Newsletter No. 241

Cross-Boundar y Dru g Use i n Margina l Yout h T he Departmen t o f Sociolog y an d the Depa r tment o f Ps y cho l ogy wer e involved i n a study t o examin e th e patter n of cross-boundary dru g use of Hong Kon g ma r g i n al y o u t h , an d th e soc i a l an d psychological factor s associate d with thi s pattern. Over 50 0 yout h age d between 1 4 an d 19 wer e interviewe d betwee n Novembe r 2002 an d March 2003 . Around 8 0 per cen t indicated tha t the y ha d taken drug s i n th e past 1 2 months an d 44 pe r cen t ha d don e so i n bot h Hon g Ko n g an d Shenzhen . D i s c os we r e wh e r e a l mo s t a l l the respondents too k drugs . Th e thre e mos t popular drug s consume d wer e ketamine , ecstasy, an d cannabis . Amo ng respondent s wh o ha d use d drugs i n Shenzhen , abou t 8 0 per cent live d in Northern district s o r i n towns alon g th e railway. Interviewees tende d t o agre e tha t th e advantages o f dru g us e i n Shenzhe n ove r Hong Kong include d 'lowe r probabilit y o f arrest', 'greate r availabilit y o f illicit drugs' , 'larger disco s an d bette r atmosphere' , 'cheaper an d larger variet y o f drugs' , an d 'feeling more relaxed outside Hong Kong' . The mos t significan t con t r i bu t i n g factor i n dru g us e amon g margina l yout h was 'associatio n wit h drug-usin g friends' . Other factor s wer e 'insufficien t f ami l y support an d supervision' , 'poo r pas t o r p r esent ( i f s t i l i n s c h o o l) s c h o o l performance', 'lo w self-esteem' , an d 'pas t trouble wit h th e law' . The researc h suggeste d tha t mor e resources shoul d b e allocate d t o creatin g employment opportunitie s fo r margina l youth wh o hav e lef t school , strengthenin g f a m i l y a nd school suppor t or supervision , helping them to a v o i d d r u g - using friends , a nd r a i s i n g t h e i r s e l f - esteem. Prof. Cheung Yuet-wah from the Department of Sociology announcing the research findings at a press conference on 29th April CEOs of MTR and Hang Seng Share Their Experience of Success M r. C.K . Chow , CEO o f MTR Corporation , an d Mr. Vincen t H.C . Cheng , vice-chairman an d chie f executiv e o f Han g Sen g Bank, wer e th e lates t guests o f th e Talking to CEOs: CEO in the New Century radi o an d televisio n series, a programme coorganize d b y th e EMBA Programm e o f th e Universit y and RTHK. Th e show s featurin g Mr . Cho w an d Mr. Chen g wer e respectivel y broadcast o n 18t h Ap r il an d 2n d Ma y o n RTHK Radi o 1 and simultaneousl y posted on the RTHK websit e ( http://www.rthk.org.hk) . M r . C h o w s h a r e d h i s experience wo r k i n g i n differen t countries, includin g th e UK , th e US, Aus t r a l i a , an d Japan , an d revealed th e secre t o f hi s succes s i n thes e countries . ' Y o u mus t discover an d the n develo p skill s that ar e uniqu e t o you. D o n ' t become on e o f t hem becaus e different idea s an d points o f vie w are expected of you.' Over th e years , h e ha s earne d the reputation of being an expert in merging. 'Amerger is only a means to achiev e an objective. Ther e mus t b e a strategic targe t t o ai m fo r befor e decidin g tha t a merger i s necessary,' he remarked . M r . Ch e n g a t t r i b u t e d hi s success t o th e hel p o f hi s peers . 'Competent colleagues ar e wha t a CEO reall y needs . I assig n task s according t o wha t the y ar e good a t and I give them my ful l support. M y j o b i s to f i ll i n the gaps, ' he observed. Mr . Chen g als o sai d tha t h e would rather spend time doing a job w e l l tha n f i g u r i n g th e pat h to success. Ther e ar e certai n requirements for succeedin g i n one' s career , but i t require s luc k a s well. Hi s advic e t o young people startin g ou t i n their career s i s 'Tr y no t t o measur e your workloa d against you r salary . Not everythin g ca n be measured by money. ' Mr. C.K. Chow Mr. Vincent H.C. Cheng Christian Festival Debuts at Chung Chi T he firs t eve r Chun g Ch i Christia n Festival wa s organize d f r o m 18t h March to 17t h April, with sponsorship fro m the Un i t e d Boar d fo r Christia n Highe r Education i n Asia . Festival activitie s include d a bibl e exhibition, a contemporary Christia n art s e x h i b i t i o n, a n o u t d o or c o n c e r t o f contemporary Christia n musi c an d dance , public lectures , a f i lm night , a book chart , and choi r performance s b y Ch r i s t i a n colleges and universities in Hong Kong an d other countrie s i n Asia . Officiating a t th e openin g ceremon y he ld o n 18t h Ma r c h wer e Th e Mo s t Reverend Dr . Pete r Kwong , archbisho p and primate o f Hon g Kon g Shen g Kun g Hui, Mr . Kar l C . Kwo k , chairma n o f th e Chung Chi College Board of Trustees, an d Prof. Ranc e Lee , hea d o f Chung Ch i College. Dr. David Suh , executive directo r o f As i a n Ch r i s t i a n H i ghe r Educa t i o n Institute, an d leaders o f various Christia n churches participated in the ribbon cuttin g ceremony. Chun g Ch i Student s Vi it Zhejian g Universit y C hung Chi College and Zhejiang University jointly organize d a student visito r programme o n th e theme o f 'Biotechnolog y an d Lif e Sciences : Dream s and Nightmares' earlie r this year. A delegatio n from Zhejiang University visite d the college from 7t h to 14t h February 2004 . Then 1 0 Chung Ch i student s paid a reciprocal visit t o Zhejiang Universit y fro m 3r d to 11t h April 2004 . The CUH K delegation was led by Prof. Shaw Pang Chui, academic adviser of the programme . During th e nine-da y visit , Chun g Ch i student s attende d seminar s an d lecture s and visited various loca l organizations . This two-way studen t visitor programme was made possible by the generou s donation of Mr. Eddie T.Y. Lu, a trustee of both Chung Chi College and Zhejiang University. 3 No. 241 19th May 2004