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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 25 May 1988
has not been affected by any of the wastage or resignation rates wi departments. That does not mean to say that we do not see a continuing rore, also, for expatriate officers. We expect to see, up to and beyond 1997, a continuing role for expatriate officers, and indeed, there will be a substantial number of expatriate officers as heads of departments by the time 1997 arrives.
It is a question of maintaining the balance between the international experience which some expatriate officers can provide, and a natural require- ment to localise the service, Sir. I am satisfied with the progress so far.
Fatal accidents in rock climbing
3. MRS. TAM asked (in Cantonese): Will the Government inform this Council of the number of deaths and injuries involved in mountain climbing in Hong Kong over the last three years; the locations where accidents are mostly prone to occur and whether Government has taken any measures to warn mountain climbers of these black spots so that they are advised to take some other routes?
SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION: Sir, in Hong Kong, mountaineering is restricted to rock climbing. During the last three years, there have only been one death through rock climbing and two other injuries. The former involved a young man climbing unaccompanied and ill-equipped on Lion Rock main crag in February this year.
During the same period, there have been three deaths and 32 incidents involving 115 hikers or hillwalkers, mostly occuring within country parks but not at any particular spots. It should be pointed out that in most cases, the accidents were the result of a pre-existing medical factor, or conditions such as sunstroke or dehydration and did not involve falls or other mishaps directly connected with the activity itself.
Regarding Government efforts to publicise any black spots, it is the very nature of mountaineers to seek new challenges. Government publicity on specific areas would not deter experienced climbers and may have an undesirable effect of attracting less experienced climbers to such locations. In general, however, the Council for Recreation and Sport has a committee dealing with safety in outdoor pursuits, and is responsible for producing publicity materials and films on safety in outdoor activities as part of its ongoing 'play safe' campaign.
MRS. TAM (in Cantonese): Sir, will the Government inform this Council where the four deaths connected with mountain climbing occur? If all these cases occurred at the same location, would the Government consider, through publicity material, advising mountain climbers to beware of these accident
prone locations?