XN000022-1989-05-04 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1989

THE YEAR,

FIFTY-FIVE KILOGRAMS OF CANNABIS WERE SEIZED DURING COMPARED WITH 284 IN 1987, WHILE THE FIGURES UP то APRIL THIS YEAR (337 KILOGRAMS) WERE ABOUT THE SAME OF THOSE FOR THE WHOLE OF 1987 AND 1988, MR MULLOY SAID,

"THERE WAS, HOWEVER, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF 29.3 PER CENT TO 7,547 IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR DRUG OFFENCES IN 1988 WHILE THE FIGURES FOR MINOR DRUG OFFENCES FELL

25.9 PER CENT TO 3,839.

BY

"THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR ALL DRUG SLIGHTLY INCREASED BY 2.7 PER CENT TO 11,560,

OFFENCES

"PROSECUTION OF PERSONS AGED UNDER 21 ALSO SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE OF 1.3 PER CENT TO 782," MR MULLOY ADDED.

STRATEGY TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL NT

LIFE

A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF IN THE RURAL NEW TERRITORIES WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY} BY THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR GRAHAM BARNES,

ITS

KNOWN AS THE RURAL PLANNING AND IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY (RPIS), AIM IS ΤΟ ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH UNPLANNED DEVELOPMENT AND THE LACK OF CONTROL, WHICH HAVE GIVEN RISE TO URBAN SPRAWL, POLLUTION, FLOODING AND INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES.

THE RURAL IMPROVEMENT WORKS PROPOSED TO BE CARRIED OUT UNDER THE RPIS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS IS ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $4 BILLION.

THESE INCLUDE FLOOD

ACCESS AND ROAD MAINTENANCE;

PROTECTION MEASURES; IMPROVED VILLAGE IMPROVED SEWERAGE, WATER SUPPLY AND WASTE COLLECTION; FORMED AND SERVICED LAND FOR THE EXPANSION OF VILLAGES; AND PROVISION OF SITES FOR COMMUNTIY FACILITIES.

ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE STRATEGY WILL BE AN EFFICIENT STATUTORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK TO STRENGTHEN PLANNING AND LAND CONTROL, AND TO CO-ORDINATE RURAL IMPROVEMENT WORKS.

MR BARNES SAID THE RPIS WOULD REQUIRE A CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT AMONG THE GOVERNMENT, LAND OWNERS AND PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

DRAW

"THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND UP PLANS FOR APPROPRIATE LAND USE WHICH WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LAND, MOST OF WHICH IS PRIVATELY OWNED.

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