XN000022-1992-10-28 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992

COUNCIL

ALSO, HE SAID THE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT WILL ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON HOW ITS SUPPORT CAN BE MOST EFFECTIVELY CHANNELLED, AND ON WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

"THE FACT THAT WE HAVE INSTITUTED PROGRAMMES WHICH ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY IS A RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE ATTACH TO THIS VITAL ECONOMIC SECTOR.

"AND I WOULD ADD THAT OUR THINKING ON HOW AND TO WHAT EXTENT WE SHOULD SUPPORT INDUSTRY IS BY NO MEANS STATIC, HE SAID.

SMUGGLING AND JUVENILE CRIME REMAIN A MAJOR CONCERN

SMUGGLING AND JUVENILE CRIME REMAIN TWO AREAS OF MAJOR CONCERN AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF A SIX PER CENT DROP IN OVERALL CRIME, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR

SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS, ASPREY SAID SEVERAL FACTORS HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE DROP IN OVERALL CRIME RATE.

THESE ARE INCREASED POLICE DEPLOYMENT ON THE STREETS, INCREASED CO-OPERATION WITH CHINA TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF CROSS-BORDER CRIME AND CHANGES IN LEGISLATION IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN THE PATTERN AND NATURE OF CRIME.

HE SAID JUVENILE CRIME RATE HAD IN FACT DROPPED BY EIGHT PER CENT IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF THIS YEAR WHEN COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

BUT WHAT WAS WORRYING WAS THAT YOUNGSTERS WERE INCREASINGLY BECOMING INVOLVED IN MORE SERIOUS OFFENCES, SUCH AS BURGLARIES, ROBBERIES AND UNLAWFUL SOCIETY OFFENCES, HE ADDED.

ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ORGANISED TRIAD CAMPAIGN TO ENTER SCHOOLS TO RECRUIT STUDENTS, SOME SCHOOLS DID SUFFER FROM TRIAD AND OTHER GANG ACTIVITIES, HE NOTED.

**TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM, THE POLICE WILL MAINTAIN A PRESENCE AROUND SCHOOLS DURING SCHOOL HOURS, AND STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN ΤΟ REINFORCE AND CO-ORDINATE BETTER SUPPORT GIVEN BY A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS TO SCHOOLS WITH TRIAD AND GANG PROBLEMS," HE SAID.

ON THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN SMUGGLING OFFENCES AND THE RELATED PROBLEM OF CAR THEFT, MR ASPREY SAID THE PRESENT SCALE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE BLATANT FLOUTING OF THE LAW CALL FOR INCREASED PENALTIES.

ON

"THE PRESENT MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR THE MAIN SMUGGLING OFFENCES ARE A FINE OF $500,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS

SUMMARY CONVICTION.

/"I WILL