WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1988
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"THIS IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF MONEY, ALTHOUGH, AS MEMBERS HAVE RIGHTLY POINTED OUT, HONG KONG SEEMS TO BEAR A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR THIS INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM,
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HE NOTED.
MR BARNES ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE POINTS RAISED ABOUT FUNDING AND THE FINANCIAL COSTS TO HONG KONG, ABOUT THE NEED FOR INCREASED RESETTLEMENT, HONG KONG'S UNENVIABLE POSITION AS A PLACE ASYLUM, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM'S OWN ROLE IN THESE MATTERS, WELL TAKEN AND WERE BEING ACTIVELY CONSIDERED.
OF FIRST HAD BEEN
"THE GOVERNMENT HAS DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO THE PRESENT SITUATION AND IS SEEKING PRACTICAL AND APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS TO THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM PROBLEMS WHICH NOW AFFECT HONG KONG," HE SAID.
PRISON INDUSTRIES BEING DEVELOPED
THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS PROPOSED A CONSULTANCY STUDY ON THE FUTURE DIRECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRISON INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING FURTHER INTO ORDERS FROM THE SUBVENTED AND PRIVATE SECTORS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BUDGET, MR BARNES NOTED A MEMBER'S SUGGESTION THAT PRISON INDUSTRIES SHOULD DIVERSIFY TO SEEK ORDERS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, TO MAKE THE INDUSTRIES SELF-FINANCING AND THE PRISON WORKERS MORE COMPETETIVE AND FLEXIBLE, AND SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN DEVELOPING IN THIS DIRECTION FOR SOME TIME.
"AT PRESENT, THEY HAVE ORDERS NOT ONLY FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO FROM OTHER PUBLIC BODIES SUCK AS THE URBAN COUNCIL, VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL AND THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS," HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAD POINTED OUT RECENTLY THAT THE VALUE OF SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OF PRISON INDUSTRIES, CALCULATED AT COMMERCIAL VALUE, EXCEEDED THE TOTAL COST OF PRODUCTION (INCLUSIVE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEADS) BY SOME $15 MILLION ANNUALLY FROM 1982 TO 1984 AND AROUND $30 MILLION ANNUALLY FROM 1984 TO 1987.
/NOTING THAT