It is not an easy job to release a Policy Address in a tough time like the one Hong Kong is now in. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the chief executive, got the task done by making the Policy Address concise and focused. Though the Policy Address is short, its implications and implicit agenda are still worth studying, especially because it is a Policy Address released in a tough time.

First, the government did put great effort into focused areas. The most significant one is the housing and land policy. The Lands Resumption Ordinance will be invoked to obtain the required private land for established public purposes. The idea of invoking this ordinance had been floated previously, with some raising objections, citing lots of technical barriers. Nonetheless, the new Policy Address has sent out a clear message: The government is determined to adopt a government-led approach to resolve the land shortage problem proactively, and it dares to make bold decisions. Given this determination, it is not surprising for people to see a series of housing measures like increasing the number of transitional housing projects, and raising the mortgage caps under the Mortgage Insurance Programme of the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Ltd.

Secondly, sincerity and frankness are abundantly demonstrated in the blueprint. We can read between the lines that the government is intending to make the policy formulation process as transparent as possible. For instance, the government is going to push through the Lantau Tomorrow Vision project, and it knows the key lies in public engagement. The government understands the concern and doubt of the public; thus it will establish a platform for various professionals and young people to take part in the process. People can participate in the formulation of policies in areas such as urban design, land use, and smart, environment-friendly and sustainable development, as well as in exploring how to link up the housing needs of Hong Kong people with the housing development plans for the outlying islands. If this mechanism is put into practice, the land development project will be a great project in which all of us have a stake.

Last but not least, the Policy Address gives a light hope to all Hong Kong people. The vision of the housing policy is clear that "every Hong Kong citizen and his family will no longer have to be troubled by or preoccupied with the housing problem, and that they will be able to have their own home in Hong Kong, a city in which we all have a share." Hong Kong people are enduring the darkest days in decades due to the ongoing violent campaign; the light of hope is vital to residents. Moreover, the government did put emphasis on the pro-child policies, with a vision for the future. For instance, the after-school care program is strengthened by adding 2,500 full-fee-waiving places. The provision of student grants will be enhanced and regularized. The Child Allowance under the Working Family Allowance will be raised by 40 percent.

As mentioned above, the Policy Address delivered the messages of relentless effort, sincerity, and hope. They were not only messages from the chief executive but from the whole government. These messages should be shared with all the people who love Hong Kong, our home. However, we cannot forget what happened in the chamber of the Legislative Council on Wednesday. The legislators from the opposition camp tried their best to prevent the delivery of the Policy Address. The government extended an olive branch, but the opposition camp chose to add fuel to the fire, which has been burning the city for several months. Their action sent out a message that they were obstructing all positive measures that can help to restore Hong Kong.

In his book The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads, Tim Wu shared with us his thoughts: "In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of messaging, advertising enticements, branding, sponsored social media, and other efforts to harvest our attention. Few moments or spaces of our day remain uncultivated by the 'attention merchants', contributing to the distracted, unfocused tenor of our times." We can also find this phenomenon in political life in which the opposition camp always tries to hijack and divert our attention from those positive ideas. Facing this situation, a focused Policy Address would be a good one.

(HK Edition 10/17/2019 page8)