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SCMP Reporter

What do you think of the salt farm plan for Tai O?
The salt farming industry in Tai O dates back  700 years and so is of great historic value. It played a crucial part in Hong Kong's development before the 1940s.
Revitalising Tai O is an ideal way of preserving part of our historical heritage and it will also ensure that the history of the salt making industry is available for educational purposes.
Sadly,  however, if you look at the details of the government's proposals for Tai O, it is trying to turn it into another theme park instead of protecting its indigenous culture. Besides establishing a salt-themed museum,  a plaza, a waterfront promenade and a riverside park are also being put forward. These amenities might  affect Tai O's original character.
It might be possible to have a less elaborate facelift which preserves the traditional character of the village.  Preserving the culture is a mark of respect. Sometimes, less is more.
However, the surviving salt makers in the village are very old now. Therefore, if the government wants to revive the salt pans in Tai O, it should not procrastinate, but act quickly.
Katie Tam, Ngau Chi Wan
At what age is it okay to leave children home alone?
It is  irresponsible to leave young children at home alone. Parents should not take the risk.
Age is a key factor in deciding whether or not to leave a child unattended.  For example, a child as young as five.  What if he was able to open a window and fell out, or got hold of a sharp kitchen utensil?
It is difficult to arrive at an appropriate age because children do not all mature at the same pace, so you might have a child who is 10, but is already mature enough to look after himself when left alone by his mother.
But even with older children, parents should not leave them alone for too long.
Leaving  16-year-olds alone for the evening is okay, but to leave  them to their own devices for a week  would be unacceptable.
Before leaving a child alone, parents have to think very carefully about issues of safety.
Yandy Man, Kwun Tong
With the sharp increase in home-alone cases, many critics have accused these parents of being cruel and irresponsible.
I think there is a common perception that today's children acquire a sense of independence at a younger age.
However, this is no excuse for leaving a child alone. What if a fire broke out but the security gate in the flat was locked?
Generally speaking,  children from the age of 12 onwards can be left alone. For example,  they probably know how to make a meal, or if there was an emergency they would know how to get help.
However, they should be left alone only if the parents cannot avoid going out and intend to return shortly.
Under normal circumstances, children should not be left alone at home.
Wong Wing-sheung, Shun Lee
What do you want to see on the digital TV cultural channel?
I welcome the free cultural channel, as you do not get many programmes with  interesting cultural content, unless it is about music, on the free TV channels in Hong Kong.
The BBC always produces high-quality cultural programmes, such as the recent The Power of Art, in which art expert and historian Simon Schama  examined the legacy of various famous artists. He explained what they were thinking and what was happening around them when they created a great work, and it helped enhance your knowledge of art.
There are so many things going on in the world, such as the political confrontations and military conflicts in the Middle East, that we tend to ignore in Hong Kong.
If the cultural channel showed more documentaries about what was happening elsewhere in the world, it could help broaden  Hongkongers' horizons,  especially in relation to cultural and humanity-related issues.
Hopefully, such programmes can teach us to be more tolerant and appreciate the peaceful environment we enjoy in Hong Kong.
Pang Chi-ming, Sheung Shui
On other matters ...
My family and I have been frequent visitors to Hong Kong over a number of years as we have relatives living on Lamma.  I have always found Lamma to be an oasis of peace from the frenetic hub of central Hong Kong and a lovely place to come back to.
On my most recent  trip from South Africa with my two children, we were staying for over a month.
As a mother, I was absolutely appalled by a completely unprovoked attack by a dog  which bit my 11-year-old daughter on the arm, necessitating emergency treatment. I must compliment the Lamma Island clinic, its wonderful staff and the Lamma police, who assisted with the incident.
My daughter was attacked by a Chinese fighting dog that has a notorious reputation on the island.
I am extremely disturbed by what happened. While being a lover of cats, dogs and many other animals, I believe in the policy adopted in many parts of the world, including South Africa, that one bite is too many and that such an animal regrettably needs to be put down, as one bite leads to more habitual behaviour of the same kind.
I have always found Lamma to be a quaint place full of character.
However, it is my belief that the dog population  is out of control. I find it completely unacceptable as a visitor that dogs, for the most part, roam around unattended and without collars, leads or licences. This lack of control poses a great danger to all members of the public. It is almost impossible to tell whether a dog is owned by someone or is a stray that might even be rabid.
Having lived in and visited a number of countries I can say, without hesitation, that uncontrolled animals roaming the streets would not be permitted in these countries.
My daughter was severely traumatised by the incident.
I would like to see the Hong Kong Tourism Board publicising the dangers of these dogs.  Officials must ensure all dogs are kept on leads at all times and temperamental dogs are muzzled.
I love Hong Kong and its people but this incident  resulted in a complete dampener of our trip and I could not recommend a visit to Lamma for any of my friends or colleagues despite promoting it as a destination in the past.
Fiona Plani, Johannesburg, South Africa



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