SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1978
INDUSTRIALISTS CAN HELP FIGHT DRUG ABUSE
SIR SZE-YUEN
***
SAYS
SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, TODAY (SUNDAY) CALLED ON HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIALISTS TO HELP TACKLE THE DRUG PROBLEM BY OFFERING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO REHABILITATED ADDICTS SO THAT THEY MAY START A NEW LIFE.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE WONG TAI SIN CITY DISTRICT ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN AT MORSE PARK, SIR SZE-YUEN ALSO URGED EMPLOYERS TO PROMOTE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR WORKERS SO AS TO DIVERT THEIR ATTENTION FROM DRUGS.
HE REFERRED TO A SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT'S CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS WHICH REVEALED THAT OUT OF 31,000 ADDICTS INTERVIEWED 17,000 OF THEM, OR 55.6 PER CENT, WERE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS.
HE SAID: THIS HAS A SERIOUS IMPLICATION BECAUSE HONG KONG'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING DEPENDS LARGELY ON ITS INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.
THE SPREAD OF DRUG ABUSE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECT THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR LABOUR FORCE, NOT TO MENTION ALL OTHER HUMAN MISERIES AND SOCIAL DISORDER IT MAY INCUR.+
HE SAID THE WONG TAI SIN CITY DISTRICT, IN PARTICULAR ITS SAN PO KONG SUB-DISTRICT, WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN HONG KONG WITH MORE THAN 4,200 FACTORIES EMPLOYING SOME 80,000 WORKERS.
+THE NEED TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE IN THIS DISTRICT, THEREFORE, CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASISED, SIR SZE-YUEN SAID.
THE WONG TAI SIN DRIVE, WHICH WILL RUN FOR FOUR WEEKS, IS THE LAST OF THREE INTENSIVE, DISTRICT-LEVEL CAMPAIGNS ORGANISED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS THIS YEAR.
IT IS ALSO THE BIGGEST ONE SINCE 1973 WHEN ACAN LAUNCHED ITS FIRST DISTRICT-LEVEL CAMPAIGN IN TSEUN WAN.
AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY TODAY, OVER 10,000 YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK PART IN THE TELEMATCH' GAMES AND FUN FAIR.
DURING THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD MORE THAN 70 EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLICITY EVENTS WILL BE HELD.