XN000022-1978-10-21 — Page 8

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, ing

1008

PRISONERS SERVING COMMUNITY

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PRISONERS ARE MAKING A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY BY IMPROVING FACILITIES IN RURAL AREAS UNDER THE OUTDOOR LABOUR SCHEME OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

THE SCHEME WHICH ENABLES PRISONERS TO SPEND THEIR IMPRISONMENT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIMS OF PRISON INDUSTRIES AND PENAL DOMESTIC SERVICES, HAS PROVED TO BE VERY POPULAR AMONG THE PRISONERS BECAUSE OF THE OUTDOOR NATURE OF THE WORK.

THE PROJECTS INCLUDE BUILDING VILLAGE HOUSES, BUS BAYS, FOOT-PATHS, IMPROVEMENTS TO ROAD WORKS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, GRASS CUTTING, AND BEACH CLEANING.

MOST OF THE PROJECTS ARE CARRIED OUT IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF VILLAGERS AND SUBMITTING THE REQUESTS TO THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT. SOME ARE INITIATED BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT WITH THE AIM OF IMPROVING OR PRESERVING THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE RURAL AREA.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT SAID AT PRESENT ABOUT 300 INMATES, AGED ABOVE 21 AND SERVING SHORT SENTENCES, ARE INVOLVED IN THIS OUTDOOR LABOUR SCHEME.

+THEY ARE INMATES FROM PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN PIK UK. MA HANG, CHI MA WAN AND MA PO PING AND DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES IN TONG FUK AND TAI LAM, AS WELL AS YOUNG INMATES FROM THE CAPE COLLINSON TRAINING CENTRE.+

HE SAID PRISONERS INVOLVED IN THESE PROJECTS ARE FORMED INTO SMALL OUTDOOR PARTIES, EACH BEING CLOSELY SUPERVISED BY ONE PRISON OFFICER.

THEY NORMALLY WORK EIGHT HOURS A DAY AND ARE PAID AT A WEEKLY RATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRISON RULES AND DEPENDING ON THE IR SKILL. ACCUMULATED SAVINGS EARNED BY AN INMATE ARE PAID TO HIM ON HIS RELEASE.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO SAID THAT THOSE PRISONERS WHO MISBEHAVE DURING OUTDOOR WORK, ARE LIABLE TO BE DISCIPLINED.

BECAUSE

+BUT THIS SELDOM HAPPENS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED, THEY LIKE THIS TYPE OF WORK WHICH MAKES THEM FEEL USEFUL AND FREE AND THEY CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE JOB.+

THE SCHEME IS SO POPULAR THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS FLOODED WITH REQUESTS FOR SUCH COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PRIORITY HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THOSE PROJECTS WHICH ARE MORE URGENT AND IMPORTANT.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO REVEALED THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON MORE AMBITIOUS PROJECTS UNDER THIS OUTDOOR WORK SCHEME BY BUILDING THREE SEISMOGRAPH STATIONS AT SAI KUNG, TAI LAM AND CHI MA WAN FOR THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

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