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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1986
IT HAD BEEN AGREED, HE SAID, THAT PROMOTION WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON MERIT WHILE SPÉCIAL TRAINING WOULD BE GIVEN TO LOCAL OFFICERS SUITABLE FOR PROMOTION.
IF NECESSARY MORE VACANCIES WOULD BE CREATED FOR LOCAL OFFICERS THROUGH THE CREATION OF NEW POSTS, BY NOT RENEWING CONTRACTS OF OVERSEAS OFFICERS OR BY EARLY RETIREMENT OF PENSIONABLE OFFICERS. ONLY AS A LAST RESORT WOULD DESERVING OVERSEAS OFFICERS BE PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTION AND APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS WERE BEING WORKED OUT FOR THEM.
ON THE QUESTION OF DRUGS, SIR EDWARD SAID THERE MUST BE NO LET UP IN HONG KONG'S FIGHT AGAINST THESE EVILS. THE MAIN TARGETS WERE RIGHTLY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE HOPE OF KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM DRUGS ALTOGETHER.
HE SAID: IT IS HEARTENING TO NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PERSONS PROSECUTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR DROPPED BY SOME 12 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. MOREOVER, THE NUMBER OF NEW REPORTED ADDICTS HAS CONTINUED TO DECLINE- A TREND WHICH BEGAN IN 1984 AND HAS PERSISTED DESPITE THE LOW PRICE OF HEROIN.+
HOWEVER, HE WARNED THAT THIS PROGRESS WOULD CONTINUE ONLY IF RELENTLESS PRESSURE WAS MAINTAINED ON TRAFFICKERS AND DEALERS. HE POINTED OUT THAT PROSECUTIONS FOR DRUG OFFENCES INCREASED BY NEARLY SEVEN PER CENT IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
AS PART OF ITS FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN WORKING ON LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AIMED AT DEPRIVING TRAFFICKERS OF THE IR ILL-GOTTEN GAINS. THIS WAS A DIFFICULT TASK AS IT INVOLVED ISSUES SUCH AS THE BURDEN OF PROOF AND THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE BANK ING SYSTEM.
NEVERTHELESS, SIR EDWARD SAID HE HOPED THAT THE PROPOSALS WOULD BE READY FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THE NEW SESSION.
TURNING TO THE WORK OF THE FIRE SERVICES, WHICH ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, SIR EDWARD SAID THESE WERE AMONG THE MOST EFFICIENT, WELL EQUIPPED AND WELL TRAINED IN THE WORLD.
IN RECENT MONTHS A CONSULTANT FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM HAD BEEN UNDERTAKING A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE AMBULANCE SERVICE COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF STAFFING, EQUIPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SERVICE.
+IN A MEASURE TO TRY TO MITIGATE THE DELAYS CAUSED BY HEAVY TRAFFIC SEVEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED MOTORCYCLES, WHICH WILL CARRY EMERGENCY AID EQUIPMENT, HAVE BEEN ORDERED.
+ IF THEY PROVE AN EFFECTIVE SUPPORT TO THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, MORE WILL BE PROVIDED IN DUE COURSE.+
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