Wow, since when are Hong Kong property developers so generous? Have I read that correctly? Really? I’m still in shock as to how the vaccine drive has brought out so much “generosity” amongst the elites of our society, the property developers offering gifts of a ten million dollar luxury flat, credit cards, and many other incentives. Give it another week or two there can only be more to come.

Personally, for me, I feel a sense of betrayal, it’s a shame that the low vaccine rate is what it finally took for these mega-rich powerful elites to come up with ideas to “save our city”. Where were they during the umbrella movement, other social unrests, the many housing crises and financial tsunamis our city has gone through?

Why have they not come together for much more crucial times? Why not offer it to our youths who are struggling to even pay rent and move out of their parents’ homes? When so often we have been having political turmoils in our city, why didn’t they offer to help our government then? When year after year, decade after decade developers profited more and more whilst the majority of citizens suffered.

It’s ridiculous that they decide to come out and show generosity for the public’s wellbeing now, after all, they are only doing this for their own interests, there’s nothing new here. They have never cared for our housing and land shortages, rising rents, poor and deteriorating housing spaces and standards. In fact, they are the reasons to blame for our dire housing circumstances.

The same goes for companies and corporates that offer incentives like annual leaves and etc, please offer such incentives for the well being of your employees not just during a vaccine drive, offer it yearly so that public health can be improved, that our city and its people can be genuinely be cared for.

And for recent news that senior bankers may skip quarantine, that’s another “wow” move by our leaders! What are we trying to imply as a city here? That bankers are above everyone else? What about lawyers, teachers, doctors? I can’t even imagine how domestic helpers feel hearing this news after the few weeks of a nightmare they were put through lining up for testing and being labeled as super spreaders.

Whatever it is each and every citizen in our city should take these moments of the pandemic and reflect on what we have become, what have we learned from this experience, have we advanced as a civilized and modern society or have we regressed and become more self-centered?

It seems we have more ugly truths that have come out as a result of this pandemic, and only we have the solution to fix this mess of a city we have become. Each one of us has to take our duty and responsibility to this beloved city we call home more genuinely. Let’s start by being nice! And I mean by being real, no hidden agendas, no special interest, or taking advantage of one another. And who is better to start the real change than the rich powerful elites?

(Jeffrey Andrews, social worker)

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