XN000022-1993-10-08 — Page 13

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1993

12

CS RECOGNISES FIGHT CRIME EFFORTS

MADE

THE GOVERNMENT WILL SOON MAKE A DECISION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MR JUSTICE KEMPSTER AND THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAMME, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.

"WE HAVE ACCORDED HIGH

PRIORITY TO A WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAMME AND WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, SIR DAVID SAID.

++

HE WAS SPEAKING AT A COCKTAIL RECEPTION OF DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES (DFCC).

SIR DAVID SAID THE CRIME RATE, ALREADY LOW, WAS ACTUALLY

FALLING.

"THIS YEAR VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN SIX PER CENT. VEHICLE THEFT, A MAJOR CAUSE OF CONCERN LAST YEAR, IS DOWN BY A QUARTER.

"

HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE POLICE WHO, WITH GREAT COURAGE AND SELFLESSNESS CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.

DEDICATION,

AND THE THE

HE SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF AN IMPROVED PAY PACKAGE ADOPTION OF A NEW RECRUITMENT STRATEGY HAD BEEN ABLE TO BRING POLICE UP TO FULL STRENGTH.

APART FROM POLICE'S EFFORTS, SIR DAVID SAID COMMUNITY SUPPORT WAS A KEY TO SUCCESS IN FIGHTING CRIME.

AS CHAIRMAN OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST SIX AND A HALF YEARS, SIR DAVID SAID HE HAD BEEN GREATLY IMPRESSED AND MUCH ENCOURAGED BY THE WORK DONE BY THE DFCC IN HELPING THE POLICE FIGHT CRIME AND IN ENHANCING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CRIME PREVENTION.

HE SAID MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER REMAINED ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S TOP PRIORITIES AND EFFECTIVE LAWS WERE NEEDED TO COMBAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

HE HOPED THAT THE ORGANISED AND SERIOUS CRIMES BILL WHICH IS BEING STUDIED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD SOON BECOME LAW.

"So

THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM TRIADS AND ORGANISED CRIME, HE SAID.

OF

FIGHT

THE OUTGOING CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HIS CRIME COMMITTEE HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING

ASSOCIATION WITH

THE

AND

REWARDING.

"CHALLENGING BECAUSE IN A CROWDED CITY SUCH AS HONG KONG, THE NEED FOR OUR CITIZENS TO FEEL SAFE, AND TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THOSE WHO ENFORCE THE LAW, IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

LIKE YOURSELVES

"REWARDING BECAUSE PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZENS HAVE SHOWN THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY WHICH CARES ENOUGH TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD."