XN000022-1977-07-31 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 1977

HONG KONG ANTI-DRUG OFFICIAL ATTENDS PAKISTAN WORKSHOP

AS CONSULTANT *****

A GOVERNMENT ANTI-DRUG OFFICIAL WILL FLY TO RAWALPINDI ON THURSDAY (AUGUST 4) TO ATTEND THE 2ND PAKISTAN NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION AS A CONSULTANT.

THE OFFICER IS MR. EDDIE 30, ACTING SENIOR INFORMATION OFFICER OF THE NARCOTICS DIVISION, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT. HE WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH OTHER CONSULTANTS FROM WESTERN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AND PAKISTAN'S ANTI-DRUG OFFICIALS TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMME FOR THE COUNTRY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE.

MR. 30, WHO IS SECONDED FROM THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES TO THE NARCOTICS DIVISION, IS AT PRESENT RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSISTING THE PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING ANTI-DRUG EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES IN HỒNG KÔNG.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NARCOTICS DIVISION SAID THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A GOVERNMENT ANTI-DRUG OFFICIAL IS INVITED TO A NATIONAL WORKSHOP OF THIS KIND AS A CONSULTANT.

HE SAID THAT COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE CONCENTRATED THEIR ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTS FOR A LONG TIME. IT IS NOW, HOWEVER, INCREASINGLY RECOGNISED WORLDWIDE THAT THESE EFFORTS ARE NOT BY THEMSELVES ENOUGH, AND THAT ULTIMATELY THE DRUG PROBLEM CAN ONLY BE CONTAINED BY REINFORC- ING THESE EFFORTS WITH PREVENTION AND EDUCATION MEASURES.

HE SAID HONG KONG HAS A DRUG PROBLEM LONGER THAN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES AND HAS THEREFORE ACCUMULATED A GREAT DEAL OF ANTI- DRUG EXPERIENCE WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES MAY BE INTERESTED TO LEARN.

+BY SHARING OUR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS AT THE WORKSHOP,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN DEVONSTRAT- ING HONG KONG'S FIRM COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AGAINST THE GLOBAL SCOURGE OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND DRUG ABUSE.+

+HONG KONG ALREADY HAS A WELL-ESTABLISHED REPUTATION FOR THE EFFICIENT CO-OPERATION OF THE POLICE NARCOTICS BUREAU AND THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE WITH OVERSEAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND FOR PROVIDING TRAINING FACILITIES FOR ANTI-DRUG PERSONNEL FROM ASIAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE WORKSHOP, JOINTLY HELD BY THE PAKISTAN NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD AND THE COLOMBO PLAN BUREAU, FEGINS ON AUGUST 6 AND LASTS FOR SIX DAYS. OTHER CONSULTANTS AND EXPERTS ATTENDING WILL INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE OF U.S.A., THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ECARD OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE MALAYSIAN

LISTRY OF WELFARE.

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