Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday officially opened the world’s longest sea bridge linking Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, significantly cutting the travel time from between the three territories from three hours to just 30 minutes.

The 55-km-long crossing that cost a whopping USD 20 billion is dubbed as an engineering feat carrying economic and political significance at a time when Beijing is seen tightening its grip over its semi-autonomous territories.

It connects Asia’s financial hub, Hong Kong, with the southern mainland city of Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary with a snaking road bridge and underwater tunnel.

It took nine years to complete the bridge due to delays, budget overruns, corruption prosecutions and the deaths of construction workers.

President Xi inaugurated the bridge at a special ceremony held in Zhuhai, in southern China’s Guangdong Province, attended by about 700 guests, including the leaders of Hong Kong and Macau.
(Press report)

China builds the biggest bridge and India builds the highest statue almost for the same expenditure!

New Delhi, October 15 : We the undersigned journalist organisations have been deeply concerned over the overwhelming complaints of sexual harassment in the media. We recognize that sexual harassment at the workplace is a worrisome reality and that media organisations and managements have been unable to put the systems in place which would have ordinarily addressed complaints of sexual harassment.

We are also deeply disappointed at the statement issued by Mr M J Akbar, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs. wherein he has threatened legal action against all those who have alleged they were harassed by him. Mr. Akbar is a senior functionary of the government and his response should reflect the responsibility that is thus bestowed on him. There can be no dispute about the need for an impartial probe into all the complaints without fear of threat or intimidation to the complainants – and this acquires particular significance if one of the accused is an influential minister in the government. In the interests of a fair probe, moral and public propriety, it would only be appropriate that the minister step down from his post till such time as the inquiry is completed. We are disappointed that Mr. Akbar did not choose to take this step instead of threatening the complainants with legal action.

An impartial probe should be conducted into all the complaints without fear of threat or intimidation to the complainants more so as the accused party is an influential minister in the present government. We also feel that in the interests of a fair probe, moral and public propriety, it is only proper and appropriate that the minister step down from his post till as such time the probe is completed.

Sexual harassment at the workplace is a pervasive phenomenon. It has continued with impunity despite the enactment of a tough law to prevent, prohibit and redress it, The inability of women to speak out about such harassment needs serious introspection and redress. We hope that employers in media organisations and the government will look into this with the seriousness it deserves and not treat the incidents as motivated complaints.

Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India, Press Association, South Asian Women in Media