HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 76 of 126
129
training of staff to cope with the new job and provision of guidance to readers on how to use the new facilities. To achieve all these, it will be necessary for us to give our continuous and dedicated support.
Mr. Chairman, may I express my deepest sympathy to the victims in the Lan Kwai Fong tragedy and offer my heartfelt condolences to their relatives and friends. In Lan Kwai Fong, there are many restaurants and bars which are within our jurisdiction. It is alleged that one of the causes for what has happened is that it is far too easy for the underaged to acquire alcohol and many of them have taken alcohol that night. Some are of the opinion that supervision over the sale of spirits to the underaged is too lax and the penalties too light. Others think that the sale of alcohol to minors should be strictly prohibited. What, then, is the real cause for the incident? What remedial measures should we take accordingly? I think it will be more practical and effective to wait for the independent inquiry recommendations before making any appropriate improvement. At this stage, anything more than that is like diagnosis and prescriptions given by laymen who regarded themselves as medical experts, which will only harm the patient to the point of death.
Nevertheless, juvenile problems such as cannabis-smoking, LSD-taking, the abuse of cough syrup, cigarette-smoking and drinking have long been in existence. To make things worse, Hong Kong laws tend to overprotect youngsters. For instance, schools are strictly prohibited to administer corporal punishment to students. Conscientious teachers and parents serious about the discipline of their children are bound to be charged with the offence of abuse. The ordinance forbidding minors to view Category III films holds the ticket-seller, not the underaged ticket-buyer, guilty. He who permits a minor to view a Category III film commits an offence while the underaged viewer is held guiltless. As regards the ordinance forbidding the selling of alcohol to minors, it holds the seller, not the underaged buyer, guilty, and it is not an offence for a minor to possess, carry and drink alcohol. Our society and laws have indeed spoiled our children. Seeing that adults are punished severely for their sake, the underaged will invariably clap their hands and cheer. In order to save our youngsters, it is time for the Government to review its overall policy.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MRS. ELEANOR LING CHING-MAN (in English): Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the PR Sub-Committee, I would like to take the opportunity of this debate to report the main findings of the Second Benchmark Survey on the Urban Council which was conducted for us by Survey Research Hong Kong Ltd. in the 4th quarter of 1992. This survey was undertaken as a follow-up to assess any shift in the public perception of the Council's work and image since the first survey in 1990, and since the implementation of a major public relations programme of this Council which acted upon these findings, and to provide feedback for the planning of the Council's future public relations strategy.
Page 76 of 126