WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1976
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ADVISORY BOARD ON PRISON INDUSTRIES PROPOSED
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THE HON. PETER WILLIAMS TODAY PROPOSED THE SETTING UP OF A BOARD TO ADVISE THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT ON TAKING THE BEST ADVANTAGE OF PRISON LABOUR BOTH TO THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY AND OF THE PRISONERS THEMSELVES.
ADDRESSING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, HE SAID THAT THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIST LARGELY OF ACTIVE BUSINESSMEN WHO COULD ADVISE AND GIVE TO THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT THE BUSINESS ACUMEN THEY LACK.+
MR. WILLIAMS FELT SURE THERE WERE MANY CITIZENS WHO WOULD WELCOME THIS CHALLENGE AND COULD PROCURE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IF IT WAS NEEDED.
IF HIS IDEA WAS ACCEPTED, HE SAID, IT MIGHT REQUIRE SOME CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES AND A MORE FLEXIBLE APPROACH.
+FOR EXAMPLE, IF PRISON LABOUR WAS SOLD OUTSIDE IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC TO CHARGE THE FULL COST OF SUPERVISORY STAFF WHO WOULD BE NEEDED WHETHER THE PRISONERS WERE EMPLOYED OR NOT, HE POINTED OUT.
MR. WILLIAMS WAS PLEASED TO SEE IN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BUDGET SPEECH THE REFERENCE TO INCREASED EXPENDITURE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRISON INDUSTRIES.
WITH THE PUBLIC SCREAM FOR LONGER SENTENCES, HE SAID, HONG KONG WOULD HAVE A BIGGER PRISON POPULATION AND IT WAS EXPENSIVE.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT WITH IMAGINATION AND INNOVATION, +WE CAN ACHIEVE CONSIDERABLE RETURNS.
MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT HIS OWN VIEWS ON PUNISHMENT WERE THAT THE PROTECTION OF SOCIETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SAVIOUR OF INDIVIDUALS,
+ INDEED, IT IS SAD TO SAY THAT WITH SO MANY PRISONERS WE ARE TRYING TO MEND BROKEN TOYS,+ HE WENT ON. BUT THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND EVEN IF THEY ARE AGAINST SOCIETY MANY MUST WORRY ABOUT THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED TO THE IR FAMILIES.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT IF, IN SOME WAY, A PART OF THE RESULT OF THEIR INDUSTRY COULD BENEFIT THEIR FAMILIES, THERE WOULD BE A BIG RESPONSE.
/ON THE ......