Two public images of the government that have emerged from two unrelated incidents are both ironic and thought-provoking. The swine flu crisis saw a government in action - from the chief executive to airport immigration officers, even before a Mexican visitor became the first confirmed case on May 1.
Confronted with the enormity of the unknown in the H1N1 outbreak, and learning from the bitter lessons of the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003, the government took no chances in managing the risk.
Despite some negative publicity about the quarantine arrangements in a Wan Chai hotel, the potential risk of a community outbreak was significantly reduced.
Even the most cynical critics could not find any major blunders by the government in its handling of the public health scare. The governing team got a 'pass' in the first round of the battle against swine flu.
However, the same administration failed miserably last week when a cleaner was killed by a security gate at the entrance to a government hostel for the mentally handicapped in Hung Hom.
Local media and the public reacted with disbelief and outrage when it was revealed that the gate was found to have been faulty five months ago and was to have been replaced this month.
