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"In the interim, we have offered to recommend about $3.5 million from the Beat Drugs Fund for all non-subvented residential treatment agencies, to help them to employ social workers to strengthen their counselling services," he said.
"In addition, the Social Welfare Department is prepared to recommend to the Lotteries Fund for any capital improvement projects submitted by these agencies."
The spokesman added that the Government could not commit substantial proportion of the Beat Drugs Fund to meet the needs of the agencies fully as the Fund was open to applications for a wide spectrum of worthwhile projects which could help reduce the problem of drug abuse.
"Dialogue with the agencies will go on," he said.
End
IPCC's work much appreciated
A government spokesman today (Wednesday) said the administration is highly appreciative of the work completed by the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) over the past year.
IPCC is an independent body consisting of non-official members appointed by the Governor, which monitors the handling by the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO) of complaints made against the Police. These non-official members come from a broad cross-section of the community.
In the past year, a lot has been done to further enhance the independent monitoring role of IPCC.
The spokesman said more cases were now dealt with under the Interviewing Witnesses Scheme, which enabled IPCC to interview any witnesses. In addition, IPCC could meet complainants and complainees.
On the power to make recommendations on any particular investigation, the spokesman said in addition to making recommendations to the Commissioner of Police, IPCC could also make recommendations to the Governor for a final ruling.