Public Order | 383
With a view to reinforcing the AML and CFT regime of Hong Kong, work has started to put in place, through administrative and other means, the revised FATE Forty Recommendations issued in June
June 2003. It is anticipated that the implementation, which will take about two years, will be completed in 2006. To tie in with the implementation exercise, Hong Kong will host an international conference in February 2005 to promote international and regional exchange and cooperation on AML issues. The forum will be a good opportunity for government representatives and sectors involved in AML from various jurisdictions to review progress and to share experience in the tackling of money laundering.
On the anti-terrorism front, Hong Kong has put in place legislation to give effect to the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) on terrorism and terrorist financing. In July, the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) (Amendment) Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council. It amended the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance passed in 2002, to give full effect to the UNSCR 1373 and the FATF Special Recommendations (SRs) on Terrorist Financing. Hong Kong also took part in and contributed actively towards the work of FATF's Working Group on Terrorist Financing, which is responsible for drawing up guidance and interpretative notes for implementing eight SRS on Terrorist Financing. Hong Kong participated actively in the formulation of SR IX on detection and monitoring of illicit cross-border movement of cash, which was published by the FATF in October.
In the context of the Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories (NCCT) exercises, Hong Kong has acted as the principal contact in the review exercise of Indonesia since 2000. Hong Kong joined the Asia/Pacific Review Group face-to-face meetings in Seoul and Brunei in June and October respectively. As the primary reviewer of Indonesia, Hong Kong also took the lead in coordinating the Group's on-site visit to Indonesia in early 2005.
To combat trans-national crimes effectively, Hong Kong continued to support mutual assistance between jurisdictions. By year-end, it had entered into 16 agreements and signed 13 bilateral agreements with other jurisdictions on surrender of fugitive offenders.
Beat Drugs Fund
To promote community efforts to beat drugs, the Government established a Beat Drugs Fund in 1996 with a capital outlay of $350 million. During the year, a total of $6.85 million was allocated to 15 projects. Apart from education and publicity projects, treatment and rehabilitation and research works were also sponsored. For example, a drug treatment centre was funded to provide outpatient counselling service to female rehabilitated drug abusers. Another community organisation received funding to launch an anti-drug advertisement design competition. A research study on the association between severe folate deficiency and psychotropic substance abuse, in particular cough mixture abuse, was also allotted funds.
Volunteer Scheme
The Anti-drug Volunteer Group had 320 individual and 90 corporate volunteers. Individual volunteers participated in 25 anti-drug community and publicity activities,