XN000022-1979-04-20 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1979

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NEW LEGISLATION PROPOSED TO DEAL WITH

CRIMINAL ELEMENTS UNLAWFULLY LOITERING IN PUBLIC PLACES

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THE CRIMES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S (FRIDAY) GOVERNMENT GAZETTE PROPOSES THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW LEGISLATION TO DEAL WITH THUGS AND OTHER CRIMINAL ELEMENTS WHO UNLAWFULLY LOITER IN PUBLIC PLACES.

THE PROPOSED NEW LAW WILL REPLACE A LOITERING PROVISION WHICH HAS EXISTED FOR MANY YEARS IN THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE. THE REVISIONS CONTAINED IN THE BILL PROVIDE FOR A WIDER DEFINITION OF LOITERING AND AN INCREASED PENALTY FOR SUCH OFFENCES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THIS AMENDMENT ONCE ENACTED WOULD ENABLE THE POLICE TO TAKE MORE EFFECTIVE ACTION AGAINST THOSE WHO LOITER IN A MANNER WHICH CAUSES APPREHENSION TO INNOCENT PEOPLE. INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE GIVEN TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS TO ENSURE THAT THESE ADDITIONAL POWERS ARE NOT ABUSED,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE BILL COMES AT AN OPPORTUNE TIME ONLY LAST WEEK THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MR. ROY HENRY, IN HIS +MEET THE MEDIA+ SESSION, LISTED POLICE ACTION AGAINST GANGS AMONG HIS TOP PRIORITIES.

THE PROPOSED LAW IS AIMED AT DEALING WITH SMALL INDEPENDENT GANGS WHO COME TOGETHER IN PUBLIC PLACES AND THE COMMON PARTS OF HOUSING ESTATES AND OTHER BUILDINGS. SUCH GANGS ADOPT OLD TRIAD NAMES AND RITUAL TO FRIGHTEN THE INNOCENT. THE PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION WILL GIVE THE POLICE WIDER POWERS TO ACT TO PREVENT CRIME WHERE THE EXISTING LAW IS NOT ENTIRELY ADEQUATE.

+SOME OF THESE GANGS OPERATE IN THE STREET,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID, +OTHERS PERHAPS ON A SINGLE FLOOR OF AN ESTATE BUILDING. THE IR PRESENCE ALONE IS A SOURCE OF FEAR TO RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. THESE GANGS, WHO BEHAVE IN A MENACING, BULLYING, INSULTING OR OFFENSIVE WAY, CANNOT BE EFFECTIVELY DEALT WITH UNDER THE PRESENT LAW.+

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