Letters to the Editor, March 28, 2017

Curbs needed on micro apartments There has been a marked increase in the number of tiny, or “nano” flats being put on the market by developers. There is only room in these flats for one person. While they are generally in far better condition, in terms of hygiene and safety, than subdivided units, I do not think citizens who choose to buy one are making a sound decision. They are too small to regard as a real home. I understand why there is demand for them, because of the continuing shortage of land. But young people who buy one and then decide to start a family could find it very difficult to sell them and so this will be a wasted use of the land on which they were built. I do not see how anyone can be comfortable living in them. They are so small that there is no proper storage space to put your stuff. I do not think I could be happy in an apartment that small. Developers who build these nano apartments are just seeing them as a business opportunity. They are not trying to address the problem of housing shortages in Hong Kong. I would support the government establishing rules on the minimum size allowed for new flats to force developers to act responsibly. It does not make any sense to build a 60 sq ft flat. People need a larger living space than that. Xenia Yip, Yau Yat Chuen It’s past time for the city to clean up its act I agree with the letter by Carsten Rasch (“Think carefully about what tempts tourists”, March 23). Hong Kong needs to seriously clean up its act. I often witness rubbish spilling out of bins, bobbing up and down in the sea. I see thick black smoke billowing from ships, adding to the already putrid air quality. And there are the constant construction/renovation works, which never cease. Surely, regulations need to be put in place to minimise the pollution, dust and chemical smells, and to block off these sites. It’s a health and safety hazard. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have been forced to walk onto a busy road because works are being carried out at street level and sparks are literally flying. This is hardly a tourist attraction. Come on Hong Kong, please can the new chief executive address these serious issues? The consequences of things just carrying on like this will hit Hong Kong in the pocket, fewer tourists will visit and highly skilled people will think twice about settling here. Vivienne Brown, Sheung Wan Students must read variety of news sources I am concerned that some students tend to read about current affairs from limited media sources. This can have a negative impact on their critical thinking skills. When looking at some current affairs issue, many young people might only refer to a single newspaper or TV news programme. This may be the easy option, but they should be trying to glean information from a number of sources before forming an opinion. They are only receiving one perspective. Many youngsters will do this because they are so used to the spoon-feeding system of education. But they will end up having only a limited understanding of the issue. Different media outlets will display varying degrees of bias and a student should be able to discern that. The whole purpose of liberal studies in secondary school is that students should be able to read a variety of material and develop critical and independent thinking skills. They should read locally produced material and other publications from outside Hong Kong. They need to be receptive to different opinions before reaching their conclusions. Wing Li, Tseung Kwan O Ease exam pressure by talking about it It is alarming when you consider the number of students who have taken their own lives in Hong Kong or thought about doing so. As a secondary student I can empathise with youngsters when they feel really stressed. I would feel a lot of pressure before a test or exam and felt physically ill. Sometimes, it would make me forget what I had revised. However, I was lucky enough to get the support of teachers and friends who encouraged me and made positive suggestions about how to overcome the obstacles I faced. I urge youngsters who are stressed out to try and find ways of dealing with the pressure, such as making sure they can take a rest. They should also feel free to share their feelings with others. It is true that our education system is not perfect but, with the right attitude, youngsters can successfully deal with the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE). They should not see the DSE as determining their future, but should regard it as a challenge and see how far they can go. They should have goals and focus on the road ahead in a positive manner rather than looking back with regret. Fung Kam-chi, Hung Hom Food truck scheme proves very popular I welcome the food truck pilot scheme in Hong Kong because the vehicles are in different locations, serving food from various parts of the world. They are mostly located near popular tourist spots so will be popular with visitors. Also, I am sure the truck operators will find it cheaper to run their business than if they had a restaurant and faced high rents. Decorating a restaurant and paying rent can be very expensive in some of the busier areas of Hong Kong. Some of the trucks have very eye-catching designs and this will attract more curious customers. I am also impressed by the variety of food on offer, Eastern, Western and fusion dishes. There are traditional Chinese dishes such as dumplings. I think that this scheme will certainly enhance Hong Kong’s reputation as a food-lover’s paradise. Yvonne Wong, Yau Yat Chuen