XN000022-1996-09-25 — Page 8

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Governor: It is worth remembering that the Beat Drugs Fund is only one of the ways in which we finance work to accomplish that objective - law enforcement, preventive education, rehabilitation and treatment and research. And of course it is also the case, as in other areas, that sometimes applications do not make it because we don't actually think that the projects are terribly valuable, we don't necessarily think they are worth supporting. Sometimes a project will fall by the wayside because there just is not enough money to go round but sometimes it is because the project is not up to it.

I am determined to ensure that we put behind the Beat Drugs Campaign all the resources that are necessary and I am sure that if there are any good applications which have not made it this time, they will have a good chance of making it in the future. But what we want to ensure with this Beat Drugs Fund is, we have got a steady source of income coming through every year and I think it should be enough - given the other things we are doing like the $30 million Action Fund that I announced in May - I think it should be enough to fund most of the worthwhile NGO projects which come forward.

Question: Governor, (inaudible) so do you think that (inaudible)?

Governor: I think that it is a difficult problem in some areas. As you know, as well as my publicised district visits I fairly regularly go to some of the problem areas in Hong Kong, that aren't being announced, and one of the things that I am urged by District Officers to do fairly regularly is to visit estates which have, unfortunately, become a centre for drug-dealing and for drug-abuse. It is exceptionally difficult for the local tenants when that happens. It is of course a particular worry for parents concerned that their children will not only see drug-abuse but perhaps have temptation put in their

way.

I don't want to suggest that it is wholly a problem on public housing estates, that is not true, and those who are involved in the management of public housing estates work very hard to keep them clean, but there is a problem in some areas. It is a problem which our District Officers and District Commanders and the Police are aware of, and we want to try to work very closely with the Police and the Housing Department to deal with it.

Question: But will the Government (inaudible) want to improve the laws with the Housing Department to (inaudible)