XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 34

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

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LACK OF INTEGRATED PLAN TO COUNTER TRIADS CRITICISED

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CRITICISED BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG FOR LACKING AN INTEGRATED AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR PREVENTING AND SUPPRESSING TRIAD ACTIVITIES.

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT TO COUNTER THE TRIAD PROBLEM, MR TAM SAID THE DOCUMENT HAD GENERALLY EXPOSED THE RAMPANT SITUATION OF THE TRIAD PROBLEM BUT PROVIDED LITTLE RELEVANT INFORMATION TO PROVE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM, NOT TO MENTION THE LACK OF A MORE PROFOUND AND COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE VARIOUS CAUSES LEADING TO IT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SUGGESTIONS IN THE DOCUMENT TENDED TO CONCENTRATE ONLY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION.

+WHILE NO CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN MADE FROM THE ANGLE OF COUNSELLING, THE DOCUMENT ALSO REVEALS THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE AN INTEGRATED AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR PREVENTING AND SUPPRESSING TREAD ACTIVITIES, OR FOR CUTTING OFF VARIOUS FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXPANSION OF TRIAD POWER, HE SAID.

MR TAM EXPRESSED DOUBTS ON A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS IN THE DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED PLACING OF A SUPERVISION ORDER ON THE +POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS RE-OFFENDERS+, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROHIBITION ORDER AND PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE.

HE SAID IF THE SUPERVISION ORDER WAS MISUSED OR USED ON YOUTHS WHO WERE ONLY FIRST OFFENDERS, IT MIGHT CREATE AN ADVERSE EFFECT OF GIVING RISE TO MORE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT THE ORDER SHOULD BE PLACED MAINLY ON CORE MEMBERS OF TRIAD SOCIETIES.

MR TAM ALSO SAID HE WAS DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROHIBITION ORDER SINCE RESTRICTING TRIAD MEMBERS FROM GOING TO CERTAIN PLACES DID NOT MEAN THAT THEIR CHANCES OF COMMITTING CRIMES WOULD BE REDUCED AS THEY COULD EASILY GATHER AT SOME OTHER PLACES.

AS FOR THE PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE, HE WAS WORRIED THAT INNOCENT SOCIETIES WHICH HAD NO TRIAD AFFILIATION WOULD BE AFFECTED.

MR TAM SUGGESTED THAT IN CRACKING DOWN ON TRIAD ACTIVITIES, EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON DISCONNECTING THEIR FINANCIAL SOURCES AND ON GETTING RID OF THE CORE MEMBERS OF SUCH ORGANISATIONS.

/HE ALSO