XN000022-1983-03-23 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983

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ON TOP OF THIS PLANNED GROWTH, HE SAID, THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD RECEIVE A CONTINUOUS INFLUX OF FIRE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTER VICTIMS AND PEOPLE CLEARED FROM CROWN LAND RESUMPTIONS.

+THIS INCREASE IN POPULATION BRINGS IN ITS WAKE A SERIES OF CHANGES IN THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE REGION, HE SAID.

+AS A CONSEQUENCE, CRIMES AND PERVERSION OF ALL KINDS PREVAIL. +

CITING STATISTICS, DR HO SAID POLICE PERSONNEL DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER DUTIES IN 1982-83 TOTALLED 6 032 IN THE KOWLOON REGION, 3 573 IN THE HONG KONG ISLAND REGION AND 3 863 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION.

GIVING A RATIO OF POLICE STRENGTH TO EVERY 1 000 OF POPULATION AT 2.40 FOR KOWLOON, 2.86 FOR HONG KONG AND 2.62 FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE CORRESPONDING RATIOS FOR 1983 ARE 2.48, 2.89 AND 2.50 RESPECTIVELY.

IT IS OBVIOUS FROM THESE STATISTICS THAT AMONG THE POLICE REGIONS, THE NEW TERRITORIES' RELATIVE SHARE OF POLICE STRENGTH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN REDUCED IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS I MENTIONED EARLIER.

+AS I SEE IT, WITH DEPLOYMENT OF THE POLICE ON THE BASIS OF THE PREVALENT CRIME LEVEL, GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD, THE RATE OF INCREASE IN POPULATION, AND THE CHANGING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE, NEW TERRITORIES REGION DESERVES A BETTER DEAL.+

HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE SYMPATHETIC AND FAIR CONSIDERATION WHEN PLANNING FOR EXPANSION OF THE POLICE FORCE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION, IN PARTICULAR THE FAST GROWING NEW TOWNS OF SHA TIN, TAI PO AND TUEN MUN.

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