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SCMP Reporter

Q Is it appropriate to name the University of Hong Kong medical faculty after Li Ka-shing?

The proposed renaming  shocked people. The decision was made behind closed doors and without  consultation or explanation.

Subsequently there have been many discussions on the radio and many  medical graduates reacted angrily.

On the other hand, the president of the HKU Medical Alumni Association  recently  e-mailed all the HKU medical alumni telling them that any action by association members, including appeals or letters, are not going to stop anything.

The e-mail said further discussion on this matter should not be made in public and the media should not be involved.

Further heart-to-heart gatherings would be made with various doctors soon.

I read through these statements with a terrible thrill as there is a clear parental-tone  of 'No further talking is allowed on this matter' and 'Nothing is going to make a difference'. I always believed that Hong Kong was a city with freedom of speech and  embraced different opinions.

When different opinions arise, the mass media always play a great role in allowing different people to express their  opinions and perspectives at the same time.

Only by listening to others' concerns and opinions can one be more sensitive to society's needs, and therefore make Hong Kong a better place to live.

Even the government depends  on the mass media to understand  people's reaction  to any new changes in policy.

By asking fellow colleagues to stop discussing and to stop showing their passion for their Alma Mater, at the same time without addressing their concerns, not only shows no respect for alumni but also strongly illustrates the current hegemony and close-minded culture of the medical professionals in management.

This is a sector which sees many different opinions within the same profession.

To me this attempt to stifle us is the saddest part of our medical profession.

Under this style of leadership, I wonder if $1 billion can really make such a big difference in further achievement or development.

H. S. Chan, Pokfulam

On other matters...

We note with great concern and regret that the Education and Manpower Bureau and Social Welfare Department have not had genuine discussions with the Salvation Army, and have instead decided to ram the Child Care Services (Amendment) Bill 2005 through the legislature,  with an ill-thought-out proposal.

It would indeed be a great pity to see the government stifle  the vision and creativity of the Salvation Army, just because  it wishes to standardise existing day-care centres.

Specifically, the  government  wants this Bill to give it the power to immediately shut down all existing kitchens in all day-care centres, including those operated by the Salvation Army.

Instead, all day-care centres are to purchase environmentally unfriendly pre-cooked lunch boxes.

We have great reservations about this  proposal, because:

Lunchbox garbage is bad for the environment. The government itself admits that by 2009 (just four years away), there will be no more  space to dispose of garbage as all landfill sites will be full. The government should be thinking of ways to reduce garbage, and not to generate yet more.

Freshly cooked food at local day-care kitchens is much fresher, with less chance of food poisoning for these  toddlers. The government is looking for ways to reduce the chance of food poisoning. Their  proposal runs counter to this objective.

Day-care centres need a kitchen, especially for dinners  which are served to toddlers whose parents  pick them up late in the evening after work. I would endeavour to argue that a kitchen is necessary  for a genuine day-care centre. Pre-cooked meals would be both a hygienic and logistic nightmare especially for evening meals and afternoon snacks.

The Salvation Army employs a holistic approach to teaching toddlers. Specifically, the serving and the partaking of meals are used as an integral way of teaching toddlers  what to eat (fresh and nutritious meals from non-profit local day-care kitchens). They learn precious lessons in eating habits too - lining up for lunch, how to eat a meal together, how to clean up afterwards together.

In short, day-care centres such as the Salvation Army's need to have a local kitchen to properly function as a genuine day-care service for the community.

Both my toddler and my wife have been under the supervision of Salvation Army day-care centres (this is our 2nd generation under their care), so  we are very familiar with the excellent teaching vision  the Salvation Army has. The second reading for this bill is expected soon and it would be a great pity to see this ill-thought-out bill rammed through the legislature without proper discussions with all the stakeholders.

Name and Address Supplied

I hope that the government is also writing to bus companies to inform them that 25.5 degrees Celsius is most people's comfort level.

Not only will this save me from having to carry a jacket in summer, but it will reduce the amount of pollution created by these freezers on wheels.

Don't forget the cinemas either!

Robert Lee, Pokfulam

I write to publicly commend our fine police force for a one-off service it rendered to this senior citizen, lest the good work be thought to have been taken for granted.

On June 2, for the first time in my three score years, I found myself stranded on a busy motorway (Island East Corridor) in my car (just a humble make) broken down with complete electrical failure, hence no hazard-warning lights to be turned on. Imagine the panic  I was in.

A police patrol van arrived within three minutes of my calling 999. After it was parked behind my car to warn off other motorists, a pleasantly courteous  officer came forward to deliver me from my plight. He first took great trouble to calm me down, then took down the necessary details, arranged for a tow truck, and intercepted a taxi to take me home, personally transferring my heavy shopping into the taxi, all within a matter of 15 minutes.

Credit where credit is due and I have separately written to the police public relations unit.

Lok Po-ming, Chai Wan



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