XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

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MORE LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION FOR JUVENILES URGED

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A CALL WAS MADE BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO AMEND EXISTING LEGISLATION TO ASSIST PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO RELIEVE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE CONTROL OF TRIADS.

SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON THE TRIAD PROBLEM, MR LEE SAID THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WERE THE MAIN TARGETS OF RECRUITMENT OF TRIAD SOCIETIES, AND THEIR PARENTS AND TEACHERS WERE HELPLESS IN BRINGING THEM BACK.

HE FELT THAT AT PRESENT THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE WAS UNABLE TO IMPOSE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR JUVENILES AS IT ONLY PROVIDED THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WITH THE RIGHT TO GUARDIANSHIP.

+ACTION SHOULD THEREFORE BE TAKEN TO REVIEW AND AMEND THE ORDINANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT PARENTS MAY THEN APPLY TO THE COURT OR THE AUTHORITY CONCERNED FOR INJUNCTION TO RELIEVE THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE STILL JUVENILES FROM THE INTIMIDATION AND CONTROL OF THE TRIAD SOCIETIES WHEREBY THEY MAY LEAD A NORMAL LIFE AGAIN UNDER GOOD PROTECTION,+ HE URGED.

HE BELIEVED THAT SUCCESS IN STOPPING THE TRIAD SOCIETIES FROM RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS WOULD MEAN SUCCESS IN THE PREVENTION OF TRIAD ACTIVITIES.

MR LEE ALSO NOTED THAT THE DOCUMENT HAD NOT DRAWN UP ANY SUBSTANTIVE PROGRAMME FOR THE REHABILITATION OF EX-OFFENDERS WHO WISHED TO START A NEW LIFE.

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CRITICISING THE PROPOSAL TO RESTRICT THE FREEDOM OF THE EX-RECIDIVISTS, HE SAID: +SUCH MEASURE WOULD MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE UNDER SUPERVISION ORDER TO RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL LIFE.

+ON THE CONTRARY, THEY WOULD BE DISCRIMINATED AND LOOKED DOWN UPON AS OBJECTIONABLE ELEMENTS OF THE SOCIETY.+

HE WARNED THAT AS A RESULT THEY WOULD HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BJT JOIN THEIR GANGS AND TAKE UP THEIR FORMER ACTIVITIES, ENDING UP BEING 'ONCE A TRIAD, ALWAYS A TRIAD'.

AS THE PROPOSAL HAD A +BRANDING+ EFFECT WHICH WOULD BE UNFAIR TO EX-OFFENDERS WHO WISHED TO GO STRAIGHT, IT SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED, HE SAID.

ON THE DOCUMENT AS A WHOLE, MR LEE SAID IT SEEMED TO HAVE FAILED IN GRASPING THE PROBLEM IN ITS FULL CONTEXT AND THE OPTIONS THEREIN COULD NOT BE FULLY EFFECTIVE IN ROOTING OUT THE TRIAD PROBLEM.

TO SUCCESSFULLY