Leftovers from Bo and Wang (Updated)

In my April trip to Chongqing, the following were still seen everywhere in the city.

Police Platforms

Each of these modern-equipped platforms cost 5 million Yuan, according to sources. And there is one at every big intersection in the city. To Bo Xilai's supporters, this is what makes them feel safer. Bo's dissenters, however, say this unnecessarily high-expense contributes to the city's huge fiscal deficit. A local journalist said that, in the summer, the platform's air conditioning runs fully 24 hours a day in the open air. Chongqing is notoriously hot. "Think how much electricity it wastes!" He said.

The disgrace of Bo Xilai and Wang Lijun makes the police platforms a difficult issue to deal with:  Get rid of them?  People who are used to them will protest. Keep them?  maintenance cost is very high.

Update 5/27 :  Got an email from Chongqing --

"现在市政府已发指示，没建的交警平台不建了，已建的不再配备新的设备。薄在的时候将建交警平台的任务下到每个区，由区的财政负担，500万人民币一个，很多区没钱，但不得不执行，没人敢说不。"

[in translation]
"Now the city government has issued instructions to stop building any police platforms that have not been built, and to provide no more equipments for those that already exist.   When Bo was here he ordered every district to build police platforms, 5 million each, at the district's own cost. Many districts did not have the money but had to do it; no one dared to say 'No.'"

"Mounted" Policewomen

They don't have horses, but they wear "mounted-police uniforms" as locals call their white, sculptured outfits.  It is said that the uniform was designed by Wang Lijun, who loves luxurious accessories and holds many patents for their design.   

Those policewomen with gorgeous uniforms have become more an attractive part of the landscape than operational force. Passersby rubberneck and argue which of them are more beautiful or have better body curves.

The Power of Propaganda

"Five Chongqings" were Bo Xilai's signature slogans: "Safe Chongqing," "Livable Chongqing," "Forest Chongqing," "Healthy Chongqing," and "Convenient Chongqing."   For people who have no better access to information, the pervasive posters are all they are exposed to everyday about their leader's achievements.  Because there is nothing wrong with those concepts (their sincerity notwithstanding), not to mention the sheer quantity of posters, the post-Bo government will have a hard time removing the propaganda and Bo's image associated with it.