XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 61

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

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ALTHOUGH ONLY A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH DRUGS

3.8 YOUNG, DRUG ABUSERS PER 1,000 OF THE POPULATION AGED UNDER 21 THE INCREASE IS WORRYING. WE ARE TAKING MEASURES TO TACKLE IT. AMENDMENTS TO THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ORDINANCE WERE BROUGHT INTO OPERATION ON 1 OCTOBER THIS YEAR TO INTRODUCE FURTHER CONTROLS ON THE IMPORTATION OF CODEINE, LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THE ILLEGAL SALE OF DRUGS BY RETAIL PREMISES HAS BEEN STEPPED UP. ADDITIONAL MANPOWER HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS AND TEST PURCHASES; THE NUMBER OF TEST PURCHASES CONDUCTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1994 WAS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

.'NUMBER OF INITIATIVES HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO ENHANCE DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS: A WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN SET UP TO REVIEW AND IMPROVE THE DRUG EDUCATION TALKS TO SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS; MORE TRAINING IS NOW PROVIDED ΤΟ TEACHERS ON DRUG EDUCATION; AND TALKS FOR PARENTS ARE ORGANIZED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS. INCREASED EMPHASIS IS BEING GIVEN TO THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG DRUG ABUSERS, AND A PILOT PROJECT FOR A TREATMENT CENTRE FOR YOUNG ABUSERS IS BEING PLANNED.

MORE GENERALLY, WE HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES то ENLIST PUBLIC SUPPORT IN THE PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF "CRIME. THERE ARE MANY CHANNELS FOR REPORTING CRIME: INCLUDING THE 999 HOTLINE, THE TRIAD HOTLINE, AND CRIME INFORMATION FORMS, WHICH ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN SOME 700 CONVENIENCE STORES AND RETAIL OUTLETS. OUR PUBLICITY, WHICH COVERS PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS, TV AND RADIO APIS, POLICE TV PROGRAMMES, EDUCATIONAL TV SERIES, COMMUNITY SEMINARS, SCHOOLS VISITS, POSTERS, LEAFLETS AND VIDEO PRESENTATIONS, ENCOURAGES VICTIMS AND WITNESSES TO REPORT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. WE WILL BE CONDUCTING A LARGE SCALE CRIME VICTIMISATION SURVEY IN JANUARY 1995, WITH THE HELP OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT; A PRE-TEST SURVEY WAS CARRIED OUT IN JULY THIS YEAR.

I AGREE WITH MR JAMES TO THAT THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR CO-OPERATION TO COMBAT THE GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL CRIME. WE WISH TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO PLAY ITS FULL PART IN THIS AREA. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE PUT TO THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE JOINT OF

LIAISON GROUP A PROPOSAL THAT HONG KONG SHOULD ESTABLISH A NETWORK BILATERAL AGREEMENTS IN THE AREA OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS, TO REMAIN IN FORCE BEYOND 30 JUNE 1997. AT JLG 30 IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, THE CHINESE FORMALLY AGREED TO HONG KONG STARTING A PROGRAMME OF NEGOTIATIONS ON THE BASIS OF AN AGREED MODEL TEXT.

LET ME NOW TURN TO IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ISSUES. SOME MEMBERS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT AN EARLY CONCLUSION. TO THE DISCUSSIONS ON RIGHT OF ABODE, HKSAR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO INSPIRE GREATER CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE. I AGREE ENTIRELY. IF HONG KONG IS TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE START AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION ON 1 JULY 1997, THEN UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT RIGHTS OF RESIDENCE AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS MUST BE REMOVED. AS MEMBERS ARE AWARE, WE HAVE PUT COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE SIDE ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES AND HAVE ALREADY HAD SOME INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THESE VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS IN THE COMING YEAR.

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