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Hong Kong
OpinionLetters

LettersDivorced parents in Hong Kong should have equal access to their children

  • Readers discuss how the care and control of children is allocated after a divorce, and argue for online wills to be recognised

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The number of divorces in Hong Kong has increased over the past three decades. Photo: Shutterstock
Letters
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Divorces are expensive, but beyond money we are talking about children’s lives. There should be a basic understanding that children need unencumbered access to both their parents and vice versa so they can feel the love of their parents. There is a 50-50 concept in Hong Kong for asset division in a divorce but it is even more imperative that there be a 50-50 time split concept for children with their parents, unless there is a specific danger to safety that requires one parent to be kept away.

In my case, I have been limited to seeing my children only every other weekend and am limited to calling my children once a week at a specific time.

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The current family court process and practice in Hong Kong need to change rapidly as we address low birth rates. Parents should not have to spend millions in hard-earned money and engage in a popularity contest to fight for their children’s right to receive the attention and love they deserve from their parents. It should be a basic right.

Good parents are wasting time, energy and money caught up in prolonged processes which only benefit matrimonial legal professionals.

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While Hong Kong tries to get back to being a global player and attract international talent, expatriates from developed Western countries need to understand local law and practice in family matters which may be vastly different from that in their home countries. Arrivals beware.
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