2. ON HOME OWNERSHIP, S FOR H EXPLAINED THAT THE MIDDLE INCOME
HOUSING PROGRAMME WAS SCRAPPED NOT BECAUSE OF THE POOR RESPONSE TO THE MELODY GARDENS PROJECT AS ONE UNOFFICAL HAD THOUGHT BUT BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR SUCH HOUSING HAD NOW FALLEN ALONG WITH THE
MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES.
LAW AND ORDER
23. IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNED UNOFFICIALS, S FOR S SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THERE MIGHT BE AN INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME THIS YEAR, HONG KONG'S CRIME RATES SEEMED TO BE LOW COMPARED WITH OTHER CROWDED CITIES AND OUR DETECTION RATES WERE HIGH BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.
24. THE GOVERNMENT IS CONTINUING TO COMBAT CRIME ON THE GENERAL FRONT
AND SPECIFICALLY IN HIGH RISE HOUSING ESTATES WHICH WERE
EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT TO POLICE. POLICE STRENGTH WILL BE
INCREASED AND SEVERAL TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS ARE BEING INTRODUCED
TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE POLICE. REPORTING OF CRIME WILL
ALSO BE MADE AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
25. ON THE SUBJECT OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG THE YOUNG RAISED BY
MRS. S. CHOW, S FOR S SAID THAT THERE WAS A MARKED UPWARD TREND
IN THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON DRUGS AND TRAFFICKING KN NARCOTICS
IN SPITE OF CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS OF THOSE IN DEPARTMENTS AND
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH THE YOUNG. THE ACTION COMMITTEE
AGAINST NARCOTICS IS INCREASINGLY FOCUSING ACTIVITY ON THE YOUNG
PARTICULARLY WITH A VIEW TO STOPPING THEM START NG ON DRUGS.
GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION
26. MISS DUNN EARLIER CALLED FOR A FUNDAMENTAL REAPPRAISAL OF THE
CENTRAL MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS GENERAL MANAGEMENT
STRUCTURE, FOR A REFORM OF BUREAUCRATIC PROCEDURES AND FOR A CONTINUING REVIEW OF POLICIES WITH INTELLIGENCE AND URGENT
ANTICIPATION. IN REPLY CS SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE NEED FOR
A FUNDAMENTAL REAPPRAISAL, THAT ORGANISATIONAL (AND PROCEDURAL)
REFORMS WERE BEST DEVISED AND INTRODUCED PROGRESSIVELY AND GAVE
A RECORD OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION IN THE
PAST THREE YEARS. SPECIFIC CHANGES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WAS OVER-CENTRALIZED AND TOP-HEAVY WERE SIMILARLY REFUTED.
27 GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO DIRECTING CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS TO CIVIL
SERVICE TRAINING. MANAGEMENT TRAINING WAS BY NO MEANS LIMITED TO ON-THE-JOB TRAINING ALTHOUGH, THE CS POINTED OUT, IT WAS WRONG TO UNDER-RATE THE VALUE OF SUCH TRAIN-I-NG.
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
28. IN RESPONSE TO MEMBERS CONCERNED WITH THE RUNNING AND MORE
MEANINGFUL WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, SDA FIRMLY ASSERTED THAT
DE'S HAD MADED SOLID ACHIEVEMENTS AND PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN
SOLVING LOCAL PROBLEMS, REACHING COMPROMISES AND MAXING LIFE FOR
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MORE TOLERABLE AND MORE PLEASURABLE. AND HE
ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO WEAKENING IN THE GOVERNMENT'S RESOLVE TO
SUPPORT THE BOARDS IN THEIR WORK.
4
/RULE OF LAW