RTHK 2014-04-11 The Pulse v

RTHK 2014-04-11 The Pulse v

Executive Producer: Gary Pollard

An End To HK Property for HK People; Taiwan's Sunflower Movement; Special Needs Education

2014-04-11

The proposal was bold and straightforward: “Hong Kong Property for Hong Kong People”. Well, it’s been shelved already, amid claims that it never did have that much bite in the first place. The two Kai Tak sites bought by mainland developers under the scheme still haven’t passed Legco’s legislative procedures, which means that there could be no criminal liability for violating the previous rules or restrictions. The government says demand from overseas buyers has already dropped to a very low level.

There’ve been dark mutterings in some circles, particularly in mainland China, that Taiwan’s Sunflower Student Movement is the beginning of a pro-independence movement in Taiwan. Others say the students have limited aims, and that their departure from Taiwan’s legislative yuan this week shows that they may have already achieved just what they set out to do ...

There are about 34,000 special needs students in integrated or “inclusive” local Cantonese-speaking schools, apart from 8,000 in individual schools catering exclusively to such children. For non-Cantonese speakers things can be even tougher, as affordable places are very hard to come by in international schools too.