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So some guests speakers are basically going through motion only (混水摸鱼)? Or the audience are not asking the "right" questions (只知其然，而不知其所以然)? You decide.. From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_811446.html FOR DIALOGUES TO WORK... All must play their part Published on Jun 16, 2012 THE report ('Expectations differ on dialogues'; last Saturday) raised the issue of how policymakers - parliamentarians and ministers - should respond to questions during dialogues. Some say the invited guests should be the ones answering questions and proffering solutions, while others argue that the participants should come up with the suggestions. Both notions are not mutually exclusive. The best dialogues are those where both parties discuss issues, and suggestions are heard and debated. Parliamentarians are invited to these sessions because they have the experience in government, are cognisant of socio-economic considerations, and are in constant interaction with their constituents. In some instances, they have to understand that the participants are asking questions because they do not have the answers. At the same time, participants have to understand that they are asked for their views because their opinions matter. In essence, both sides must fulfil their ends of the deal. Expectations might differ, but they can be tempered and managed if the organisers properly establish the rationale of the dialogues. My personal experiences have made me realise that there are numerous areas for improvement: