Lam leaves city worse off

Hong Kong – After five years with Carrie Lam at the helm, Hong Kong has emerged a more unequal city, its freedoms curtailed and international shine dulled, analysts say, as her turbulent leadership draws to an end.

Hong Kong’s first woman leader took office promising to heal divisions and tackle livelihood issues, especially a housing crisis.

Her term was instead dominated by massive democracy protests and Beijing’s subsequent crackdown, as well as a zero-Covid pandemic strategy that kept the city isolated while rivals reopened.

She is on track to depart at the end of next month with the lowest approval ratings of any leader since the handover from Britain.

In her policy address last October, Lam described Hong Kong as “stronger than ever” after China intervened to ensure stability.

Her government survived the mass protest movement, but many say she failed to deliver on life improvement pledges – which even China’s leadership says are at the heart of the city’s “deep-rooted social conflicts”.

Last year, 1.65 million Hong Kongers, nearly one in four, were living below the government’s official poverty line HK$4 400 (nearly R8 800) a month for a one-person household.

This was the highest level since records began 12 years ago. –