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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1978
CREATING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
IN THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR EX-DRUG ADDICTS
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THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS MR. 2.1. LEE SAID TODAY HE IS HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE HEADS OF DEPARTMENT TO EMPLOY NORE REHABILITATED DRUG ADDICTS.
SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY MARKING THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE SCHEME FOR VOLUNTARILY REHABILITATED ADDICTS, MR. LES SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT, AS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN HONG KONG SHOULD SET A BETTER EXAMPLE IN OFFERING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO REHABILITATED ADDICTS.
AT PRESENT, THE CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS STIPULATE THAT THE EMPLOYMENT OF EX-DRUG ADDICT IN ANY POST IS ALLOWED AT THE DISCRETION OF DEPARTMENTAL HEADS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE INVOLVED PREVIOUSLY IN SERIOUS DRUG OFFENCES SUCH AS TRAFFICKING IN, OR MANUFACTURING OF, DANGEROUS DRUGS.
AS AT APRIL THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 44 REHABILITATED ADDICTS WERE SERVING IN THE GOVERNMENT.
+THIS IS BY NO MEANS A LARGE FIGURE,+ THE COMMISSIONER SAID, +AND COMPARES POORLY WITH THE VERY LARGE RESOURCES OF PERSONNEL AND FINANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS DEVOTING TO DEAL WITH THE OVERALL NARCOTICS PROBLEM.+
HE SAID HE WAS THEREFORE CURRENTLY HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT FOR THE ISSUE CF A CIRCULAR WITH A VIEW TO ENCOURAGING HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS TO EMPLOY MORE EX-ADDICTS IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE EMPLOYERS SHOULD NOW TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE POSITION AS THE OPPORTUNITIES WHICH CURRENTLY EXISTED FOR AN ADDICT TO SEEK OUT- PATIENT TREATMENT WERE MUCH GREATER THAN BEFORE.
HE WAS REFERRING TO THE OPENING OF 17 METHADONE DETOX IF ICATION CENTRES SINCE 1976, WHICH HAS HELPED LARGELY TO INCREASING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ADDICTS UNDER TREATMENT AND AFTER-CARE FROM 6,000 FOUR YEARS AGO TO 14,000 AT ANY ONE TIME NOW,
+AN ADDICT CAN NOW READILY OBTAIN TREATMENT IN CENTRES NEAR TO HIS HOME OR PLACE OF WORK. AS A RESULT, THE PROBABILITY OF RELAPSE IS REDUCED AND THE PROGNOSIS FOR AN EMPLOYED EX-ADDICT TO REMAIN WITH THE JOB ARE VERY MUCH GREATER THAN BEFORE,+ MR. LEE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT OVER 90 PER CENT OF THE PATIENTS IN A THREE- YEAR METHADONE MAINTENANCE PILOT SCHEME CARRIED OUT BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT THREE YEARS AGO, WERE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.
THIS UNDERLINED THE FACT THAT METHADONE TREATMENT COULD SUCCESSFULLY REHABILITATE AN ADDICT INTO SCCIETY BY HELPING HIM TO ELIMINATE HIS CRAVING FOR HEROIN AND RETAIN HIS EMPLOYMENT, HE SAID.
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