There has been much debate about the appropriate level of "fruit money" that should be paid out of government funds to support the elderly in Hong Kong.
However, let us consider the wider picture.
Unlike the situation in too many other parts of the world, nobody can fairly accuse our Hong Kong officials of raking off public money for themselves. Rather to the contrary, in fact, since successive governments have prudently invested huge sums as reserves, rather than spending the money.
It is all very well having such over-large financial reserves in a city of only seven million souls, but let us recall that this is public money, which could be best used to enhance the lives of Hong Kong citizens.
Holding such vast reserves should not be seen as an end in itself.
The financial success that is Hong Kong's mainstay has not come overnight.
