My Take | Did Carrie Lam just say sorry behind closed doors?
- Despite the denial, an audio tape appears to confirm rumours that the city’s besieged leader has tried to quit, but Beijing will not let her
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has been holding meetings with people from different walks of life. Everyone agrees those meetings are useless while Hong Kong burns.
But they do seem to serve as cathartic confessions for this Catholic woman.
In an earlier meeting with young people, she was secretly taped as saying she couldn’t authorise an official inquiry into police misconduct because of objections from the force.
In another meeting with business representatives, she reportedly said she would, if she could, apologise to the people of Hong Kong.
In an audio taping provided by Reuters, she appeared to confirm rumours that she had tried to quit but Beijing wouldn’t let her. In response, however, she has denied the report and insisted that staying on was her own decision.
Police unions have, all along, rejected any official inquiry. They know they have the upper hand because when it comes to dealing with the current unrest, they are the only instrument of the government that remains effective.
