XN000022-1985-11-27 — Page 53

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985

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ON THE ISSUE OF TRIAD SOCIETY, MR CHUNG SAID PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN PARTICULARLY TO THE POSSIBLE MEASURES OF KEEPING TRIAD INFLUENCE AWAY FROM SCHOOLS AND PLACES OF AMUSEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

HE SAID HE HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD IMMEDIATELY CONSIDER NECESSARY AMENDMENTS TO THE RELEVANT LEGISLATION SO THAT SERIOUS CRIMES COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVELY DEALT WITH AND THAT CRIMINALS BE MORE READILY BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

MR CHUNG ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE RISING NUMBER OF BURGLARY CASES IN RESIDENTIAL FLATS AND URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE EVERY RESOURCES TO PROMOTE AND MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH PROGRAMME LAUNCHED JOINTLY BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND THE POLICE.

POINTING OUT THAT THE QUALITY OF WATCHMEN WAS IMPORTANT TO THE SECURITY OF MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS, HE SAID THE WATCHMEN ORDINANCE WAS OUTDATED AND HAD TO BE AMENDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

+THERE IS AMBIGUITY IN THE TERM 'WATCHMEN' AS WELL AS ROOM

FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF WATCHMEN, + HE SAID.

TURNING TO HOUSING, MR CHUNG SAID THAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS FOR APPLICANTS ON THE WAITING LIST, HE FELT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD ENCOURAGE BETTER-OFF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS TO PURCHASE FLATS UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME.

HE SUGGESTED THE AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER OFFERING PROSPECTIVE BUYERS ATTRACTIVE TERMS SUCH AS EXEMPTING THEM FROM DOWN PAYMENT, ARRANGING LOANS AT LOW INTEREST RATES, SELLING FLATS AT CONCESSIONARY PRICE AND ASSURING THEM A PUBLIC HOUSING UNIT IN CASE THEY ARE UNABLE TO PAY UP THE IR MONTHLY INSTALMENT DUE TO CHANGES IN FINANCIAL CONDITION.

MR CHUNG ALSO WELCOMED THE PLANNING OF A THIRD UNIVERSITY IN HONG KONG BUT HE OBSERVED THAT THE NUMBER OF FIRST DEGREE PLACES TO BE PROVIDED WAS WELL BELOW THE NUMBER DEMANDED,

HE THEREFORE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER PROVIDING EXTERNAL DEGREE COURSES BY MAKING FULL USE OF THE FACILITIES OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AND TAKING AFTER THE EXTERNAL DEGREE SYSTEM OF LONDON UNIVERSITY.

THE STUDENTS COULD THEN TAKE UP THEIR COURSES BY PRIVATE STUDY, CORRESPONDENCE OR IN ANY OTHER WAY AT THEIR OWN EXPENSES, WHILE THE IR NUMBER WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE LACK OF SPACE IN THE CAMPUS, HE SAID.

+THIS SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEED OF THOSE ASPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE KEEN ON FURTHERING THEIR STUDIES AND TO BRING UP MORE QUALIFIED PERSONNEL AT THE SAME TIME,+ MR CHUNG ADDED.

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