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FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1981
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:
+AS ALWAYS IT IS A PLEASURE FOR ME TO INSPECT THIS ANNUAL PARADE.
+DEMANDS ON THE DEPARTMENT FROM VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAVE THANKFULLY BEEN REDUCED. BUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INEVITABLY INVOLVED YOU- PRISON LABOUR HELPED WITH THE BORDER FENCES- THE ABOLITION OF THE TOUCH-BASE' POLICY IN OCTOBER REQUIRED NEW DETENTION FACILITIES AT VICTORIA PRISON. I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR THE WILLING WAY IN WHICH YOU HAVE TACKLED THESE TASKS.
+PERHAPS NOT UNCONNECTED WITH OUR SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION THERE HAS BEEN A SUDDEN INCREASE IN TWO-WAY SMUGGLING OF GOODS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA, MOSTLY BY BOAT. THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND OURSELVES TAKE AN EQUALLY SERIOUS VIEW OF THIS FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ACROSS THE FRONTIER. IT COULD SPAWN OUT INTO OTHER CRIMES AND IT COULD CAUSE FRICTION WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR. OUR LEGISLATION HAS BEEN EXAMINED TO SEE HOW MOST EFFECTIVELY WE CAN PREVENT THESE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING FOR EXAMPLE CONFISCATION OF THE SMUGGLED GOODS, AND IN SERIOUS CASES, CONFISCATION OF VESSELS OR CANCELLATION OF THE LICENCES OF THEIR MASTERS. THE LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR IMPRISONMENT AS WELL AS FINES SO YOU COULD BE
INVOLVED.
+SADLY, THE DOWNWARD TREND OF RECENT YEARS HAS REVERSED AND MUSTER ROSE FROM AROUND 5 900 IN JANUARY TO OVER 6 600 BY THE END OF THE YEAR. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS QUICKLY ADAPTED A NUMBER OF ITS INSTITUTIONS TO SUIT THE CHANGING COMPOSITION OF THE PRISON POPULATION. TAI TAM GAP IS NOW A TRAINING CENTRE AND PRISON FOR GIRLS AND PROVIDES A FULL RANGE OF REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES FOR YOUNG FEMALE OFFENDERS, NUMBERS ADMITTED FOR DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT HAVE DECLINED AND HEI LING CHAU NOW ACCOMMODATES ALL ADULT MALES UNDERGOING SUCH TREATMENT. AS A RESULT, IT HAS BEEN POSSIBLE TO CONVERT TAI LAM CHUNG INTO A MINIMUM CONTROL SECURITY PRISON.
+THE SUCCESS OF THE DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS CONTINUES, 95 PER CENT HAVE COMPLETED THE IR 12 MONTH SUPERVISION WITHOUT RECONVICTION. I AM PLEASED TO SEE EQUALLY ENCOURAGING RESULTS FOR YOUNG ADULTS BETWEEN THE AGE OF 21 AND 25 TO WHOM THE PROGRAMME WAS EXTENDED IN 1976. IT HAS ATTRACTED GREAT INTEREST ABROAD AND I CONGRATULATE ALL CONCERNED.
+LARGE NUMBERS OF PRISON ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHERS FROM OVERSEAS VISIT YOUR INSTITUTIONS EACH YEAR. MANY HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS OR PUBLISHED ARTICLES FULL OF PRAISE. IT IS WELL DESERVED.
*THE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUED TO FOSTER LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE WELFARE AND REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS. THERE ARE NOW 16 PRISON CHAPLAINS AND OVER 90 MEMBERS OF RELIGIOUS AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AS PRISON VISITORS. I AM GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY DO, AS I AM TO JUSTICES OF PEACE WHO LAST YEAR MADE AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST ONE VISIT A DAY TO THE DEPARTMENT.
THE ACHIEVEMENTS