WHO NEEDS DEMOCRACY?
When a senior member of HK's Legislative Council (Legco) complained about the cost and secrecy surrounding renovation work to the official mansion of Beijing's top man in the territory - including HK$ 300,000 (GBP 23,000) spent on a fish pond - she got the following response from fellow Legco member Patrick Lau:

"Look at ancient Egypt. The Pharaohs even forced people to build pyramids like slaves. The renovation at Government House is just a trivial matter."