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In view of the pressing need to find additional sites for prison institutions - for Medium Security prisoners particularly and the potential and special value of Hei Ling Chau in this respect, it is recommended that permanent allocation of the island be made to the Prisons Department. If the allocation were made, it is intended that planning for the development of a Medium Security prison on the site - marked 2 on Annex B I would commence at once.
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Planning for a second
medium security prison on one of the remaining sites would also go ahead but selection of the type of institution for other sites will depend on the trend in prison population.
Fublic reaction
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The Prisons Department has been in occupation for two years; during this period, there has been no widespread public demand for the use of the island for other purposes. As stated in paragraph 13, there still exists a degree of public prejudice against the island as the site of the old leprosarium, which would need to be countered by persuasive publicity if the island were to be developed for recreational use. It is thought that the public would appreciate the need for further prison capacity and accept the rationale of concentrating this mostly on Hei Ling Chau, rather than spreading it over other potential amenity areas. Moreover, at the time the announcement is made, it is proposed that further publicity be given to the value to the community of the Drug Addiction Treatment Programme and to the progress which has been achieved by Government in the provision elsewhere of recreation areas in the form of country parks and outdoor recreation centres.
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Honourable Members will be asked to advise whether Hei Ling Chau should be permanently allocated to the Prisons Department for the development of penal institutions.
(The Secretary for Security (Mr L. M. DAVIES), the Secretary for the Environment (Acting) (Mr G. BARNES) and the Commissioner of Prisons (Mr T. G. GARNER) will attend before the Council for the discussion of this item).
30th July 1977
(SEC 2/01/111 (TC 41/77))
C.S. 166
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