33
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986
+ONLY BY DOING SO CAN WE BRING ABOUT A STOP-GAP AS WELL AS A RADICAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.
NOTING THAT MOP-UP OPERATIONS WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ELIMINATE CRIMINAL SOCIETIES, MR LAU SAID CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO STRENGTHENING THE POLICE FORCE BY WAY OF ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL UNIT TO DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH THE ORGANISED CRIMINAL SYNDICATES.
TO REMOVE WORRIES THAT THE POLICE WOULD ABUSE THEIR POWERS AND TO SAFEGUARD CIVIC RIGHTS, A MONITORING COMMISSION HEADED BY A JUDGE COULD BE SET UP TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE, HE SAID,
MR LAU ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROBE DEEPLY INTO THE REASONS AND BACKGROUND LEADING TO YOUNG PEOPLE JOINING TRIAD SOCIETIES AND COMMITTING CRIMES, AND WORK OUT ACCORDINGLY ITS EDUCATIONAL AND PROPAGANDA POLICIES.
BY ENABLING YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN CULTURAL AND
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, IT WOULD MINIMISE THEIR CHANCES OF GETTING IN TOUCH WITH TRIAD ELEMENTS, THEREBY STEERING THEM BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND MAKING THEM BECOME GOOD CITIZENS, HE SAID.
COMPULSORY CUSTODIAL SENTENCES WARRANTED
****
COMPULSORY CUSTODIAL SENTENCES MAY BE WARRANTED TO DEAL WITH THE TRIAD PROBLEM, THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH SAID TODAY
(WEDNESDAY)
4
SPEAKING DURING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON THE TRIAD PROBLEM, MR TAI WARNED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD HINDER THE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER IF IT WAS NOT TACKLED SERIOUSLY.
HE STATED THAT OVER THE YEARS THE JUDICIARY HAD TAKEN A LENIENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS TRIAD MEMBERS AND RELATED TRIAD OFFENCES, AND CUSTODIAL SENTENCES WERE RARELY IMPOSED.
+REFORMATIVE MEASURES HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKEN BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH THOSE WHO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CONNECTION WITH TRIADS, BUT THE DIMENSION AND PROLIFERATION OF TRIADS NOW EXISTING IN HONG KONG DO SUGGEST WE HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS FACING US AND, PERHAPS, THERE IS A NEED TO TAKE DETERRENT MEASURES AGAINST THESE OFFENCES,+ MR TAI SAID.
/HE QUESTIONED