Pension pains

摘要

THE chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, says she wants to heal the territory's "serious" divisions. On October 11th, in her most important policy-related speech since she took office in July, she is expected to announce her plans for achieving that. One of the most bitter divides is evident in the membership of the Legislative Council, or Legco, to which she will deliver her proposals. There is a rift between advocates of democracy and those who support Mrs Lam's government and its backers in Beijing. But on political issues Mrs Lam's hands are tied. The Communist Party opposes any concessions to democrats. Instead she will focus on other problems-including, many Hong Kongers hope, the suffering of the elderly in a city that is rapidly ageing. Views on how to deal with this are nearly as divided as they are over demands for universal suffrage.