Many residents will find the proposed steep fares increase will push stretched family budgets beyond breaking point. One lady at the 'sharing session' HKRI held on October 17, said four members of her family used the ferry on a daily basis. That family would have to fork out a staggering HK$6,992 a month if the fare is raised to HK$38 one way under one of the four equally unacceptable proposals HKRI is foisting on us.

Beyond that, thousands of Discovery Bay residents who trusted HKRI and bought property here feel trapped. They may have to move out because they can't afford the fares or worry they won't be able to reliably get to work on time, but there will be no buyers for their property as potential newcomers will also be deterred by infrequent and expensive links to Central.

If the fare rise and service cuts are pushed through there will be a mass exodus resulting in falling property prices, lower patronage of shops, restaurants and clubs, less management fees collected and lower ridership of buses and of course ferries.

That is not something Mr Chan or residents want to see, but already Discovery Bay property deals are drying up. Okay, oil went to nearly US$150 per barrel in July and maybe management panicked a bit. But oil prices have already fallen by half since then. Besides, the present 500-seater ferries are too big except in rush hours.

Why not trade them in for smaller, economical 200-seaters which can break even with just half the passengers? It will result in capital outlays but that will be a small price to pay to prevent the destruction of Discovery Bay as we know it and the economic pain which residents and HKRI will suffer.

Jon Ogden, Discovery Bay

Does Hong Kong have a good work-life balance?

Hong Kong is a bustling city which is full of life. However, I do not think it has a good work-life balance. Most Hongkongers work overtime, including professionals.

Many, after they have finished at the office, take their work home and carry on in the evening. Sometimes, they are so busy, they forget to eat their lunch or dinner. Often they do not get enough sleep.

Some bosses in Hong Kong give employees a heavy workload and put a lot of pressure on them. They are given deadlines for the completion of assignments and forced to work overtime. They might even have to work at weekends and over the holidays. They may have very little time to relax with their families.

Hongkongers accept all this because they want to earn money and are desperate not to lose their jobs. But this means that they place too much emphasis on work and have little private time. This does not make for a good work-life balance.

Anita Ling, Tin Shui Wai

Our working lives are important - we all have to earn a living. However, many employees ignore the importance of finding a balance between their working and private lives.

The fact is that most Hongkongers place work, in terms of priorities, above everything, including their families and their health. They work long hours to create a better impression with their employers. The global economic downturn has exacerbated the situation - employees will work even longer hours in the hope of keeping their jobs.

Given that they have to put in so many hours at the office, they are unable to spend sufficient time with their families or friends. With friends they can talk to about the ups-and-downs of their working lives.

Because there is no opportunity to share their concerns about the pressure they are under or to have some leisure time, they feel frustrated.

Teachers have heavy workloads - marking students' assignments, preparing for the lessons or attending seminars. They often have to work late and the fact that many of them have psychological problems shows that they are not happy with their work-life balance. This feeling extends to many other people in the workforce, not just professionals.

I would like to see employees getting more involved in activities after work, such as yoga lessons and gym sessions, so they can become aware of the importance of finding a balanced life.

Nikika Lee, Ngau Chi Wan

What do you think of the proposed food recall law?

I am glad to see that the government is taking measures to ensure food safety ('Food recall bill to go to Legco next month', October 22). Society will benefit from this bill.

As consumers, we can have greater confidence on various food products. This provides us with more comprehensive protection. When certain types of food are found to be unsafe, the director of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will be able to recall them immediately. This will prevent tainted food from being eaten by consumers.

The government will have greater flexibility with regard to food control measures.

The bill may place more restrictions on food traders and importers, however, stricter regulations will force them to ensure food is of a higher quality. This reduces the possibility of tainted food scandals and the image of these firms will be enhanced.

As citizens we should monitor the role of the government when this bill is passed, to ensure it does not abuse its powers.

William Leung, Tsuen Wan