WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1982
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POLICE STRENGTH TO BE INCREASED BY 1 000
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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN 1982-83, WITH A NET INCREASE OF ABOUT 1 000 DISCIPLINED PERSONNEL TO ABOUT 22 920.
THIS IS PROVIDED IN THE BUDGET ESTIMATES, WHICH ALLOCATES $2 513 MILLION FOR LAW AND ORDER, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $2 155 MILLION FOR 1981-82. THE POLICE FORCE INCLUDING THE ROYAL AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE, WILL REQUIRE $1 682 MILLION.
A MAJOR EFFORT CONTINUED TO BE REQUIRED OF THE POLICE FORCE IN DETERRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BY BOTH LAND AND SEA, AND THE EXPANSION OF THE MARINE POLICE FLEET CONTINUED IN 1981-82, WITH 12 LAUNCHES DELIVERED. A FURTHER 15 LAUNCHES AT A COST OF $192 MILLION WILL BE ORDERED THIS YEAR.
ON IMMIGRATION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY NOTED THAT PASSENGER TRAFFIC ENTERING AND LEAVING HONG KONG AMOUNTED TO 24 MILLION LAST YEAR WITH LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA REMAINING STEADY AT 55 000. MR BREMRIDGE SAID A NEW TEMPORARY PASSENGER TERMINAL WOULD COME INTO USE AT LO WU, AND AN IMPROVED COMPUTER ISED INDEX FOR IMMIGRATION RECORDS WOULD BE IN OPERATION IN 1982-83.
PREPARATION WAS ALSO UNDER WAY TO REPLACE THE EXISTING 4.5 MILLION IDENTITY CARDS IN STAGES WITH A MORE SECURE CARD, SUPPORTED BY A NEW COMPUTERISED RECORDS SYSTEM, WHILE THE CRIME RATE WAS CONTAINED IN 1981 THE NUMBER OF PRISONERS INCREASED, AND $120 MILLION WAS NEEDED IN 1982-83 FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATIONS, HE SAID.
MR BREMRIDGE ESTIMATED THAT $140 MILLION, COMPARED WITH $15 MILLION IN 1981-82, WOULD BE SPENT ON THE JUDICIARY'S BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATIONS, NOTABLY THE NEW SUPREME COURT BUILDING AND THE DISTRICT COURT AND MAGISTRACY BUILDING ON THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION.
HE NOTED THAT TWO POSTS FOR HIGH COURT JUDGES, THREE POSTS FOR JUSTICES OF THE APPEAL COURT AND SEVEN POSTS FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGES WERE CREATED IN 1981-82.
THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDE FOR TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF $1 948 MILLION ON DEFENCE IN 1982-83, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $1 553 MILLION FOR 1981-82.
WORKS SERVICES FOR BOTH CAPITAL WORKS AND MAINTENANCE UNDER PROVISIONS OF THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT WOULD TOTAL $228 MILLION. THIS SUM INCLUDED ABOUT $95 MILLION FOR WORK ON NEW BARRACKS FOR A FIFTH BATTALION PROVIDED UNDER THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT MADE EFFECTIVE SINCE APRIL 1, 1981 FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S 75 PER CENT CONTRIBUTION TO CAPITAL COSTS IN 1982-83 WOULD BE $175 MILLION.
OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES INCLUDE $199 MILLION FOR THE REPROVISIONING OF LYEMUN AND SHAM SHUI PO BARRACKS. $4.5 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES FOR IMPROVED MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS AND $6.4 MILLION FOR EXPENDITURE ON AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE FOR THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE.
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