Carrie Lam’s belated pay cut sends the right signal
- The city leader’s decision to take a voluntary 10 per cent pay cut could have come earlier, but it does tell other politicians that it is time to follow suit and show solidarity with those struggling as a result of the pandemic
A 10 per cent voluntary pay cut may not seem much for Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, one of the highest paid politicians in the world. But with more people struggling to keep their jobs amid a worsening global pandemic, the Hong Kong leader has to do her part. Belated as it is, the reduction has sent the right signal to other politicians. It is time they showed solidarity as the city braces for wider challenges ahead.
The beleaguered city chief could have avoided criticisms had she been more forthcoming on the issue early this week. Her lukewarm response, critics said, did not square with her motto of “connecting” with the people. Lam later clarified that the pay cut had been on the agenda for some time, suggesting that it is deliberately pegged to the announcement of the subsidies to show her team is doing its part in times of adversity. But for many who are dissatisfied with her initial response, the ministers have apparently caved in under mounting pressure.
The episode has made plain the importance of sensitivity and decisiveness for political leaders when addressing public sentiment. It is good to hear that the executive councillors and some legislators have committed to taking voluntary pay cut or donating part of their salaries to the needy. The beneficiaries may be different. But the spirit is the same.
Earlier, Lam and her cabinet had come under fire for their belated decision to donate one months’ salary to charity. As more foreign leaders and top business executives take voluntary pay cuts amid a deepening economic crisis, it will be difficult for local politicians not to follow suit.
