In many cases, there is a harmonious atmosphere and mutual reliance as the relationship between the helper and the employer grows. Employers get more time to rest, concentrate on their jobs, as well as get involved in leisure and cultural activities. In other words, they get to lead a more varied life.

Another argument in favour of a helper is that the risk of household accidents is reduced because that person can take care of the elderly and children.

But the downside of having a domestic helper is that they may not be reliable. Often, employers spend little time at home. This means the helper's work is not monitored. In some rare cases, this may lead to criminal acts. The helper may have easy access to the employers' personal information, making it possible to transfer money illegally and obtain benefits.

In other cases, there can be disputes, and the helper can end up costing the employer more time than she is worth. When a family hires a helper, it also loses a lot of privacy. There will likely be cultural clashes, too.

A domestic helper can be a huge convenience but there are also disadvantages. I think, before hiring one, a great deal of thought has to be given to the matter.

Kong Yeung, Chiu Lut Sau Memorial Secondary School

Promoting the city's food culture

Hong Kong is an international city, and it relies heavily on the service sector. Tourism is a major source of income for Hong Kong. But we face a lot of competition around the region.

The government should develop more must-see tourist hot spots to attract more people to visit Hong Kong. We should also promote our own unique eating culture.

Everyone knows that Hong Kong is 'the food capital' of southeast Asia. You can find any cuisine you want here. But the government should also move to protect dai pai dong, our own special outdoor food culture, and not let those places disappear.

Taiwan is a good example of how we can do this. The island's government encourages its eating culture through advertising, and the night scene there has become very famous. Taiwan is not only popular with international travellers but also with Hongkongers, which is good for its economy.

We could establish a 'Snack Street' that features dai pai dong and other Hong Kong-style restaurants.

Let's do everything we can to make sure our unique food culture does not disappear.

Mary Lam Yan-lok, Leung Shek Chee College

Be careful when using Facebook

I think teenagers have to be careful when using the social networking website, Facebook.

Facebook allows us to share our feelings and photos, take quizzes and play games with friends. The spirit of Facebook is sharing your life with friends in the virtual world.

But this brings certain risks - and the biggest problem is that your personal information is leaked to the wrong kind of people. Some users of Facebook upload personal information without thinking. Criminals can steal their information for illegal use. There are examples of criminals hacking into Facebook accounts and then sending messages to the person's friends asking for money. When US President Barack Obama visited a school recently, he advised students to be careful about what they made available online.

Facebook, MySpace, Xanga and blogs all pose security risks. We can enjoy the new technology, but we also have to protect ourselves.

Timmy Lam Tim-ying, Christian Alliance S. C. Chan Memorial College