TNAG-1734-FCO40-2447-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 326

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 11 May 1988

young people does fall on the shoulders of our parents and teachers, there are many factors which are simply beyond the control of parents and teachers. The Government also has a great responsibility to provide a good environment for our young people to grow up and good studying opportunity.

Although Hong Kong is a free society which respects personal right, but we know that our young people, who are under-aged, are not mature enough to make good judgements and so the society still has the responsibility to educate them. The Government should take the initiative, and we should have good co-ordination and co-operation in order to have healthy successors. That is why I support the recommendation of the Central Committee of Youth. We think we should provide more facilities and opportunities to young people in both physical and psychological aspects. We should set up a commission on youth, which will have a close co-ordination with other youth associations and provide advice to the Government on youth policy. We should also take up the task to review our youth policy regularly. I think that the commission on youth should take up some special tasks regarding marginal youths, and to address special problems:

First of all, through the close co-ordination of government departments, local organisations and other advisory committees, we should take care of the young people who are growing up in low-income families, living in poor environment or in single parent families. Most of the parents would not have the time to teach them. They may not know how to, even if they wanted to. And if we can help the young people to educate their children, we will be able to prevent our young people going astray.

Secondly, I hope that the education authorities will promote moral education and youth counselling in schools.

Thirdly, the Government should take note of one thing, that is, there are a lot of unscrupulous businessmen taking advantage of our young people. They are selling and renting out comic books, spreading improper concepts, or even pornographic magazines or video tapes. All these will have adverse psychological effects on youths. The Government should try to address the issue and find solutions.

Fourthly, we should study the reasons why young people usually go astray when they take up part-time jobs. We know a lot of young people are easy to get part-time jobs, so we should try to take preventive measures.

Sir, the mentality and the needs of the young people are ever changing. We cannot use the measures of a decade ago today again. What we are doing now may not be applicable to the young people 10 years from now and so our youth policy should be reviewed and it should adapt to our changing environment. After we understand the mentality and the needs of young people, we must do something. The young people today are much smarter than we are and if we do not take action, then they will criticise us by saying that all we can do is talk.

Sir, I support the motion.