TNAG-1607-FCO40-22122-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 153

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Secretary for Health and Welfare;

Sir, I think it is accepted that

cultural characteristics differ in nearly every country; very few countries have identical cultural characteristics with other

countries.

the

In Hong Kong we do need to consider attitudes in particular of the population to these particular problems particularly before decide what legal restrictions we should introduce.

we

Mr. Martin LEE: Sir, I don't think the question was answered at all. How are our characteristics different as would justify the deferment of the consideration of these complex issues ?

Secretary for Health and Welfare: Sir, it is very difficult to say

in

exactly what way the cultural characteristics of the people of Hong Kong differ from those of other countries, but I believe many other countries have not yet decided exactly how they are going to deal with this problem, so I think that we would be wise to wait at least a little while before we plunge into the deep end.

Mr. Martin LEE: Sir, if the Secretary doesn't know in what way we are different from the people in the

other parts of the world, shouldn't we just get on and consider these complex issues before legal questions arise?

Secretary for Health and Welfare: Sir, we are proposing to do exactly that.

Miss DUNN: Sir, if we are not very clear about the attitude of the community, shouldn't we be using our famous consultative machinery at least to ascertain what the population's attitude is ?