XN000022-1979-10-13 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1979

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FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE IS A SUCCESS, SAYS SIR Y.K. KAN

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DRUG ABUSE IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN CONTROLLED AND THEN PROGRESSIVELY REMOVED, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE MONTH-LONG MONG KOK DISTRICT ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN, SIR YUET-KEUNG SAIDI DRUG TRAFFICKING AND DRUG ABUSE ARE TWO LONG-STANDING SCOURGES OF OUR COMMUNITY. FOLLOWING THE RECONSTITUTION OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) IN 1973, THEY HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN AN IMAGINATIVE, CO-ORDINATED WAY IN WHICH EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS CLOSELY LINKED WITH INTERNATIONAL ACTION AND WITH THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTER-CARE FACILITIES.

+THESE IN TURN ARE COMPLEMENTED BY PREVENTION, EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES DESIGNED TO PERSUADE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NEVER TO EXPERIMENT WITH DRUGS, AND TO ATTRACT EXISTING ADDICTS INTO TREATMENT.

+THE SUCCESS OF OUR ENDEAVOURS CAN BE SEEN TODAY IN THE VERY HIGH LEVEL OF ILLICIT DRUG PRICES ON THE STREETS, THE RECORD NUMBER OF DRUG ABUSERS IN DAILY TREATMENT, AND THE STEADY DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED.+

SIR YUET-KEUNG AND THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR. LEWIS DAVIES, TODAY OFFICIATED AT A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AT THE MONG KOK STÁDIUM TO LAUNCH THE CAMPAIGN,

IN HIS SPEECH SIR YUET-KEUNG ALSO SAID THAT OVER THE YEARS HONG KONG HAD ACHIEVED A WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION FOR ITS SUCCESS IN PROVIDING FULL EMPLOYMENT AND A STEADILY RISING STANDARD OF LIVING FOR ITS FIVE MILLION PEOPLE.

HONG KONG HAS DONE THIS WITHOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF ANY NATURAL RESOURCES EXCEPT THE SKILL, VERSATILITY, HARD WORK AND ENTERPRISE OF ITS PEOPLE COMBINED WITH A FAVOURABLE GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION OF THE CROSSROADS OF ASIA.

IN THE PROCESS, HOUSING HAS BEEN BUILT AT AN INCREASING RATE FOR ITS STEADILY GROWING POPULATION, FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL UP TO FORM 3 LEVEL HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS OF SUCH AN ENORMOUS POPULATION IN SUCH A LIMITED AREA HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SURMOUNTED.

+BUT. INEVITABLY, WITH SUCH A RECORD THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE TO THE PICTURE. TWO MAJOR SOCIAL EVILS HAVE ARISEN, IN PART PERHAPS DUE TO OUR VERY RAPID RATE OF GROWTH AND OUR DENSELY-PACKED POPULATION - I SPEAK OF COURSE OF CORRUPTION AND DRUG ABUSE.

+BUT HERE AGAIN, THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN TACKLED IN A TYPICALLY HONG KONG WAY BY FACING THEM SQUARELY AND PRAGMATICALLY AND BY DEVISING METHODS BY WHICH THEY CAN FIRST BE CONTROLLED, AND THEN PROGRESSIVELY REMOVED, SIR YUET-KEUNG SAID.

HE SAID THAT IN THIS CONTINUING WAR AGAINST DRUG, THE SUPPORT OF HONG KONG'S PEOPLE WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT AND THIS REPRESENTED THE PURPOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN WHICH BEGAN IN MONG KOK TODAY.

/IN THE