Don’t want Hong Kong to be a nanny state? Then stop blaming public servants for everything

Bernard Chan says taking the beer out of the Hong Kong beer run or shutting down indie music venues may make city officials seem overly strict on entertainment. But, on many public safety issues, they are just erring on the side of caution

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Participants compete in a streetathon in Kwun Tong organised by RunOurCity, a group that promotes street running, on January 8. But their beer run, slated for November, raised safety concerns. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 12:19pm, 17 Aug 2017Updated: 7:12pm, 17 Aug 2017

Should the government issue advice to the public – through TV announcements and posters – about the dangers of smoking? I expect most of us would say yes. But what about similar publicity campaigns on other issues? Should the government produce and broadcast messages encouraging us to wash our hands, eat fruit daily, floss our teeth, consume shellfish safely, and take care when cleaning windows?

Should the government speak out when private citizens or groups propose something that is foolhardy, even if it is perfectly legal? Should the government nag us as if we were children, or as if we didn’t know how to teach our own children? Or should officials leave us alone and assume we have common sense?

This question came up recently when a group that promotes running announced a fun community and fundraising event near the Kai Tak cruise terminal in November. As well as music and other activities, there was to be a “beer run” – in which participants over 18 could have a beer every 400 metres of a 1,600m course.

Such events, sometimes called a “city beer mile”, are common fancy-dress charity fundraising activities in the US and elsewhere. However, the Hong Kong health authorities did not like the idea. Health officials wrote to the organisers warning that participants could suffer dehydration and have accidents. And they urged that the run take place without the beer. Medical sector bodies joined in the criticism.

Watch: ‘Beer Run 2017’ promotional video from organisers RunOurCity

In fact, the same event took place last year without incident – and broadly similar activities have taken place in Hong Kong in the past. But, after the fuss this time, the organisers have changed their plans, and the Hong Kong beer run will now be beer-free.