XN000022-1981-09-17 — Page 10

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1981

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MACS WERE INITIALLY FORMED IN PRIVATE MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS BUT THE SCHEME WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXTENDED TO PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND SQUATTER AREAS.

+OUT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN FORMED IN TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS WHERE THERE IS OFTEN AN EVEN GREATER NEED TO MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS, INTERNAL SECURITY AND FRIENDLINESS AMONG THE RESIDENTS, MISS LAŬ SAID.

IN GENERAL, SHE SAID, THE MAJORITY OF MACS IN PRIVATE HOUSING HAD DONE REASONABLY WELL IN THE MORE PRACTICAL ASPECT OF BUILDING MANAGEMENT, WHILE MACS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES WHICH WERE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT ASPECTS HAD PLACED MORE EMPHASIS ON NEIGHBOURLINESS AMONG RESIDENTS.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EXTENT OF PARTICIPATION IN MAC ACTIVITIES, CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND DISTRICT OFFICES PROVIDED LEADERSHIP TRAINING SESSIONS FOR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS BUILDING MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR MAC OFFICE BEARERS,

MACS WERE ALSO VISITED REGULARLY BY LIAISON OFFICERS AND TEMPORARY COMMUNITY ORGANISERS TO ENSURE THAT THE IR MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE OVERCOME.

AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASED DEGREE OF ACQUAINTANCE AMONG RESIDENTS, MACS HAD BEEN ABLE TO MOBILISE THEIR MEMBERS TOWARDS ORGANISING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

TOWARDS THIS END, MISS LAU SAID, THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION AND DISTRICT BOARD FUNDS HAD GONE SOME WAY TO ASSISTING INTERESTED MACS IN PROMOTING SUCH ACTIVITIES.

+GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT TOWARDS SUCH ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE IN FUTURE AND WE SEE THAT A LOT OF GOOD WILL COME FROM THE INITIATIVE TAKEN BY MACS IN IMPROVING COMMUNITY RELATIONS AT THEIR OWN LEVEL, SHE SAID.

CUSTOMS' MEN COMMENDED

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SIXTY-ONE INSPECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE WERE TODAY (THURSDAY) PRESENTED WITH COMMENDATION CERTIFICATES FOR THE IR WORK IN ARRESTS AND SEIZURES IN CONNECTION WITH NARCOTICS OFFENCES.

+THESE INSPECTORS AND OFFICERS HAVE SHOWN PARTICULAR EFFICIENCY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY IN HELPING THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE SUPPRESS DRUG TRAFFICKING. THE PROFESSIONALISM HAS LED TO MANY SUCCESSES DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS, SAID THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, MR KEITH BROADBRIDGE, DURING THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY AT THE CUSTOMS INVESTIGATION BUREAU HEADQUARTERS.

SEN FOR INSPECTOR TSANG HING-KAM RECEIVED THE COMMISSIONER'S COMMENDATION, WHILE TEN INSPECTORS AND OFFICERS WERE AWARDED THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER'S COMMENDATION, AND 50 INSPECTORS AND OFFICERS RECEIVED THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER'S COMMENDATION.

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