Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. The war in Ukraine sees no immediate resolution and the world watches in trepidation as the brutal conflict unfolds and causes collateral damage to the rest of the world. The humanitarian crisis suffered by the Ukrainian people, food and energy shortages caused by the war and the possible escalation to nuclear conflict are an assault on our common humanity. The United States should think outside the box to resolve this crisis through means other than military action and sanctions. The Americans understand that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to back down, under Western pressure, to save his own skin. At the same time, Russia has a hold over the West based on its exports of energy to European countries. The only factor that could sway Russia into changing its course is China. But the US is preoccupied with its strategy to contain China’s rise through trade barriers and technological sanctions. This makes China view its relationship with Russia as critical to its future survival. Perhaps the current US administration should adjust its strategy towards China and persuade Beijing to act as a peace broker in the current conflict. The world would become a safer place to live for all humanity. T.C. Ng, North Point Help Jumbo Kingdom to save our heritage Jumbo Kingdom is surely part of the collective memory of Hong Kong (“Wish for a ‘white knight’ to save the Jumbo restaurant”, June 6 ). Unfortunately, the floating restaurant has been closed since 2020. The Hong Kong government had announced plans to revitalise the restaurant as part of its Invigorating Island South initiative, with the restaurant’s owner agreeing to hand it over to Ocean Park. However, Ocean Park has been struggling with its own financial problems for some time and has not managed to follow through on the revitalisation plan. Jumbo Kingdom is the combination of the Jumbo and Tai Pak Floating Restaurants. By the early 1970s, businessman Wong Lo-kat had done the job of building what would become Jumbo Kingdom. Unfortunately, a fire broke out in the new Jumbo restaurant in 1971 that killed 34 people and injured another 42. Later, tycoons Stanley Ho Hung-sun and Cheng Yu-tung invested HK$30 million in reviving the restaurant, which ran until it shut its doors in 2020. Jumbo Kingdom has more than a half-century of history – the whole of the Aberdeen seafood trade has an even longer history – and thus it should be considered worthy of conservation. The question is how to go about renewing its operations. The maintenance costs for Jumbo Kingdom are too large for its owner to fully cover. The government should think about offering subsidies and other support to its operator, and it could take in some management or operation fees once the business is back at full strength. The role of government must not be solely focusing on profits but should also be contributing to cultural conservation. Hong Kong is a city rich in culture and history. We should not let the city become known as a “cultural desert” again. We need to do something to preserve the storied Jumbo Kingdom that has brought us so many memories for so long. Randy Lee, Ma On Shan Image issue hurting police recruitment I think one of the main reasons for the lack of enthusiasm among the public for joining the Hong Kong Police Force might well be their marketing (“Hiring remains big challenge for Hong Kong police, even after lifting rule on 7-year stay for new recruits”, June 1 ). Just take a look at the police recruitment advertisements. In the posters, officers in full riot gear are armed to the teeth and staring at you. The ordinary beat police officer should, in my opinion, be first and foremost in the centre of these ads, not a fully armed officer in riot gear. Whatever happened to “policing by consent” and “community engagement”? John J. Shanahan, Sai Kung City can’t afford higher minimum wage There is a diverse spectrum of opinions on raising the minimum wage in Hong Kong. The goal of introducing such a policy is to help ease the suffering of low-paid workers and combat inflation. However, as a student of economics, I believe the minimum wage is too idealistic for Hong Kong. Undeniably, the minimum wage is good legislation with regard to low-income workers. Nevertheless, the policy could increase the unemployment rate in Hong Kong. In economic terms, the minimum wage is a kind of price floor. If wages adjust upwards, the costs of production will increase and lay-offs could occur. Also, it could get harder for young people and lower-skilled workers to find jobs as employers want to pay lower salaries to hire these people. With the limitations of the minimum wage, firms are more likely to employ higher-skilled and more experienced workers. Fewer job opportunities will be left for the young and lower-skilled, thus increasing the unemployment rate. On the other hand, the costs of production will increase because of the legislation and manufacturers will transfer some of that increase to consumers through the price of their products. The policy will get caught in a vicious circle of salary increment and price inflation. In short, the disadvantages of raising the minimum wage outweigh the advantages. Raymond Kwok, Sha Tin
