Letters | More police patrols needed in Hong Kong to tackle petty crime

Readers discuss the importance of police foot patrols, the ongoing mask mandate, pollution generated by face masks, how to deal with the wild boar problem, and pet owners’ responsibilities

Crime in Hong Kong

Letters

Published: 7:00am, 13 Dec 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

Your correspondent’s gratitude to local bystanders who helped her when she slipped and fell (“Hong Kong spirit lives on in kindness”, December 7) reminds me that there used to be patrolling policemen undertaking this courtesy duty years ago.

In 2019, these patrolling duties were quietly ceased. While police foot patrols have since resumed, there does not seem to have been a corresponding decline in street crime, especially on weekends and Sundays. Annoying petty offences such as littering, smoking, spitting and gambling now appear to be routine.

We pay rent and monthly fees for security guards to shield our homes, but these knights have no sword. When the police are not able to act until harm has been done, how effective can policing be?

Edmond Pang, Fanling

In ‘zero-Covid’ Hong Kong, why wear masks?

Our government should consider removing the mask mandate since we effectively have a zero-Covid environment and strict quarantine rules for travellers from overseas. We should start to derive the benefits of being a Covid-free city.

Why make us live all day in masks when it can’t be very good for our lungs? If there is another outbreak of Covid-19, we can always change our mask policy again.

Rishi Teckchandani, Mid-Levels

Dispose of masks properly to save environment

The fast-growing use and improper disposal of plastics and face masks has caused great damage to our environment. Our fast-paced lifestyle, especially in urban areas, means that most of us prize convenience. Technology has evolved to cater to this and disposable products have grown in popularity.

As a result of our attachment to plastic, the city is littered with plastic rubbish. Our beaches are clogged with garbage. Single-use plastic is polluting every corner of our planet.

02:26

From macaques to crabs, wildlife face threat of masks discarded during Covid-19 pandemic

The outbreak of Covid-19 last year has made the use of face masks ubiquitous. Hongkongers tend to opt for single-use surgical masks over reusable cloth masks. While people’s willingness to wear face masks has helped Hong Kong fight Covid-19, the careless disposal of these masks is a growing problem.

Most of these masks contain plastics or derivatives of plastics. Therefore, the extensive use of face masks generates a great deal of plastic waste in a short time.

People should join beach and ocean clean-up campaigns and refrain from throwing waste on the beach instead of using the bins provided. One does not need to be an environmental health expert or have any specialised knowledge to keep our surroundings clean and beautiful. All we need is to be responsible individuals in our daily lives.

The least we can do is to keep used masks on our person or in a plastic bag until we get to a rubbish bin where we can safely dispose of them.

Nicole Mang, Kwai Chung

Flesh out a better solution to wild boar problem

I refer to the culling of wild boars in Hong Kong. According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, there is a clear upward trend in cases of people being injured by the animals.

Of the 42 such incidents in the past 10 years, 17 took place this year and six just last month. Forty-four of the 53 people injured in those incidents needed to be treated in a hospital or clinic, and six required surgery.

The numbers indicate that wild boars already constitute a threat and it is clear that the authorities will continue to prioritise the capture of wild boars at spots where a large number of boars have injured people. For perspective, consider a US Department of Agriculture study showing boars are responsible for US$1.5 billion in damage each year in the United States.

01:57

Culling of wild boars in Hong Kong stirs up citywide public outcry

Hong Kong was full of wild animals a hundred years ago, but local wildlife and their habitats have come under threat from human encroachment. How can we strike a balance between nature and the infrastructure that our advanced society needs?

The government should establish more nature reserves to help protect wild animals. It can also educate residents on the importance of animal conservation.

Wendy Qiu, Kwai Chung

Give abandoned older pets a second chance

I would like to draw attention to the reasons there are so many old pets in animal shelters and how we can prevent this situation.

Older pets deserve a second chance. Some people might prefer a young pet, but older pets can still add a lot to their owner’s life even if they might be greyer or not as physically active.

The main reason people abandon their pets is related to financial concerns. Keeping an animal healthy can be expensive as the price of food and health care is high. If a pet owner is unemployed or in debt, they might abandon their pets. Other reasons pets are abandoned include illness, moving house, behavioural problems and the birth of a child.

Before getting a pet, you should ask yourself if you can commit to and afford one. Pet ownership is a long-term commitment, and pets require a lot of attention. To be a responsible pet owner, giving the animal the exercise it needs and feeding it properly are basic necessities.

If all pet owners act responsibly, we will not see such a large number of pets being abandoned and old pets will also be cared for.

Chloe Wong, Kwai Tsing

Post