Letters to the Editor, November 2, 2017
Gay Games could be the pride of city
I think that Hong Kong winning the bid to host the 2022 Gay Games is a clear sign that attitudes are changing in the city with regard to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
LGBT people have had to suffer discrimination here, but hopefully that is changing, and we see many people taking a more open-minded approach. Having the Gay Games is great, but we must not pay lip service to the protection of LGBT rights.
Winning the bid puts the spotlight on LGBT issues in the city. Citizens can no longer turn a blind eye to these issues, for example, the need to legalise same-sex marriage.
Hopefully this latest development will persuade the city government to move closer to making the necessary change in the law. I hope that by the time of the opening ceremony of the Games in 2022, all citizens, whatever their sexuality, will enjoy the same legal rights in all areas and will be free from discrimination.
However, there is still a lot of ignorance about the LGBT community, especially among the older generation. I hope as we get closer to and prepare for the Games, they will learn to be more tolerant and will support this major sporting event.
Clarins Ng, Hang Hau
Parents play major role in healthy eating
A survey has highlighted the bad eating habits and lack of exercise among secondary school pupils in Hong Kong (“Stroke warning as bad habits of the young revealed”, October 30).
It also pointed out that these youngsters are not getting enough exercise, when the recommendation is five times a week.
As the survey warns, if they continue with this unhealthy lifestyle after school, it could affect their long-term health, with conditions such as high blood pressure.
It is important that these youngsters eat a lot more fruit and vegetables. They should develop healthy eating habits.
I think schools could help by adopting a “green day” in their canteens once a week. On that day, the lunchboxes provided would just have healthy vegetable dishes and some fruit, but no meat. This would give the youngsters a better chance of having a balanced diet.
Parents also have a responsibility to encourage good eating habits in their children. They should get them to eat some fruit or vegetables if they are hungry and want a snack, rather than some junk food which is full of sugar or salt.
I appreciate that junk food is tasty, but youngsters must try to eat more nutritious food.
Sky Kwan, Tseung Kwan O
Perpetrators of sexual assault cannot go free
I am glad that more women have been going public with their experiences of sexual harassment and assault (“Female politicians tell of sexual assault experiences in solidarity with victims”, October 25).
Some women did not speak out in the past because they felt ashamed, even though they were the victims, so it is good that they are now standing up and making themselves heard.
I hope it will empower more women who have been treated in this way to go public and that there will be consequences.
The men who did these things should be punished.
Gloria Cheung, Tsuen Wan
E-vehicles push would clean up air
I am glad that new eco-friendly heavy vehicles are being tried out in the city (“The two new e-vehicles designed to cut pollution on Hong Kong’s roads”, October 27).
Our pollution problems are getting worse and a lot of this has to do with our serious traffic congestion.
These battery-powered heavy vehicles – a 53-seater coach and a 16-tonne truck – are a step in the right direction.
Of course, having cleaner air requires the cooperation of the government and citizens, and it always takes time to change some people’s views.
Older citizens are often resistant to change. But hopefully, with more of these e-vehicles appearing on our roads, levels of awareness will be raised and more people will see the need for cleaner vehicles.
The government needs to introduce more of these eco-friendly initiatives, so that more people use e-vehicles and think more carefully about the need to protect our environment, as well as clean up the city’s polluted air in particular.
Sandy Chan, Tseung Kwan O
No excuse for piled rubbish on hiking trails
I agree with Kevin Wong about the need to get tough with people who leave rubbish in our beautiful rural areas (“Crack down on country park litterbugs”, October 29).
The government’s attitude should be one of zero tolerance when it comes to littering in the country parks. As autumn is the peak hiking season, we will be seeing a lot more people on the trails and so a large volume of refuse will be generated.
The government needs to have a publicity campaign warning that people found to have littered will face fines, and there should be more officers on patrol on trails to target the litterbugs and take necessary action against them. What matters is to raise levels of awareness so that walkers know that they will be punished if they drop rubbish.
While fines can help, education is crucial, with the need for the government to broadcast adverts on TV and online to raise awareness.
Also, as this is a busy time for hiking, the relevant departments must ensure that bins at country parks are emptied regularly. Some people will just discard rubbish on the ground if they see an overflowing bin.
If necessary, more cleaners should be deployed to empty these rubbish bins at country parks, so that there is no excuse for people to leave their refuse on trails.
Kitty Lui Sze-ki, Hang Hau
Litter ruining the beauty of Lamma Island
My husband and I have had a great holiday in Hong Kong.
On Tuesday, we caught the ferry to Lamma Island. We got off at Sok Kwu Wan and walked to Yung Shue Wan to catch the ferry back.
We thought the island was very pretty, with lots of flowers, birds and butterflies.
However, the amount of rubbish everywhere, especially in the mudflat area of Sok Kwu Wan, was dreadful.
It would not take a lot of effort to clean it up, and then the whole impression of the island would be perfect for visitors such as ourselves.
Lee George, Napier, New Zealand