XN000022-1990-05-16 — Page 5

3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1990

BILL IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL TREND, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

* * * * *

AGE) BILL 1989, IF THE LAW REFORM (LEGAL EFFECT OF WILL BE A MAJOR STEP 'ORWARD IN RECOGNISING AND AFFIRMING THE

IN HONG AND MATURITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE

KONG, ACCORDING TO ROSANNA TAM, CONTINE OF THE AÐ HỌC GROUP FORMED TO STUDY THE

BILL SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE

IN THE LEGISLATIVE THE BILL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MRS TAM SAID THAT THE SPIRIT OF

TREND AS WELL LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL

AS THE TERRITORY'S

DEVELOPMENT.

PASSED, ABILITY THE HON BILL.

COUNCIL WAS IN SOCIAL

AN INTERNATIONAL

COMPARABLE TO

SINCE HONG KONG WAS

WERE

WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL CENTRES, AND AND ACHIEVEMENTS

THOSE

CITY AND ONE OF THE SINCE ITS DEVELOPMENT OTHER DEVELOPED FOR HONG KONG'S

OF

COUNTRIES, MRS TAM BELIEVED THAT IT WAS ONLY PROPER YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.

ATTAINING MATURITY AND

WERE SHE NOTED THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ENJOYING VARIOUS DEGREES OF SOCIAL FREEDOM AND FINANCIAL AT A MUCH EARLIER AGE NOWADAYS.

INDEPENDENCE

AWARENESS

MRS TAM STRESSED THAT AS FAR AS SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

CHANGES SINCE THE LAW WAS CONCERNED, HONG KONG HAD UNDERGONE RAPID

YEARS AGO TO LOWER REFORM COMMISSION MADE ITS RECOMMENDATION FOUR FROM 21 TO 18 THE AGE AT WHICH A PERSON ATTAINED MAJORITY.

EVEN THEN, HONG KONG WAS PREPARED TO GIVE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE, SHE POINTED OUT.

RIGHTS TO ITS

GOES BY,

SHE SAID. WE SHOULD OBJECTIVELY

"SOCIETY WILL ONLY MOVE FORWARD AS TIME "WHEN WE REFER TO THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY, ANALYSE THE PRESENTLY PREVAILING SOCIAL CONDITIONS.'

H

MRS TAM CALLED FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY THE LEGISLATION A SUCCESS.

то MAKE

CONSIDER IT PREPARE OUR YOUNGER

SHE SAID: "AS LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE SHOULD OUR DUTY TO LOOK AHEAD WITH DECISIVENESS AND TO GENERATION FOR THIS CHANGE.

Ir

YOUNG PEOPLE NOT SHE APPEALED TO THOSE ADULTS WHO CONSIDERED

ASSUME RESPONSIBILITIES ΤΟ MATURE ENOUGH AND SOMETIMES UNWILLING TO

BELIEVED THAT THE BEST GIVE UP THEIR "PATERNALISTIC" ATTITUDE. SHE

TO WAY TO TEACH THE YOUNG TO FACE UP TO THE CHALLENGES OF SOCIETY WAS ENTRUST THEM WITH RESPONSIBILTIES WHICH THEY COULD RIGHTLY SHOULDER.

"OPPORTUNITIES

MUST BE

то GIVEN

THEM

TO

ASSUME ONLY BY SO DOING RESPONSIBILITIES IN AN INDEPENDENT MANNER. IT IS

ROLE IN THAT WE CAN REALLY GUIDE THEM TO PLAY AN ACTIVE AND POSITIVE SOCIETY," SHE SAID.

/"TO LOWER