XN000022-1981-11-19 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19,1981

STUDENTS URGED TO SUPPORT CLEAN-UP DRIVE

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EDUCATION HAS A SIGNIFICANT PLACE IN THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF THE CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN, SAID MR C.C. WAN, CITY DISTRICT OFFICER FOR CAUSEWAY BAY AND NORTH POINT, THIS AFTERNOON (THURSDAY).

MR WAN WAS ADDRESSING STUDENTS OF THE ISLAMIC COLLEGE AT THE SCHOOL'S NINTH GRADUATION CEREMONY.

HE URGED THE STUDENTS TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN AND POINTED OUT THAT ADULTS AS WELL AS STUDENTS NEED TO BE EDUCATED TO KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN.

◆AND TO THIS END, CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN FORMED IN ALL DISTRICTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREAS, HE SAID.

THE FUNCTION OF THE COMMITTEES, HE SAID, IS TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CAMPAIGN AND TO MOTIVATE THE CITIZENS TO TAKE GREATER PRIDE IN THE HYGIENIC STANDARD OF THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT.

+THEIR EFFORTS ARE TO BE TIED IN WITH THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THEIR COMMITTEES,+ HE SAID.

+WITH THEIR INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS, BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY THE BLACKSPOTS, ADVISE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW OUR RESOURCES SHOULD BE DIRECTED.+

+PUBLICITY WILL GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH PHYSICAL CLEAN-UPS,+ HE SAID, BUT POINTED OUT THAT EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL CLEAN-UPS ALONE WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT THE BACK-UP OF PROSECUTION AND THAT A TOUGHER APPROACH IS REQUIRED.

LEGISLATION IS BEING STRENGTHENED TO COVER LITTERING FROM VESSELS AND VEHICLES AND THE PENALTY FOR LITTERING HAS BEEN RAISED FROM $500 AND THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT TO $5 000 AND SIX MONTHS.

+OVER 5 700 OFFICIALS FROM 10 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED TO ENFORCE THE LAW IN ADDITION TO THE IR NORMAL DUTIES.+ HE SAID, BUT STRESSED THAT +THEY ARE NOT OUT TO GET THE CARELESS OLD LADY WHO DROPS HER TISSUE, OR THE ABSENT-MINDED SMOKER WHO THROWS HIS CIGARETTE-END AND MISSES THE BIN.+

INSTEAD, HE SAID, THEY ARE OUT TO GET THE BIG FISH+,

THE BLATANT OFFENDERS WHO PURPOSELY DUMP THEIR WASTE BY THE ROADSIDE OR INTO THE HARBOUR FOR SHEER CONVENIENCE.

+WE MEAN BUSINESS AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED THAT THIS CAMPAIGN WILL NOT BE A ONE-OFF EXERCISE BUT THAT THE CLEANLINESS ACHIEVED WILL BE MAINTAINED AFTERWARDS, HE SAID.

HE CONGRATULATED THE STUDENTS AND WISHED THEM A BRIGHT AND HAPPY FUTURE.

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