Video game centres a very bad influence

I AM concerned about the moral turpitude of many young people, who reach a low point in their lives, through the pursuit of some activity for recreational purposes.

Without a doubt, a significant factor that contributes to how one's character is moulded is the moral quality of the environment which one inhabits.

Thus, it is imperative that something be done about the current state of decadence that our young people encounter every day of their lives.

One particular area I would like to address is with regard to the obvious lack of supervision and regulation in the numerous video game centres which are found all over Hong Kong. As a frequent patron of these amusement centres myself, I feel that my assessment of the extent of degradation present in these premises is an accurate one. More often than not, these facilities are absolutely filthy, dilapidated, and located in extremely confined areas that would probably violate every safety regulation in force.

Furthermore, the air in these places is invariably contaminated by a dense layer of cigarette smoke that results from around 50 people all smoking at once in a poorly ventilated basement.

On top of all the alarming health hazards, there is also the grave problem of 'gang activities' that is indigenous to Hong Kong.

Indeed, instead of being an appropriate entertainment facility benefitting the development of young people, these places have actually become dens of delinquency. They act as attractive breeding grounds for triad-related activities. All these frightful aspects of video arcades need to be dealt with hastily and resolutely, if we are to continue allowing children as young as 16 to enter such corrupted environments.

The Hong Kong Government should either raise the age limit of these establishments, or pass legislation that will institute more stringent criterion and regulations that these places must abide by, to retain their licences.

If conditions in these video game centres are not rectified soon, the youth of Hong Kong will only sink deeper into the quagmire of depravity.