【明報專訊】When I first arrived in Hong Kong I was impressed by the amount of gambling that went on. No matter where I went I came across places with the name and emblem of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. I was soon to learn that their betting counters looked much like those you'd find at racetracks anywhere in the world, and the astonishing amount of money that the Club made from their activities was enough to subsidise the hospitals, support Hong Kong's Philharmonic and Chinese orchestras, finance Hong Kong's pension plan for the elderly, underwrite a number of building projects and contribute to the creation of a very large amusement park and aquarium called Ocean Park.