Kevin Sinclair

Kevin Sinclair, MBE, (December 12, 1942 – December 23, 2007) was a journalist, author and passionate supporter of Hong Kong. He spent more than 50 years reporting the news and over 40 of those in Hong Kong. Born in New Zealand, Sinclair worked at various points in his career for the The Star, the Hong Kong Standard, and, for a long time, the South China Morning Post.

Kevin Sinclair was one of the first Western journalists to visit China, even before the "Bamboo Curtain" opened up. He reported from many remote provinces where he became known as the famous "mad journalist with the hole in his throat", due to a 1978 tracheostomy that robbed him of his natural voice and left him with the trademark hole through which he learned to speak again.

Sinclair is the author of some 24 books. His first, No Cure, No Pay: Salvage in the South China Seas was published by SCMP Books in 1981 and his most recent, Tell Me A Story: Forty Years of Newspapering in Hong Kong and China, also by SCMP Books, was published shortly before his death. 4 days before his death, he attended a book signing at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondent's Club - an event even attended by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, one of Sinclair's many friends.

In 1983, Sinclair received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth for his contribution to the community through journalism.

Sinclair died at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer. As was his wish, his body was donated to science and no funeral services were held. However, a celebration of his life was held at the Hong Kong Police Officer's Club on January 7, 2008. Many of his close friends and colleagues and government officials attended.

Sinclair was named "Person Of The Year" for 2007 in a poll run by the Government-owned radio station, RTHK. He beat out Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang as well as pro-democracy champion Anson Chan and received four times as many votes as any other nominee.