium for your company's advertisirg. Please remember that in such a survey you rvill fìn<l opinions at every end of the spectrum, so here in tlle main we are talking broad consensus. The

Forcign Correspondents Club euestionuaíre

?.he

O u

Fronr cover a¡d.9over rresrdent-s Colù¡nn

þ

see

*ory

tt );-" ";;rJ,.

,sociaÌ

.

expuded?

O Lclers

oFinilciârcorunn -'okjlevìew

--

-

produced "\A4rat you would most like to see added?"

(i'e' the

Report some interesting responses' Treasurer's about facilities information entity), Club as a fìnancial

member and liaison with reciþrocal clubs' new features' profiles and contributiåns' and stafÊrelated produced Ñot surprisingly this 'catch-all' c^tegory to a long ùst of þersonal suggesdons too nlrmerousThe fully itemise here' Butãembers .sug^Sested stories' columns Corresþond,en run more humorous modern media Uy ,fti chef, and about wine and less Golf technology. As many people wanted

as

wanted

on old more. A similar count concerned articles

members'

as divided On "the quality" of the of the magazÍre, and into Editorial, Photography' Design' Production Printing and P.inting, 6IVo agreeí that the Editorial category) excellent no ' SlVo were 'good' (there was

49% Plnoto9raphy though't the Production was 'good'7 ' and 39Vo Design. ¿ as Finally, "Wãuld You recommend

o

nts ate

u,-r .du..iiri,-tg -édi.tt?", 55Vo 'no'' answered 'y..;u, 4b% who ;aid

the 'no', the

"not our two most common replies,were

small"' target market" and "circulation too (Ertitor's note: IJ you thinh

I

The Correspondent is a

don't be yo'ur comþany's ad'uertisement' or the Etlitor rep Ewan Simþson or the Publications any member of the Board or

Committee

Ivetìt to tlle President,s Column.

TI I u ( () tìl{ r sp()NDENT DECEIvIBER 1 99o-JANUARv 2000

masthead)

-

Details on page )ou get the id'ea'

I in the

exhibition of New Asian Photo Perspectives in Hong Kong.

Co-president Denis Gray, tïte Associated Press Bureau Chief in Bangkok, reports on this new organisation

.lt '/, 'È

Clockwise from top. Night market in Chiang Mai; celebralions for the Thai New Year mean a watery reception for drivers and passengers in vehicles travelling through Chiang Mai; a fortuneleller in a Karen village of Baw Keow, North Thailand

. -¿ .'

he results of one photo course, held last year in

managed f o slay fean and mean and have no interest in institution'building. Although our board members in Thailarìd and in our associate foundation, IMMF UK, all have strong professional and emotional ties to Indochina, we're ready to disband any time we believe

the nor.thern Thai city of Chiang Mai, were on display ät Asia's Freedom Forum head office in Hong Kong. The exhibit featured the

work of 12 talented photojournalists

who thinking about images and the said their unanimously changed radically after of their'profession possibilities the Chiang Mai experience.

As with all our students, these proved a vibrant, colourful group. They included a Cambodian who arrived with grenade shrapnel still lodged in his leg ln the field lMlt/F Journalism Training Course

im Page, the celebrated British photographer, came very close to losing his life in Indochina, a half a dozen times in fact from severe wounds sustained on the frontlines of the war. More than 320 journalists like him weren't as lucky.

Haunted by his own experiences and the memories of friends he lost in the Vietnam Wa¡ Page started a little foundation back in 1991.

Eight years lateq The Indochina Media Memorial Foundation (IMMF) is still small in size and we want to keep it that way. But we think those 320 journalists who came from all political sides of the Indochina conflict would be very pleased with what our little band

-

has accomplished.

One day the foundation hopes to build a memorial

somewhere in Indochina to our dead friends, and we are sure at the appropriate time it will be built.

But more importantly, the IMMF has contributed to the living and often struggling colleagues

32

working in today's Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

and Burma.

Thus the focus of the IMMF has and will continue to be education, specially honed courses for the rising stars ofjournalism in those four countries, along with Thailand from where our main work is being done. To date, the IMMF has held 10 major courses for 160 journalists, along with a number of smaller workshops and on-site training.

While journalism print, radio and photojournalism to date -is the core of every course,

each has a different focus. We've taken our students

to the hills of northern Thailand and the banks of

the Mekong River to investigate environmental

problems. Those keen on business and economic reporting have been shown the inner workings of Thaistyle capitalism. Photographers have explored the problems of AIDS and leprosy and poverty among hilltribes.

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBDR I 999-JANUARY 2000

(from covering an assassination attempt), two Laotians who came with barely useable cameras but great enthusiasm and a duo of prize-winning photographers from Vietnam. \A/hile more in-country courses in local languages are planned, the major training will purposely be conducted in Thailand and in English. This serves to promote another IMMF goal: to build bridges among journalists from various corners of Indochina. It also gets writers and photographers out of the often constraining environment of their own countries.

Other hallmarks of our courses have been great trainers (provided by Britain's Thompson Foundation) hands on help from Western and Asian journalists from our own region and, to thê administration genius of our project director, Sarah Mclean.

The results have proved heartening: our alumni not only send us stacks of clippings and radio reports but news that they have gained promotions, started new programs and columns as a result of what they've learned. A number have gone on to win foreign scholarships.

With only Sarah and a part-time assistant on a slim

payroll, the rest of us donate our time, so we've THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1999-IANUARY

2OOO

'

training of the kind we can provide is no longer needed.

At the moment, however, we get more requests for help than we can handle. In 2000, we'll be holding including another one for three major courses photographers and one angled on the environment.

We're also looking to produce basic journalism textbooks for easy news-room use in five languages.

Funding, ofcourse, has been a problem and several times we were down to our last, meagre reserves. But we've managed to attra:ct some very fine, no-stringsattached supporters, especially the Danish government aid arm, DANIDA. Other contributors have been The Asia Foundation, The Reuter Foundation, Ford Foundation, Coca Cola, UNOCAL, The Freedom Forum, International Center forJournalists, The Open Societ¡ Prospect Burma and government agencies of Australia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Germany and the

United States.

The seed money came from passing the hat around at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand and from two auctions of photographs donated by photographers from around the world. The first, in 1992, reaped US$40,000 and got us on our way.

We got some great help from colleagues in Hong Kong. A bestseller was the famous shot of the helicopter evacuation from a Saigon rooftop by Hugh van Es. He came down to Bangkok personally for the evening and penned his autograph on the back.

I

))

Guam Island Fiesta

Photos by Terry Duckham

The FCC's fourth annuâl Gúam Island Fiesta opened the newly-renovated Main Dining Room on November 4. 'fhe full house were treated to an exotic display of Chamorro cuisine and culture. The Hafa Adai dancers gave a colourful performance of a wide variety of Chamorro dances from a strenuous enactment of Chamorro srick fighting to folk ballads and the ever popular Cha Cha. Guests enthusiasticallyjoined in for the finale clancing ()n stage and fìnishing with a conga around the room. The Hilton Guam Resort and Spa's Chef Tony Nautajoined rhe FCC's Chef Steve Warren to create a tantalising table buffet featuring Guam's popular Pacific island cuisine.

Flanked by the Hafa Adai dancers, Murray Forsythe (left) is presented with a trip for two to Guam by GVB's Douglas king. Senator Gordon Mallioux (leffl on éuam drew the lucky ticket

34

2000 THE CORRESPONDENT DE(IEMBER t99glANtJ/\l{l'

FCC member and Cathay Captain, Murray Forsythe was the Guam Visitors Bureau's grand prize winner. Murray rvon of a trip for two to Guam flying Continental Airlines ancl staying at the Hilton Guam Resort and Spa (Cathay <krn't fly to Guam so Murray was happy to collect the tickets). Edward Cairns won the Guam Island Food Fiesta pr-ize, also a trip for two to Guam sponsored by the Guam Visitors Bureau, Continental Airlines and the Hilton Cì.rram Resort and Spa, with an order of Chef Nauta's tasty coconut tart with chocolate sauce well worth the extra

-

calories. rl I lì CORRESPONDENT

DE(IEMBER 1999-!\NUARY 2000

35

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U

c_

-o o I

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Andrew Robertson

T.M. Management Limited Rrr

1001. Baskelville House, l3 Durltlell Stleet, Central, Hong Kong E-rnai I : trnrn¿rn (qr netv gator.conl ¡

Battle of the laptops Freelance writer Robin Lynan (left) squares off against the S C Jake van der Kamp,

M

Tel:

FCC South Gathered for lunch and a gossip in Sydney are former FCCers (t-F) Slew Bell, Mike Throssell, Tricia Carton, Neville Kitto, Mike Foote, Peter Carton, Andew Sloan and David Bell wíth Correspondent Editor Saul Lockhart (second from the left) and wife Alison (nghf) Missing: Jack Bennett who left before the pictureìaking

Post's financial columnlst

@

I 0395 Fax:

2tì4-5

02,10 Mobile: 926tì

63-51ì

LABORATORIES LTD. Ground Floor, 184 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong.

Tel : 2526-0123 . Fax : 2524-9598 Managing Director Johnny Lee Lam Yan Hung Shop Manager

U U

t co I

2-52

c

o) f

Services: Film Processing

.

Color Enlargement &

ASTAN ARTW2RKS 1ALLERV ÞRouDLV ÞRot4)ilNÇ THÉ EXCEÞ'|þNAL A?15

of

AS\A

Unique, personally-selected quality fu¡niture Exclusive ìine of designer cushions, bolsters, tablecloths Pottery, outdoor/indoor (Earthenware, Celadon & Modern) Tableware (cutlery and exclusive Glassware) Baskets, Lamps, Weaving,.Statues & Decorator Pieces The Reþútse Bay Courtyard, The Repulse Bay Warehouse: Unit 609,

3l Lok Yip

Road, On Lok Tsuen, Fanling

'"féb2606-7093 Fax: 2601-4485

-Eâ.6ËHaãåEE Lost in thought Jonathan FCC

thing' for the FCC and charity, the Club team completed the grueling Trallwalker '99 course over the 100 km Maclehose trail in 38 hours, 36 minutes (L-B) Andrew Chandler, Amy Jameson, Sandy Thomas and Louis Thomas, who completed his 12lh walk

AIRpORT AUTHORITY

I

Corporate Affairs Manager Sau Ying Wong 28247700 28247705,28247152 (24 hours) Media Enquiries

38/F,, Office Tower, Convention Plaza,

Sharp contemplating the day's happenings at the Main Bar

Trailwalkers They're at it again Sacrificing 'every-

Hong Kong Trade Development Council Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Tel: 2584-4333 Farl2824-0249 E-mail: hktdc@tdc org hk

For Hong l(ong trade statistics, informatíon and analys¡s, fast, call TDC's Media Communications

lnternational Section or v¡sit www,tdc,org,hk

Function:

Managing the new Hong Kong lnternational Airport

ÉT,--fT¿ WORLOWIDE

GROUP

Our experienced team can help you find the right home in Hong Kong. We also provide advice on relocation and offer

More Than Moving ... Caring

Bert's ls Clare Hollingworth, the doyenne of foreign correspondents in Asia, contemplating a new career?

Firhill Limited Relocation & Real Estate

Crown WorldWide Movers

ïel: (852) 2636-8388 Fax: (852) 2637-1677 E-mail: bwonqhksha@ crownworldwide.com

orientation tours for newcomers on arrival.

CøIl Jenni Tinworth for more information Tel:2537 5338 Fax: 2537 1885 E-mail: firhitl @ hk.super.net www.firhill.com.hk A tnember of the HonB Kong Societl, of Real Esnte Agents Ltd.

^Þ l ! f l @

o l

Salsa Have you tried it?

mrncvysalTñ=-

California calling Karen Penlington catches up with Stuart Wolfendale

36

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER rggg-JANUARY 2000

Call

[852) 2572 822B

on Email info@pr-newswine.com.hk Website www.prnewsw¡re.com.hk

i I

PRoFESSTo¡¡ar Co¡¡TAcrs

PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS FREEIANCE WRITERS DAVID BAIRD - Caìl norv fôr Features, Editing, Photograph.v TeI/Fax: (dSZ) ZZSZ 72?8 E-mail: baird@asiaonline.net ROBIN LfîlAM - Fe:rtures and humour pieccs on travel, [ood, rvine and spirits, music arcl literature Tel: (852) 2827 2873 Fax: (852) 2194 45ll E-mail: Robinlynam@compuserve.com

}REEIANCE PHOTO GRAPHERS JB.{NIFR. BOüSKtrI - Specialising in portrais,fashion,evenß, Corìmercial & Corporate photography TellFax. 2547 6678 Pager:7l168968 #8838 RAY CRANBOURNE - Editorial, Corporate and Industrial Tet: (852) 25248482 Fax: (852) 2526 7630 E-mail: cranS@hkat¡c,net TERRY DUCKHAM / ASIAPD( - see box ad on this page.

KEES PHOTOGRAPIIY Nei.vs o Features o Online

-

FREELANCE CAMERAMAN

RICIIARD JONES - see box ad on this page.

FREEI-ANCE ARTISTS GAVIN COATES - "SAYIT WITH A CARTOON!" Call Gavin Coates on Tel: 2984 27 83 E-mail: gavincoa@netvigator.com

FREEIANCE EDITOR,/WRITER SAUL LOCKHART - All your editorial needs packed neàtly into one ar,'uncular body. Projects (repors, brochules, newsletters, magazines et

Sþ

MEDIA ENQUIRIES Tel : (853) 755288 Fax: (853) 727628

Gnat¡rrre oe

CoonorrnçÁo on CeRrvór.¡re oe

TR¡rsrenÊncr¡

Bì^Afr*v4^Ë HANDovtR

CER8,4oNY

Cooro runlon 0r¡rcl

ACCREDITATION Tel : (853) 755700 Fax: (853) 755703 E-mail: info@macau99.org.mo Website: www. macau99.org.mo

THE STORE HOUSE We provide a flexible, low-cost solution to your personal and business storage needs: close to Central; from HK$480 p.m. upwards (48 cu ft); no extra costs; secure; 7-day access.

CaII2548 4049 or e-mail storage@glink.net.hk

ol golf photography f'or all

D 2ti.r.s@$100 fl 3li.r.s@$150 J +tr...s@$200 D D Small box @ $300x6mths / $25Oxf 1 mths Í Lurg. box @ $600x6mtins / $550x11mths fl L..g. box w,/ spot colour @ $700x6míhs /

, I

Video Cameraman / Editor News, Documenrary, corporate

E-mail:

r was MTSQUOTED! How to beat news interviev,er,ç of fheir own gatne.

The indispensable guide to leveling the playing field when being hassled by radio, TV or pless.

By TED THOMAS, written after over 30 yeals of interviewing celebrities and teaclring the tricks of a despicable trade.

Cartoons by Arthrrr Hacker' *¡.z\4HK$70

each

J

ltlew !

ZEditionl

Corporat( Contmunications Lttt. t004 East Town NclS., +-\/\tJ Lockhart Road, Wanchai.

TeL

2527 7077, Fax: 2866 6781

Contact Richard Castka on Tel,/Fax (852) 2550-9042

Mobile: (852) 9129-5662 E-mail: rcastka@asiaonline.net

OSIO OIX oTerry Duckham/Asiapix IIIIIIII@ Editorial Features, Advertising, Corporate and Commercial Photography throughout S.E. Asia and the Pacific -l¡el:2572 Fax: 2575

9544

8600

E-mail: asiapix@hk.linkage.net Website: www.webhk.com/asiapix/

f0 fitAiloE vouR utE?

DO YOU VALUE YOUR

IIEALÍII?

WA¡IÍ A MORE SECURE IIIIAIICIAL FI'ÍURE?

DO YOU

Name:

is "YES" then read 0n...

Managers to launch a leading world nutrition company ln llong Kono. fhis is a revo¡utlonary AU$ilESS OPPORÍUN|ÍY in Olobal market¡ng.

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Conloct: Suson Miller Tel.28l9 3842 Mobile: 9388 0448 E-rn o il: Suzie rn ille t@h otrn

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$600x11mths

FCC Membership No:

Address:

Signature: For more information telephone 2573 3548 or fax2834 3762

. KENSINGTON . KNIGHTSBRIDGE HAMPSTEAD . HIGHGAT[ HONG KONG . SINGAPoRtr . Ntrw YoRK

,ê

Hong Kong Tourist Association

lltiNH¡\M lltslrvtrs RESIDENTIAL

for nelworking

5ti.r"s@$zfo

Company Name:

H fhe answer to all lhese questions

We are looking

RICHARD F. JONES

Mobile: 9104 5358 Faxl. 2982 1758

38

Pìease cortact Asia's leading source

your editorial and commercial reqr"rirements. Ryder Cup and

wANf

.opy attached

ortþix Interna.tional Global Sports Photograph),

MAGAU HANDOVER ENQUIRIES

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4l

D

major tournament images are readily available, as are high quality photographs of leading golf courses from around the world.

@ MffiU

oo 'El

copy

al) conceived and produced. Articìes/features devised, researched and written All with a fiiendly smile. Tel (852) 2813 5284. Mobile: (852) 9836 12f0 Fax: (852) 2813 6394. F'mail: lockhart@bkstar.com

Telz 2541 9671 Fax: 2547 8812 E-mail: kees@hk.supennet

HUBERT VAN ES - News, people, travel, commercial & movie stills Tel: 2559 3504 Fax: 2858 l72l E-mail: vanes@asiaonline.net

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.

Property to let in London \Øe specialise in letting and rranagement in Central London and the Hampstead area.

Ifyou are a prospective landlord or tenant, please call Susan on 2537 5443 to find out how.we can help you.

FTRST FLOOR.

2a AßB!'l'HNoT

rtOAD

Randall Manager (Editorial) PR Donna Mongan Assistant Manager Peter

LETTINGS

. CENTRAL.

HONG KONG

28OZ 6527

2807 6373 Fax: 2807 6595 E-mail: plr@hkta.org nternet: http://www. hkta.org I

INFORMATION Ph

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1

ggg-JANUARY 2000

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M.prnewswi re.com,hk f

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HOTVG

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER

B

on all aspects of tourism industry

'<OT\/G

Call [852) 2572 8?2A on Email info@prnewswine.com.hk

FCC F¡.cns

A monthty portrait of

FCC Irreplaceables

fr

'the

'frfilnmennnum

nl,g99a,2øøø ' ' "''.

Aranas Band will be fìlling the room with ballads, oldies, rock n' roll, classic rock, pop and original jazz tunes throughout the evening.

a

s

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##I*#

#TJE

$

Hughes and Albert rooms

980

/

person

The Main Bar:

o

From 7.30 pm an International Buffet of Chef Warreï's selected specialities with a gl 1-o of Champagne

$

Chef Warren's International Buffet

800

/

person

o\ ì

Bert's: From 7.30 pm a choice of Caviar and Champagne with a Main Course and dessert or a six course gourmet dinner.

Champagne & Caviar connoisseur 50 grams of Caviar with half a bottle of French Champagne

'f

888

/

person

Champagne & Caviar /Main Course & dessert $1,080 Caviar, half a bottle of French grams of 30 Champagne and a choice of main course with dessert

/

person

6 course gourmet dinner with a glass of

Member since: Age: Profession:

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

Member too brief, chit payer too long.

1.45 times the number of Hang Seng index constituents.

Sardonic financial scribe.

Dutch-Canadian Hong Kong Belonger.

I never drink coffee in the morning.

Philip, can I get my phone jack back, please?

Photographed by Terry Duckham 40

THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 1g9g-JANUARY 2000

q È

$

champagne $1,080 / person

a

! The piper will pipe in the New Millennium at midnight - be tÊer'e

n

wffiw #trft#ffi

Please book immediately at the FCC front office; we are going to run out of space Phone: 2521I5I1 Fax: 2868 4092 E-mail: fcc@fcchk.org

very soon!

s

THE 2OOO FCC DIARIES The 2000 FCC range of executive diaries is now at "Club" prices. Each has been specially produced with a wealth of important information, in either black imported bonded leather or calf skin for wallets' All feiture a discreet logo and your name, if requested Avoid disappointment and order early as stocks are limited. Orders will be available for collection in December. Allow three weeks for personalising witlt your name or initials' A. The Desk Diary' 58 weeks in popular week-to-view format; international public holidays; world atlas'

HK$320'00

B. The FCC ComPact D,esk DiarY. The new convenient size'of 1,64 x,210 mm popular week-to-view diary; international

information.

D. The FCC Address Book. Handy world time

chart.

E. The FCC Calf Skin Wallet. Ideal for the Pocket DiarY.

Yes, I wish to order 2000 FCC Diaries:

Items FCC Desk Diary FCC Compact Diary -t UU ,Hocket Ulary FCC Address Book FCC Calf Skin Wallet Plus Name,/Initials

Price

Ouantiw

Total

$320 ff240

$80 $90 $240

$45

1.

Maximum 24 letters, including space(s) Unless specified, all letters will be in capital letters.

Please

bill my account

Name

HK$

80.00

po.t.t

size with international IDD codes and

E-mail: fcc@fcchk.org The Foreign Correspondents' Club No. 2 Lower Albert Road, Hong Kong

2.

þ"Ètl. holidays; general ipformation. HK$240'00 C. The FCC Pocket DiatY.58 weeks in the popular week-to-view format; international public holidays; general

Fax to: 2868-4092

Account Please

No. call

Signature

fax to

or E-mail to

HK$

90.00

HK$240.00

when units are available [o be collected at the club offìce Please note personalised orders will be ready in the third week of December.