On Tuesday's Backchat, civil service pay.  This year's Pay Trend Survey has recommended rises of between 2.84 percent and 4.51 percent this fiscal year, more than double last year's increases. Senior ranks will get the higher increase. Do our 170,0...

On Monday's Backchat, PPP. The Head of the Task Force on Land Supply says its most controversial option is public-private partnership, with some worried about effectiveness, and others about possible government-business collusion. Can the Governmen...

On Friday's Backchat, the French in Hong Kong. Le French May, the annual arts festival, is celebrating 25 years locally, while it's reported that the French are the fastest growing expat population here, with more than any other Asian city, and by some...

On Thursday's Backchat -- it's looking like the end for the popular pedestrian zone in Mong Kok, which is likely to be reopened to traffic seven days a week after complaints about noise disturbance caused by street performers. The local council is due ...

On Wednesday's Backchat, trees in the city. Two banyan trees on Bonham Road were removed by the Lands Department on Sunday, but some conservationists said there was no need to take them down.  Is there a better way to manage trees? How should the g...

On Monday's Backchat, taxis. The Government is mulling over a new demerit point system for taxi drivers on 18 kinds of offences ranging from overcharging to refusing hires and might also increase the penalties to enhance deterrence. Taxi drivers me...

On Friday's Backchat, is co-location constitutional? The State Council, the NPCSC and the SAR Government say the co-operation agreement on West Kowloon is consistent with the Basic Law. The Bar Association and Pan-Dems say it isn't, and severely un...

On Thursday's Backchat we're talking about the relentless rise in property prices, and asking what could stop the upward trend, and when. The news that Sun Hung Kai Properties has paid a record $25.16 billion for a residential site at Kai Tak is ex...

On Wednesday's Backchat, cons, swindles and scams. While overall crime figures drop in Hong Kong, cases of fraud are holding steady or rising, while the sophistication and variety of tricks increases. There are romance scams, cons for job seekers a...