TNAG-1735-FCO40-2448-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 166

1428

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL · 18 May 1988

The general spirit of the Bill is to introduce a more specific classification system to films for public exhibition in Hong Kong, whereby films subject to a more relaxed censorship standard is allowed for exhibition to adults, while our young people are protected from the adverse effects of obscene and violent films. Thus the Bill recommends that films for public exhibition in Hong Kong should be classified into three categories, one of which will be prohibited from exhibition to persons below the age of 18. In case of any contravention, the cinema operators concerned are liable to prosecution. Sir, as we all know, the film industry is doing a thriving business in Hong Kong and it has far-reaching influence on our society. To monitor this trade in a reasonable manner so as to prevent film operators from selling ideas of obscenity and violence to young people who are not yet mature, I think, will be most welcomed by everyone who cares for youth development. Being a youth worker myself, I fully support the spirit of the Bill and the aforesaid recommendations.

However, in our attempt to prevent young people from viewing obscene and violent films in cinemas, we must also consider how to help those young people who have got into the bad habit of viewing these films. At present, the idea that the authorities concerned have in mind is to issue a letter of warning to inform the parents of the underage viewers if they are found viewing films not approved for exhibition to persons below the age of 18 by a public officer. I think this is the most sensible and logical thing to do. It is a sensible course of action because parents are the young people's next-of-kin and it is necessary for them to know how their children behave outside the family. It is also logical because parents ought to provide their children with proper discipline. To inform them of their children's behaviour is a way to enable young people to get the necessary help from their parents.

However, we must also realise that in Hong Kong today, efforts made by parents alone are not sufficient to enhance the healthy growth of the young people-they also need help from outside their families. In this respect, there are at least the school social workers who pay close attention and give guidance to the young people at school. We should give due weight to their work for our young people. Therefore, I think that if young students are found viewing category III films in cinemas, apart from their parents, the school social workers of their schools should also be informed. The aim is to ensure that these young people can be given full assistance in getting rid of the bad habit of viewing obscene and violent films or even in solving some of their latent problems. Some may worry that by copying the warning letters to the school social workers, the behaviour of the young people concerned will be made known in their schools, bringing them stress and troubles. In this connection, I would like to point out that all school social workers are bound by the guiding principles of their profession and will keep all information concerning their clients, that is students receiving counselling, strictly confidential. As long as the information con- cerning the behaviour of the young people in question is passed on to the social worker directly and no other person is informed, I believe that these young

I