XN000022-1974-12-07 — Page 4

3.

-

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1974

NEW KOWLOON RECEPTION CENTRE

******

WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED ON THE SITE FORMATION FOR HONG KONG'S LARGEST REMAND CENTRE THE KOWLOON RECEPTION CENTRE.

THE CENTRE, CAPABLE OF HOUSING SOME 960 PRISONERS MAINLY ON REMAND, WILL BE LOCATED AT LAI CHI KOK ON THE WEST SIDE OF BUTTERFLY ROAD, OPPOSITE THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY'S LINK SUBSTATION.

THE NEW MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTION IS IN LINE WITH THE PRISON EXPANSION PROGRAMME PURSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COPE WITH THE RISING PRISON POPULATION.

IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE CENTRE WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS RELIEVING THE POSITION OF OVERCROWDING IN THE VICTORIA RECEPTION CENTRE ON THE ISLAND.

THE KOWLOON RECEPTION CENTRE WILL BE PROVIDED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WITH MULTI-STOREY DORMITORY AND CELL ACCOMMODATION, WORKSHOPS, A HOSPITAL WARD, RECREATION AND KITCHEN FACILITIES, AS WELL AS AN ADMINISTRATION BLOCK AND QUARTERS FOR RESIDENTIAL STAFF.

COVERING SOME 150,000 SQUARE FEET, THE SITE FOR THE CENTRE WAS ONCE OCCUPIED BY THE FORMER LAI CHI KOK WOMEN'S PRISON WHICH WAS PULLED DOWN LAST YEAR. PART OF THE ADJACENT HILLSIDE WAS CUT BACK TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BUILDING LAND.

WORK ON SITE FORMATION IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY NEXT YEAR. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PILING AND CONSTRUCTION WORK. THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION IS EXPECTED TO COME INTO OPERATION IN 1978.

MEANWHILE, WORK IS WELL ADVANCED ON THE BUILDING OF A MINIMUM SECURITY PRISON AND A MAXIMUM SECURITY TRAINING CENTRE AT PIK UK IN SAI KUNG.

THE PRISON COMPOUND, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE SOME 600 INMATES, IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED NEXT MONTH.

THE TRAINING CENTRE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ROOM FOR 400 OFFENDERS UNDER THE AGE OF 21 WHO ARE FOUND TO BE UNSUITABLE FOR OPEN CENTRES, IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN MID-1975.

AT THE SAME TIME, PLANS ARE IN HAND TO CONSTRUCT A REFRACTORY BLOCK FOR THE BETTER ENFORCEMENT OF DISCIPLINE WITHIN STANLEY PRISON.

THE BLOCK, WHICH WILL BE A SEGREGATED FOUR-STOREY BUILDING PROVIDED WITH BO CELLS, IS EXPECTED TO BE OPENED IN MID-1976,

14