Buffalo Bill
16th June 2009, 06:36 PM
Should the drug rehab school get the Mui Wo premises?
South China Morning Post
Updated on Jun 16, 2009
There have been a number of newspaper reports concerning the proposed new site for the Christian Zheng Sheng College, which helps young drug abusers.
However, the reports have ignored important factors that should be made clear if Mui Wo residents are to be fairly represented.
The major point of contention for Mui Wo residents is not that the college carries out commendable work or that this work should be fully supported by the population of Hong Kong. Rather, it is the process that has led to the possible selection of the college site in Mui Wo.
The first time this issue was made public was at a meeting on June 7. This was after the Education Bureau had decided to allow the application for the change of status of the school. At no stage until then were Mui Wo residents able to offer their views or question the due process of this application.
Since 2006, Mui Wo residents have repeatedly made applications to the bureau to be allowed to use the current school site as a school for the area, but this has been ignored. Mui Wo residents were therefore surprised to discover that the bureau had decided to offer the site to 200 pupils who are not from the Mui Wo area.
South Lantau is the focus of large-scale development. Surely Mui Wo residents should be allowed to develop their own school site for the benefit of South Lantau to cater to both existing students and the large number of potential future students, rather than students having to travel long distances to go to school while their present school site is used for other purposes.
The Mui Wo Rural Council has already identified a number of other favourable sites for the Christian Zheng Sheng College. Why have these sites not been considered by officials?
Why are they opting for a possible site in a densely populated area which includes residential property, nursery schools and shops? The government recently indicated that Mui Wo is a new site for tourism and leisure development, and has encouraged large amounts of investment in the area.
The placement of the Christian Zheng Sheng College seems to go against this initiative.
In fairness to the population of Mui Wo, the government now needs to make its plans transparent to public scrutiny if this whole process is to continue fairly.
M. Ferguson, Lantau
I refer to the letter by Charlie Chan Wing-tai (Talkback, June 9) who said: "Education is the key to tackling youth drug abuse."
I also note that 94 per cent of Mui Wo residents questioned at a rally last Sunday said they were against an initiative to launch an education programme for drug-addicted youth in the community.
There is an empty school in Mui Wo that is crying out for use and there are young people addicted to one substance or another who need special conditions and an education to help them be reintegrated. So what's the problem?
Drug addiction is a sign of a failed system and, under the present profits-first way of social management, I look at such side effects as being similar to collateral damage in a war zone.
This problem affects a minority but I have no doubt that the parent of an addicted child would be deeply upset by this lack of community spirit, when faced with a lack of decent facilities and programmes to help.
On another tack, the venture should be a government-sponsored one and not one run by a religious organisation, because such groups by their nature offer false promises.
The government will always support photo exhibitions and pop bands in the fight against drug abuse, but such initiatives are useless. These young people are not threatening the well-being of our community; we are threatening theirs.
Young people want inclusion, affordable education, a choice, a job, happy parents and more freedom to express themselves. Addiction offers them no choice.
Tony Henderson, chairman, Humanist Association of Hong Kong, Mui Wo
I attended the public meeting held in Mui Wo on Sunday to discuss the future of the currently empty New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Southern District Secondary School.
It is obvious what the government needs to do. A school catering for local kids is the only logical option for the premises. Additionally, a major infrastructure upgrade needs to carried out at Christian Zheng Sheng College's drug rehabilitation centre down on Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, which appears to be dreadfully overcrowded and suffering from serious sanitation issues (which in itself raises several questions).
I have no idea how the government got itself into this pickle. Clearly it failed to properly consult the various stakeholders.
Possibly a high-placed person was intent on steamrollering through a pet project. But if officials can be brave enough to backtrack a little, I am sure a harmonious solution can be found that will restore calm to southern Lantau.
Jason R. Ali, Sheung Wan
South China Morning Post
Updated on Jun 16, 2009
There have been a number of newspaper reports concerning the proposed new site for the Christian Zheng Sheng College, which helps young drug abusers.
However, the reports have ignored important factors that should be made clear if Mui Wo residents are to be fairly represented.
The major point of contention for Mui Wo residents is not that the college carries out commendable work or that this work should be fully supported by the population of Hong Kong. Rather, it is the process that has led to the possible selection of the college site in Mui Wo.
The first time this issue was made public was at a meeting on June 7. This was after the Education Bureau had decided to allow the application for the change of status of the school. At no stage until then were Mui Wo residents able to offer their views or question the due process of this application.
Since 2006, Mui Wo residents have repeatedly made applications to the bureau to be allowed to use the current school site as a school for the area, but this has been ignored. Mui Wo residents were therefore surprised to discover that the bureau had decided to offer the site to 200 pupils who are not from the Mui Wo area.
South Lantau is the focus of large-scale development. Surely Mui Wo residents should be allowed to develop their own school site for the benefit of South Lantau to cater to both existing students and the large number of potential future students, rather than students having to travel long distances to go to school while their present school site is used for other purposes.
The Mui Wo Rural Council has already identified a number of other favourable sites for the Christian Zheng Sheng College. Why have these sites not been considered by officials?
Why are they opting for a possible site in a densely populated area which includes residential property, nursery schools and shops? The government recently indicated that Mui Wo is a new site for tourism and leisure development, and has encouraged large amounts of investment in the area.
The placement of the Christian Zheng Sheng College seems to go against this initiative.
In fairness to the population of Mui Wo, the government now needs to make its plans transparent to public scrutiny if this whole process is to continue fairly.
M. Ferguson, Lantau
I refer to the letter by Charlie Chan Wing-tai (Talkback, June 9) who said: "Education is the key to tackling youth drug abuse."
I also note that 94 per cent of Mui Wo residents questioned at a rally last Sunday said they were against an initiative to launch an education programme for drug-addicted youth in the community.
There is an empty school in Mui Wo that is crying out for use and there are young people addicted to one substance or another who need special conditions and an education to help them be reintegrated. So what's the problem?
Drug addiction is a sign of a failed system and, under the present profits-first way of social management, I look at such side effects as being similar to collateral damage in a war zone.
This problem affects a minority but I have no doubt that the parent of an addicted child would be deeply upset by this lack of community spirit, when faced with a lack of decent facilities and programmes to help.
On another tack, the venture should be a government-sponsored one and not one run by a religious organisation, because such groups by their nature offer false promises.
The government will always support photo exhibitions and pop bands in the fight against drug abuse, but such initiatives are useless. These young people are not threatening the well-being of our community; we are threatening theirs.
Young people want inclusion, affordable education, a choice, a job, happy parents and more freedom to express themselves. Addiction offers them no choice.
Tony Henderson, chairman, Humanist Association of Hong Kong, Mui Wo
I attended the public meeting held in Mui Wo on Sunday to discuss the future of the currently empty New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Southern District Secondary School.
It is obvious what the government needs to do. A school catering for local kids is the only logical option for the premises. Additionally, a major infrastructure upgrade needs to carried out at Christian Zheng Sheng College's drug rehabilitation centre down on Chi Ma Wan Peninsula, which appears to be dreadfully overcrowded and suffering from serious sanitation issues (which in itself raises several questions).
I have no idea how the government got itself into this pickle. Clearly it failed to properly consult the various stakeholders.
Possibly a high-placed person was intent on steamrollering through a pet project. But if officials can be brave enough to backtrack a little, I am sure a harmonious solution can be found that will restore calm to southern Lantau.
Jason R. Ali, Sheung Wan