XN000022-1987-03-19 — Page 5

لمية

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1987

+ BUT IF IT IS TO RETAIN SUCH A POSITION ON A LONG-TERM BASIS, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FINANCE ALL THE EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION BY PUBLIC FUNDS, HE SAID.

MR YEUNG SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER RAISING THE SCHOOL FEES OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES AND TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTES TO MEET THE TREMENDOUS EXPENDITURE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF EDUCATION.

TURNING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICES, MR YEUNG NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE IN 1982 THAT THE RATIO OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS TO STUDENTS SHOULD BE IMPROVED WHEN THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN SOCIAL WORK MANPOWER SUPPLY.

+SINCE THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING THE YOUTH PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IMPORTANCE SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, WHY IS IT STILL UNABLE TO ALLOCATE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO FULFIL ITS PROMISE AFTER FIVE YEARS WHEN BOTH MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES ARE READILY AVAILABLE?+ MR YEUNG ASKED.

ADDING THAT THE ABUSE OF SOFT DRUGS BY YOUNG PEOPLE HAD BECOME A TERRITORY-WIDE PROBLEM, HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO REINFORCE ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK.

TURNING TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, MR YEUNG SAID THE GREATEST THREAT POSED BY THE 10 000 OR SO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES STRANDED IN HONG KONG MIGHT BE COMPARED TO A TIME BOMB WHICH COULD EXPLODE AT ANY TIME, AND NOT JUST THE $100 MILLION-PLUS EXPENDITURE WHICH HAD TO BE DEFRAYED BY THE GOVERNMENT ANNUALLY.

HE SAID HONG KONG HAD TO WATCH CLOSELY THE PROGRESS MADE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN HER UNDERTAKING TO GIVE ACTIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE PROBLEM, SO AS TO ENSURE THAT DUE IMPORTANCE WAS ATTACHED TO THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

NOTING THAT SECURITY SERVICES WERE A THRIVING TRADE IN HONG KONG, HE SAID HE WAS GLAD TO LEARN THAT MUCH IMPORTANCE HAD BEEN ATTACHED BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE TO THE SECURITY TRADE AS WELL AS TO THE STANDARD OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY SECURITY COMPANIES.

+I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ENACT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE SERVICE STANDARD OF THE SECURITY TRADE SO THAT IT COULD BECOME PROFESSIONALISED, HE SAID.

MR YEUNG ADDED THAT HE HAD TO TOUCH ON A SERIOUS PROBLEM CONCERNING SECURITY - THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF FALSE BURGLAR ALARMS. HE NOTED THAT IN 1985, THE POLICE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 25 846 BURGLAR ALARMS, BUT ONLY 201 OF THEM WERE GENUINE. AS A RESULT, THE POLICE HAD WASTED 150 000 MAN-HOURS IN HANDLING SUCH CASES.

J

THIS SITUATION MUST BE RECTIFIED, HE SAID.

+THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE EARLY ACTION TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO CONTROL ALARM SYSTEMS, SO AS TO REDUCE THE WASTAGE OF POLICE RESOURCES,+ HE SAID.

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