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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Once upon a time we used in Hong Kong to refer to the "Problem of People" and it took us some time to recognize that what we called a problem was really an asset.
The more we invested in that asset the more we all gained from it. May I suggest to those who have referred to the "Youth Problem" that this is an unfortunate term for what is Hong Kong's major asset. Hong Kong's future lies in the hands of its young people and for this very reason I regard the future as bright—just as our young people are bright, better educated, more interested and more demanding than their elders were.
One member went so far as to suggest that Government has "not done anything to appreciate and develop the potentialities of the younger generation". This is simply untrue and manifestly so—even if Government did not accept his particular suggestion. Whether Government spends enough money and effort on the interests and education of young people is always open to debate. But with an anticipated expenditure of 22.74% of our recurrent budget and 9.63% of our capital expenditure for the current financial year on education and with the plans for the further development of education and recreation recently outlined by the Governor, it is quite clear that Government is fully aware of the importance of its youth and confident that they are worthy of the investment being made in their future. I am sure that they will be ready to take up the responsibilities they will shortly have to bear.
My own City District Officers are manned by young people who go out of their way to try and encourage others in their districts to play their part in meeting local problems. Other departments of Government do the same.
Hearing Members speak of crime and unlawful behaviour by young people, a stranger might well have gained the impression that a large proportion of our young people are delinquents and rather vicious ones at that. Without in any way belittling Members' concern about the incidence of violent crime, I would like to make it quite clear that it is a small minority of young people who are either delinquents or vicious. The vast majority of the young people in Hong Kong are honest, law-abiding and peaceful wherever they live and whatever their circumstances. What we must all do, and this is not a task for Government alone, is to make it clear that we will do everything in our power to prevent that minority from spreading its evil influence through fear, particularly if that fear is unnecessarily exaggerated.
The increase in murders and robberies and crimes of violence is, and has been for a long time, a matter of grave concern to Government. I am grateful for the many suggestions which have been made during this debate of ways and means of combating the increase in violent crime which will be studied. I think that you will all recognize that
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there is no single panacea in this field. As has been said, we will have to take, as we already have done, both short and long-term measures and check how effective they are. We must judge by results and this in itself takes time.
Probably the most universal call was for some form of "Anti-Crime Campaign" similar to that being conducted now to keep Hong Kong clean.
This thought has been in our minds for some time and, as you know, I and a small group have been given the task of examining in some detail how best to encourage and mobilize public support in combating violent crime in Hong Kong. I am glad to know that we have so many supporters in this Council who do not wish "to sit back in their armchairs".
The mention of armchairs makes me think how many armchair critics we have of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. It is the men from this Force who do go out and meet what has been described as "the terror that walks by night in our estates". Instead of "looking for cigarette butts and matchsticks", this Force last month arrested 1,239 suspected criminals.
At the same time, they still managed to give some support to the "Clean Hong Kong campaign" insofar as their more important duties will allow. Now it appears that the Force is criticized for giving that support.
I would like to make it clear that it is the Police Force, supported by its Auxiliaries, which must tackle the armed robber and violent criminal as it tackled the bombs of 1967. But in facing this danger, let the Force do so with the full support of the public and with the information which is vital to success. Anybody can help now in the fight against crime by reporting to the Police when they have relevant information. Much has already been done to make reporting easier and quicker. Maybe more should be done. But let none of us be guilty of making excuses for ourselves by saying that to report is "too troublesome" and that "nothing will be done". Everyone who fails to report a serious crime such as robbery is directly encouraging the robber. I know, from the two years I spent with the Police Force, just how hard is the lot of a policeman in Hong Kong and how much is expected of him. Let us make sure that we are not making that task still more difficult by maligning, rather than constructively criticizing, one of the finest police forces in the world and thus discouraging the policeman on the beat and encouraging those who profit from crime, drugs, and corruption.
Finally, Sir, I would like to say how much my department has learned from its association with this Council in the community involvement side of the Clean Hong Kong Campaign. With the experience that we, and others, have gained, we hope to be able to assist in involving the community in the solution of other problems.
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