HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-11 May 1988
1387
There are a number of youth problems in Hong Kong and I would like to say something on the more serious ones.
First of all, we know that the mass media is very influential on our young people. The young people today can be called the television generation. Their outlook on life actually is shaped by the movies that they see and the popular songs that they listen to. Apart from the entertainment function, the mass media should also play the role of education. So, when we discuss the problem of youth policy, we should also take into account of how we can ask our mass media to provide a more positive function on young people.
The Broadcasting Authority to be set up certainly will be able to play a very positive role in this area. It can monitor the mass media and urge the mass media to provide better programs.
The Film Censorship Bill to be enacted shortly will certainly be able to protect our young people from bad influences.
Finally, I hope that the cable television stations to be set up will provide better educational and topical programs. We hope that it will provide us with more diversified and high quality programs so that the mass media can perform a more positive social function.
Sir, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. TAM (in Cantonese): Sir, first of all I would like to congratulate all members of the Central Committee on Youth headed by our colleague, Mrs. Rosanna TAM, and its Working Party on Youth Policy. Throughout the past two years, they have studied and developed with a view to finding a youth policy acceptable to the whole community. I have no doubt that they have spent all efforts in order to find a direction to solve a thorny problem.
In the 1970s, many people in this society as well as organisations including the Hong Kong Council for Social Service have already urged the Government to draw up a comprehensive youth policy. Nevertheless, it is only until the late 1980s, after the various activities organised to celebrate the International Year of the Youth, that the community once again urged the Government to draw up a youth policy, and hence the decision to form the committee. The objectives of the committee are to provide an opportunity of self development for the youths and also to materialise the society's aspiration for the youths. However, according to my understanding the committee encountered difficulties once it started its work.
I understand that there are two major areas of problems. One of the areas is that it will affect the existing system and will affect the relevant departments and agencies which are providing youth services. Secondly, some people in the community have reservations on having a comprehensive youth policy. They fear that this is equivalent to restricting social development. I have the following comments regarding this issue.