XN000022-1993-10-27 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993

"ONLY A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED WITH DRUGS,' HE SAID.

MR ASPREY SAID ENFORCEMENT ACTION HAD BEEN STEPPED UP. THERE WERE 5,631 ARRESTS FOR NARCOTICS OFFENCES IN THE FIRST HALF

OF THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO 3,995 IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR, AN INCREASE OF 42 PER CENT.

PREVENTIVE EDUCATION HAS ALSO BEEN BOOSTED.

ON COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE, THE SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN DEVELOPING PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR MONITORING INVESTIGATIONS INTO COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE.

"WE INTEND TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO MAKE THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE A STATUTORY BODY, WITH A CLEARLY DEFINED ROLE AND DUTIES.

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HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO CONSIDERING THE APPOINTMENT OF LAY OBSERVERS, DRAWN FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, TO SIT IN ON ANY PART OF THE COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION PROCESS, AND REPORT THEIR OBSERVATIONS TO THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE.

"WE ARE

ALSO PROPOSING ΤΟ ENABLE THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE TO INTERVIEW WITNESSES IN COMPLAINT CASES, HE SAID.

HE ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SIMPLIFY FOR THE PUBLIC THE REPORTING OF CRIME.

THE POLICE ARE TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN REPORT ROOMS, BY PROVIDING INTERVIEW ROOMS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME.

THEY ARE ALSO DEVELOPING A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM, WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED IN ALL POLICE STATIONS, SO THAT, IN FUTURE, CRIME REPORTING PROCEDURES. WILL BE FURTHER SIMPLIFIED AND REPORTING TIME FURTHER REDUCED.

THE SECRETARY SAID THEY HAD EXAMINED THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WITNESS PROTECTION MADE BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND BY MR JUSTICE KEMPSTER'S COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

"WE INTEND TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND TO INTRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS EARLY NEXT YEAR," HE SAID.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION REMAINS A MAJOR PROBLEM.

HE SAID NEW DETERRENTS AGAINST THE EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAD BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE PAST YEAR.

BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PENALISE CONTRACTORS CONVICTED OF EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, BY SUSPENDING FROM TENDERING; AND SENTENCES OF IMPRISONMENT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED

THEM

ON EMPLOYERS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

THERE IS SOME INDICATION THAT THESE MEASURES ARE BEGINNING TO STEM THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

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