XN000022-1984-11-29 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1984

LUNCH PROBLEM IN KWUN TONG INDUSTRIAL AREA TO BE EASED

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THE ACUTE SHORTAGE OF EATING FACILITIES FOR FACTORY WORKERS, ESPECIALLY AT LUNCH TIME, IN KWUN TONG INDUSTRIAL AREA IS EXPECTED TO BE EASED WITH THE OPENING OF A NEW COOKED FOOD CENTRE AT KWUN TONG FERRY CONCOURSE EARLY NEXT MONTH.

THE TWO-STOREY BUILDING, CAPABLE OF ACCOMMODATING 29 STALLS, WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING COOKED FOOD BAZAAR NEAR THE ROUNDABOUT AT WAI YIP STREET.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL SAID TODAY THAT THE DECISION TO BUILD A NEW CENTRE WAS MADE FOLLOWING A SURVEY ON THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF EATING ESTABLISHMENTS AND THE INCREASING NUMBER OF ILLEGAL FOOD-FOR-MAN STREET TRADERS IN THE AREA.

*WITH THE COMPLETION OF THIS $2.64 MILLION PROJECT, WORKERS IN THE AREA WILL HAVE MORE HYGIENIC AND BETTER EATING FACILITIES, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

THE OLD BAZAAR WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1975 AND HAS ONLY NINE STALLS, WILL BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PUBLIC TOILET AND A REFUSE COLLECTION POINT. TENDERS FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BE INVITED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

ANTI-NARCOTICS FIGHT GETS GOOD RESULTS

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THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PERSONS WHO WERE NEWLY REPORTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS HAD DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY, THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) SAID AT ITS 54TH MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY).

DURING THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1984, 649 PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE WERE THUS REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE FOR INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS, DOWN BY 24 PER CENT FROM THE 858 YOUNG PERSONS REPORTED IN LAST YEAR'S CORRESPONDING PERIOD.

IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS, 1 096 KGS OF ILLICIT HEROIN WERE SEIZED, COMPARED WITH 725 KGS CAUGHT IN THE WHOLE OF 1983, WHICH WAS ITSELF A RECORD YEAR.

AS A RESULT, THE RETAIL PRICE OF NO. 3 HEROIN INCREASED FROM $76 A GRAM AT THE END OF 1983 TO $137 BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

THIS PRICE RISE LED TO MORE PEOPLE BEING ADMITTED FOR VARIOUS TREATMENT PROGRAMMES.

/AS AT