Friend of Sai Kung -
Friend of the Force
All along, Wong Tai Sin District has been maintaining a very good relationship with the local communities such as resident organisations and village representatives in the rural area. One of the organisations in Sai Kung Division is the "Friends of Sai Kung", which was formed by local residents of Sai Kung. In order to maintain the mutual understanding between the residents and Police, regular meetings between ‘Friends of Sai Kung' and Sai Kung Division are held to exchange views on matters of interests such as local crime, traffic and other policing issues.
Since a significant proportion of the Sai Kung population speaks English, English has become an important media for communication between the Police and local residents. With a view to improving officers' proficiency in oral English, Mr. Guy Shirra, the Chairman of the "Friends of Sai Kung", who is also a retired police officer and was a teacher prior to joining the Force, has recently organised a free ‘English Conversation Class'. The class was originally intended for officers of Sai Kung Division but was extended to officers in Wong Tai Sin District who wish to enhance their English proficiency. The class received a very favourable response as reflected by the fact that it was soon over-subscribed. The class commenced in May 2011 and is held once a week.
"Though the class is free of charge, its quality is on a par with those expensive ones offered by private profit-making institutes. The interactive way of learning promotes participation and practice, which I find enjoyable and useful," commented a participating officer.
The District is delighted to see the positive learning attitude of the officers and thanks the volunteer teacher Mr Guy Shirra who is both a "Friend of Sai Kung" and a "Friend of the Force".
