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Correctional Services
Honourable Members are well aware of the critical shortage of prisons accommodation, which increases pressure on our colleagues in the Correctional Services Department, makes it more difficult to maintaining discipline in the prisons, and erode the effectiveness of our rehabilitation programmes. Let me repeat once again ceasing to prosecute immigration offenders is not a solution which the community will accept. Indeed, it is in response to the community's wish that we have stepped up enforcement action against illegal employment. We need to increase the supply of prisons accommodation. Obviously the necessary staff will also be provided to the Correctional Services Department to run these additional prison facilities. Through redevelopment, we will provide 450 extra places in Chimawan and Stanley in the coming year; further redevelopment projects in Tai Lam and Stanley (Phase II) will provide another 760 places; we are pursuing the proposal of converting the ex- Army Camp at Lowu into a minimum security prison in a way which will have. minimum impact on nearby residents. We will of course continue to consult North District Board for this proposal. Although these measures together would bring significant relief in the coming three years, we will continue to search for other accommodation options to tackle prison overcrowding.
The Fight Against Drugs
Drug abuse, especially amongst the young, remains a matter of grave community concern. Every effort is made to tackle this pernicious problem, through stepping up law enforcement, education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, international co-operation and research. I am grateful for Honourable Members' support for the establishment of the $350 million Beat Drugs Fund. Applications will shortly be invited, and the first disbursement from the Fund will take place later this
year.
We have not reneged on our pledge to increase subventions to non- governmental organisations: two additional residential treatment facilities for young opiate abusers and one counselling centre for psychotropic drugs and substance abusers are provided for in the Budget. Meanwhile, we have begun preparations for the next Governor's Summit Meeting on Drugs, which is expected to take place in late- May. I look forward to new ideas and concrete action plans emerging from this Meeting, which will as before tap the expertise and the enthusiasm from a wide cross section of the community.