Letters | Teach Hong Kong students the art of debate, too, not just patriotism

Readers discuss the importance of seeing both sides for conflict resolution, striking a balance between development and wildlife protection, investors’ expectations, and the optimal temperature in MTR train cabins

Hong Kong society

Letters

Published: 11:30am, 1 Dec 2023

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Recent proposed changes to the school curriculum emphasised the need to develop a sense of national pride and patriotism as well as an understanding of the Basic Law and the national security law. I believe that on top of these, the importance of whole-person education must not be overlooked.

In the past, the emphasis of whole-person education focused on the development of attributes and life skills, but past social unrest suggests that the art of communication should be given priority. Warren Chan Chee-hoi (retired QC and SC) believed that we must understand the views of both sides to resolve differences and establish a dialogue.

Dialogue must be based on mutual respect and the desire to communicate. Otherwise each side is just making a statement repeatedly and trying to reinforce his position with whatever available justifications.

Learning the skills of debate is important, since you never know which side (for or against) you might be assigned in a debate contest. It will therefore be desirable to introduce more debate components into the school curriculum, supported by parents and teachers who will act as good role models.

Students can benefit from developing communication skills through debate in the school curriculum, the mission of whole-person education will be better achieved and unnecessary misunderstanding will be avoided through meaningful dialogue. This is an ambitious but needed strategy – nurturing our students towards minimising confrontation, developing trust and respect, and better mutual understanding through dialogue.

Frank H. Fu, Pok Fu Lam

Hong Kong’s mega projects must minimise wildlife harm

There is no question that the large-scale development plan of the northern New Territories near Shenzhen River must be carefully examined to reduce the impact on wildlife and the natural environment (“Wetlands are key to securing a climate-resilient Northern Metropolis”, November 18).

Over the last few decades, the pace of urbanisation in Hong Kong has put its wildlife habitats under tremendous pressure.

Hong Kong has an unbelievably rich biodiversity due to its large natural terrain and coastal waters. Forty per cent of its land area is designated as country parks. They support several thousand species of plants, more than 500 species of birds, over 50 species of terrestrial mammals, plus nearly 200 species of freshwater fish.

The construction of the Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok Island, including the recently built third runway, has wreaked havoc on the ecosystem off the northern Lantau coast, apart from contributing to marine pollution.

The plan to develop a new business district on three artificial islands will mean more reclamation around Lantau. This project, which will increase vessel traffic, will surely have a pernicious effect on the living environment of the Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong waters.

Similarly, the development of the Northern Metropolis near the border will also exert pressure on animals living across the rural villages in the northern New Territories, from Yuen Long, San Tin and Kwu Tung to Fanling and Sha Tau Kok. If mangrove trees in coastal areas are removed, fish ponds reclaimed and wetlands destroyed, there would be no protection from flooding for these places.

To make space in our crowded city, the Hong Kong government must draw up a plan that strikes a balance between urbanisation and conservation.

In addition to addressing the environmental problems arising from these mega projects, the government must also tackle deforestation, land pollution, water sewage problems and the setting up of fundamental infrastructure.

Only by paying greater attention to wildlife conservation will the government be able to pull off these ambitious projects as well as preserve both greenery and animals in the vicinity of Shenzhen River.

Pages Ng, Tuen Mun

Watchdog must meet investors’ expectations

I refer to the article, “Watchdog’s warning over Hounax ‘came too late’” (November 28).

It would appear that the Securities and Futures Commission has not kept its ears to the ground, and therefore failed to notice the approaching enemy until after damage was done.

I once wrote to the SFC about what looked to me like suspicious behaviour in the warrants market. Instead of clarifying my doubts or assuring me that it will look into the issue, it sent me a form to fill in so I could make a formal complaint. I gave up in the face of such red tape.

The well-paid executives of the SFC should keep their ears to the ground and smell out scams before investors are hit. For that they should be ready to listen and evaluate any information received from the public.

Lal Daswani, Tsim Sha Tsui

Why are MRT train cabins in Hong Kong kept so cold?

Despite the record temperatures around the world and the obvious signs of global warming, I see MTR Corporation is still wasting money and unnecessarily adding to our carbon emissions by refrigerating their stations and carriages on cool days. It’s so nice to get off the train and warm up after a long commute!

If you travel on the same company’s trains in Shenzhen, you will find that the temperatures are a few degrees warmer and a lot more pleasant. Would anyone from MTR Corp like to comment on this situation?

Warren Russell, Tseung Kwan O