Q Are tougher safety laws needed to protect workers?
My answer is no. While Hong Kong has a series of safety laws, many workers do not care about them. They think they are experts in the field. So they may ignore the safety laws and continue what they are doing. The problem is not the toughness of the safety laws, but the awareness of the workers.
Our government should increase the inspection of dangerous work places such as construction sites and sewers. Inspectors should have the power to punish any workers who do not follow the safety laws. Also, these dangerous jobs are mostly being done by illegal immigrants. With lower education levels and poor safety awareness, it is easier to have serious accidents.
The government should check the contractors to see if they employ illegal workers and take legal action if they do so.
Candy Au, Tsuen Wan
Q What do you think about the 2004 honours list?