- 6.
EDUCATION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1974
TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THE EVILS OF DRUGS, THE HON. MRS. JOYCE SYMONS PROPOSED THAT A SPECIAL TELEVISION PROGRAMHE SHOULD BE DEVISED TO EDUCATE THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG.
+PARENTS AND ALL WHO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DRUGS AND BE READY TO OFFER YOUNG PEOPLEFRIENDLY ADVICE AND HELPFUL CO-OPERATION, SHE SAID.
THE COURTS ALSO HAD A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY, MRS. SYMONS ADDED AND SHE AGREED WITH A SUGGESTION MADE BY MR. OSWALD CHEUNG IN 1971 TO IMPOSE A MAXIMUM SENTENCE FOR LARGE SCALE DRUG TRAFFICKING OF 30 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10 MILLION.
SHE FELT THAT IF MORE FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE NARCOTICS DIVISION AND IF REWARDS WERE LESS INADEQUATE +WE SHOULD NO DOUBT SEE MORE OF THE VERY LARGE SEIZURES MADE RECENTLY.·
THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN CALLED FOR +ALL-OUT WAR+ AGAINST TRAFFICKERS AND SUGGESTED THAT LONGER PRISON SENTENCES AND HEAVIER FINES, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF DEPORTATION WOULD HUP CUT DOWN AVAILABILITY AND SUPPLY OF NARCOTICS TO THE PUBLIC.
+IT SHOULD BE THE AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY TO BRING DOWN THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS FROM 100,000 TO 50,000 WITHIN THREE YEARS, WHICH WILL IN TURN REDUCE THE COST OF OPERATING OUR PRISONS, THUS MAKING MORE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS, YOUTH CENTRES, HOSPITALS AND OTHER SOCIAL AND PUBLIC SERVICES.+
THE MASS APPROACH SHOULD BE ADOPTED, HE SAID, TO MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY FROM THE MULTI-STOREY LEVEL TO THE STREET- CORNER LEVEL AGAINST THE NARCOTICS TRADE AND +EDUCATION ON THE DANGERS OF ADDICTION SHOULD CONTINUE UNABATED AS A LONG- TERM EFFORT, AND WITH GREATER IMPACT.+
MR. CHEONG-LEEN SUGGESTED THAT LARGE QUANTITIES OF SEIZED HEROIN STOCKS COULD BE 'PUBLICLY BURNED TO DRIVE HOME
THE MESSAGE, AND CURED ADDICTS COULD BE RECRUITED TO HELP LOCATE OTHER ADDICTS AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON DRUG DENS AND TRAFFICKERS.
WHILE HONG KONG'S TREATMENT FACILITIES WERE AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN MOST OTHER PLACES; THEY WERE STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AND WERE BADLY IN NEED OF EXPANSION.
IN ADDITION, HE FELT THAT METHADONE TREATMENT CENTRES SHOULD BE EXPANDED IN EACH CITY DISTRICT AND IN THE NEV TERRITORIES. AS THIS WOULD NOT BE CHEAP, HE SUGGESTED THAT METHADONE 'SHOULD BE DISPENSED ONLY TO THE ADULT CONFIRMED ADDICT.
THE UNOFFICIALS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION WAS A VITAL FACTOR IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE NARCOTICS TRADE. APART FROM CONSTRUCTING A 'GREAT WALL' AROUND ITS COASTLINE, HONG KONG COULD DO LITTLE TO CURB THE IMPORT AND RE-EXPORT OF DANGEROUS DRUGS.