I REFER to the letter headlined, ''Leave sharks to live in peace'' from Alys Hankinson (South China Morning Post, June 29). Alys Hankinson said that it is wrong to kill sharks. However, I believe it is only wrong to kill sharks, if you are doing it with the intention of making a profit, or if the shark does not pose any threat to members of the public. When certain sharks do pose a threat to the lives of people, our Government is entitled to kill them for the sake of public safety. Swimming is a popular and healthy activity. People should be able to enjoy swimming in a safe and relaxing environment and it is the Government's responsibility to ensure that environment is maintained. Killing sharks may, to some extent, harm our eco-system, but sometimes we have no choice. Protecting swimmers takes precedence over everything else. However, it is naive and nonsensical, to say that shark scares keep people away from the sea and therefore stop them polluting the water and our beaches. It is only through education and publicity and strong legal measures, that we can hope people will become environmentally conscious. JONATHAN CHIU Hunghom
