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ment of people being driven to committing crimes of violence by deprivation is simply not true of most of the young thugs at present who practise viciousness in their acts on a scale never known before in Hong Kong. One can only come to the conclusion that they are simply bent upon destroying the foundations of our society. It is a menace which calls for the most uncompromising response.
With these remarks, I support the motion. (Applause).
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as I have only joined the Urban Council for one and a half months, I am glad to have the chance to speak at this Annual Debate. I would like to discuss the following problems: (1) facilities for the entertainment and recreation of the youth and (2) the hawkers.
Entertainment and Recreation for the Youth
A number of economists in many countries anticipate that there would be a recession period in 1975. Many bankers and manufacturers in Hong Kong also feel that business may be getting worse, hopefully only until the middle of this year. Some people even think that this hardship may last for more than one year. If we accept their theories, we should plan the programmes with due consideration for a recession.
Manufacturers in many lines have indicated that they have not received as many orders as they had received in the previous year. And unemployment or under-employment is most likely a critical problem that we have to face for several months to come. While the parents are still struggling for their jobs, it is necessary for the Government to provide their children with more entertainment and recreation programmes free or at low cost.
It is important to encourage the youths to participate in these activities, and to attract big crowds of spectators.
Participation is good for team-work and leadership training. It is also good for the health of the children. Active participation can develop a child in a more responsible manner. A secondary purpose is to protect them from being mixed up with the bad elements and to prevent them from wandering on the streets to create unnecessary troubles.
In order to draw a great number of spectators, we can organize more variety shows, Cantonese operas, fun fairs, football matches, as well as volley ball and basketball competitions.
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To arouse the interest of the people, it is considered desirable either to encourage and help local agencies to organize their own youth programmes, or the Government to jointly sponsor them.
As the Government is also tight in funds, it would be better for the time being to pay more attention to programmes that require not so much money but can attract a lot of youths to participate. We should therefore pay more attention to such activities as miniature soccer competitions, swimming parties, picnic parties, basketball, volley ball, table tennis, badminton games and roller skating.
However, more facilities for table tennis and roller skating are required. It would be nice if we could make use of school premises. We can jointly sponsor these games with the kaifong associations, clansmen associations, multi-storey building associations, boyscout and girl guide teams, school road safety patrol teams, or even schools in a district, etc. Co-sponsorship with these bodies will make them open their facilities and will thereby materially increase the space for these activities.
As to roller skating, it appears that the Urban Council has to take up the responsibility to build more skating rings.
It is necessary to organize the youth in the games not only by teaching them how to play, as it is more important to protect them from undesirable elements who may take advantage of the sites, or intrude into the youth activities.
It may be due to the shortage of manpower that we cannot have sufficient watchmen in all the playgrounds. From time to time, there have been complaints that bad elements have been dominating the grounds, and demanding money before genuine participants are allowed to make use of the grounds. This malpractice should be stopped. More watchmen, more superintendents and more coaches are necessary to keep a watchful eye on the activities of the bad elements, if any, who may haunt the playgrounds. The police should pay close attention to this problem.
It is no use just to provide more playgrounds, if we cannot stop the bad elements from demanding money or if the bad elements were able to make use of the place to gain strength.
It would be desirable to have more manpower to supervise the place and to train the youth in playing different games.
As it has been stated before that 1975 may be a year of recession, we have to keep in mind that many youths are not so well off. It is