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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1979
+WE HAVE, HOWEVER, A REPUTATION FOR DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH OUR PROBLEMS AS THEY ARISE, WHICH IS HIGHLY REGARDED AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL,+ HE SAID.
SIR ALBERT SAID HONG KONG'S ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAMMES HAVE VERY CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS OBJECTIVES TO STOP THE IMPORT OF ILLICIT DRUGS INTO HONG KONG, AND TO ELIMINATE DRUG ABUSE FROM THE POPULATION.
TO ADVISE ON WAYS OF ACHIEVING THESE LONG TERM AIMS HONG KONG HAS THE ACAN, WHICH IS THE SOLE CHANNEL OF ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT ON ALL ASPECTS OF ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK HERE. ITS MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES THE HEADS OF ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS FIELD.
THE ACAN MEETS REGULARLY AT MONTHLY OR BI-MONTHLY INTERVALS AS THE SITUATION DICTATES, AND WORKS TO +POSITION+ PAPERS PREPARED BY THE NARCOTICS SECRETARIAT AFTER CONSULTATION WITH ALL THOSE CONCERNED.
ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THE ACAN HAD MADE SINCE IT WAS RECONSTITUTED IN 1973 HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND ACTED UPON BY THE GOVERNMENT.
+THIS HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT TO WELL-DESIGNED AND CONSIDERED POLICY PROPOSALS BACKED UP BY AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF MONITORING, ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THE RESULTS OF ALL PROGRAMMES, IS, I VENTURE TO SAY, OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO ANY ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAMMES WHICH ASPIRE TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM.
+ IT IS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT, WITH THE BURGEONING INCREASE IN DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE THROUGHOUT MOST REGIONS OF THE WORLD, MORE AND MORE GOVERNMENTS ARE BECOMING INVOLVED AT CABINET AND HIGH ADMINISTRATIVE AND EXECUTIVE LEVELS, AND THAT THIS IN TURN IS PRODUCING NOTABLE RESULTS IN INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION, AND IN THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, EXPERIENCE AND KNOW-HOW, HE SAID,
HONG KONG'S ANTI-NARCOTICS STRATEGY IS BASED ON FOUR MAIN PROGRAMMES.
+FIRST, AS HONG KONG GROWS NO OPIUM POPPIES, AND AS ALMOST ALL THE DRUGS WHICH COME HERE ILLICITLY DO SO FROM THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE, WHERE THE BORDERS OF BURMA, THAILAND AND LAOS MEET, WE ARE COMMITTED TO INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION WITH ALL THOSE COUNTRIES WITH PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO OUR OWN, AND WHO HAVE A COMMON INTEREST IN SUPPRESSING THIS EVIL TRADE.
+ THE OTHER THREE PROGRAMMES ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION, AND THE LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY.
+COST-EFFECTIVENESS IS OUR GUIDELINE, AND WE SEE THIS AS A RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY TO THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, BUT TO THE TAX-PAYER, THE FIELD WORKER AND TO THE PATIENTS THEMSELVES,+ HE SAID.
SIR ALBERT SAID HE HOPED THE PRESENTATION OF THE HONG KONG SITUATION WOULD PROVIDE PHYSICIANS PARTICIPATING IN THE COURSE WITH A SOURCE OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND IMAGINATIVE INSPIRATION IN THE IR FUTURE PLANNING, +FOR YOU CAN LEARN AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE, FROM OUR ERRORS AS FROM OUR SUCCESS.+