XN000022-1979-11-26 — Page 5

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1979

HE SAID IN THE PAST PROCEEDINGS HAVE HAD TO BE TAKEN IN THE TRIBUNAL WHICH HAS JURISDICTION IN THE AREA WHERE THE DEFENDANT RESIDES OR HAS HIS PLACE OF BUSINESS.

+BUT WITH THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS, A CLAIMANT CAN USE WHICHEVER TRIBUNAL SUITS HIM BEST.

HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TRIBUNAL STILL RETAINS THE POWER TO TRANSFER A CLAIM TO ANOTHER TRIBUNAL IF IT THINKS DESIRABLE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INTEREST OF THE PARTIES CONCERNED AND THE NEED FOR SPEEDY DESPATCH OF BUSINESS.

NARCOTICS REPORT 1978 ON SALE ******

THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, WITH ITS COMPUTERISED CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS AND OTHER INDICATORS, NOW HAS A SOPHISTICATED MECHANISM ON WHICH TO BASE ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT.

THE CHAIRMAN OF ACAN, SIR ALBERT RODRIGUES, STATED THIS IN THE FOREWORD OF THE HONG KONG NARCOTICS REPORT 1978, OF WHICH THE ENGLISH EDITION IS ON SALE TODAY (MONDAY) AT $20 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE. THE CHINESE VERSION IS BEING PRODUCED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.

SIR ALBERT SAID SINCE THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS BECAME FULLY COMPUTERISED IN SEPTEMBER 1976 OVER 76 000 REPORTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED ON 29 000 ADDICTS AT THE END OF 1978.

HE SAID THIS NEW FACILITY GIVES US, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A MEANS OF CHECKING AT VERY FREQUENT INTERVALS ANY CHANGES OF TRENDS IN, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF, OUR ADDICT POPULATION, AND MARKS A MAJOR ADVANCE IN OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE DATA BASE ON WHICH REALISTIC ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICIES CAN BE FORMULATED.+

IN OTHER FIELDS OF ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK, SIR ALBERT SAID, STEADY PROGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN MADE.

+THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE AND THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE) HAVE SUCCEEDED, THROUGH THEIR EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO LIMIT IMPORTS OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS, IN KEEPING THE RETAIL PRICE OF DRUGS ON THE STREET AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

+THIS, IN TURN, HAS INDUCED MANY ADDICTS TO CONTINUE IN TREATMENT IN OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMMES,

+THE CO-ORDINATED EFFORTS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES (RUN BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PRISONS DEPARTMENT AND THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS) HAVE ALSO HAD, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS FULL EMPLOYMENT, IMPROVEMENTS IN LIVING STANDARDS, THE SUCCESS OF THE ANTI- CORRUPTION DRIVE, PROVISION OF FREE UNIVERSAL EDUCATION UP TO FORM 3 LEVEL, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND PREVENTIVE ÉDUCATION, A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON CRIME AND ON THE PRISON POPULATION, SIR ALBERT SAID.

/HE ALSO