It seems extraordinary that only two months have passed since my last diary entry. So much has happened that I hardly know where to begin.
Top spot must go to the Chief Executive election held on 25 March. The support for front runner Henry Tang melted like the proverbial snowball in hell and he ended up with fewer votes (around 290) than he had received nominations (about 390). Dark horse C Y Leung sprinted to the front in the closing stages and was elected on the first ballot with 689 votes – a figure whose digits add up to 23, a number which is going to come back to haunt us all in his first term as it is the same as the Article in our mini constitution the Basic Law which requires our community to legislate on national security. The last time this was tried – in the long hot summer of 2003 -- it resulted in resignation of the Minister concerned, a monster protest march of 500,000 citizens, and a while later the fall of the then Chief Executive C H Tung.
I must find room to mention the fabulous annual Rugby 7s tournament, outstanding as ever, with Fiji the deserved winners. I am one of the few survivors to have attended every one since the inaugural event in 1976, a record I intend to maintain.
And I should squeeze an extra line to report the arrest by the ICAC of former Chief Secretary Rafael Hui. (He turned down my appeal in the HarbourFest disciplinary case, an act later ruled illegal by the High Court).
Meanwhile, I continue to pick up new jobs. I will shortly chair a group organised by Executives Global Network, and a couple of company directorships seem to be on the horizon. Meanwhile my honorary professorship at the Chinese University has just been extended for two more years. All together now : "Good morning, Professor Rowse."
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