XN000022-1977-08-05 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1977

US EXPERT TO HELP COMPUTERISE

CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS

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A COMPUTER EXPERT FROM NEW YORK ARRIVED IN HONG KONG TODAY (FRIDAY) TO HELP IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO COMPUTERISE THE GOVERNMENT'S CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS.

THE EXPERT, MR. BENT WERBELL, HAD VISITED HONG KONG IN APRIL LAST YEAR FOR A THREE-AND-A-HALF MONTHS CONSULTANCY, DURING WHICH HE PRODUCED A PLAN TO STREAMLINE AND COMPUTERISE THE REGISTRY IN THE NARCOTICS DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

THE PLAN, WHICH IS AIMED AT MONITORING THE TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF DRUG ABUSE IN HONG KONG AND ASSESSING THE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS, WAS FULLY ENDORSED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN)

IN AUGUST LAST YEAR.

SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE NARCOTICS DIVISION BEGAN COLLECTING REPORTS ON INDIVIDUAL DRUG ADDICTS, IN ANTICIPATION OF A SECOND VISIT BY MR. WERBELL TO HELP IMPLEMENT THE NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM THIS YEAR.

AS IN LAST YEAR, MR. WERBELL'S CURRENT VISIT IS SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE (NIDA) OF THE U.S.A.

HE WILL STAY IN HONG KONG FOR THREE MONTHS AND WORK WITH STAFF MEMBERS OF BOTH THE NARCOTICS DIVISION AND THE DATA PROCESSING DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, AND THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, TO PRODUCE A BLUE-PRINT FOR THE COMPUTERISATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE REGISTRY.

THE TESTING OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL BE CONDUCTED BETWEEN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR AND MARCH NEXT YEAR AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FIRST PRINT-OUT WILL BE AVAILABLE ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR.

IT WILL THEN BE ABLE FOR THE REGISTRY TO OBTAIN PRINT-OUTS AT REGULAR INTERVALS IN FUTURE.

SINCE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, THE NARCOTICS DIVISION HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 26,000 REPORTS ON DRUG ADDICTS. THE MAIN REPORTING SOURCES ARE THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, POLICE, MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NARCOTICS DIVISION, HOWEVER, STRESSED THAT THESE REPORTS WOULD ONLY BE USED COLLECTIVELY TO MONITOR THE DRUG PROBLEM AND GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS. PERSONAL PARTICULARS WOULD BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

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