TNAG-0560-FCO40-655-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 138

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their families stationed in Hong Kong. The buildings formerly used for housing the Mission staff and other buildings in the same area are suitable for use as holiday cottages, and the Commander British Forces has made formal application for them. He appreciates that such an allocation would have to be very carefully presented to the public, and has agreed that, if this allocation is made, the services will help wherever possible in carrying out such works as will be necessary before the treatment centre can operate.

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If approved, the allocation will be made by way of a licence to occupy for five years, a period which will enable the Government to decide if those buildings would be needed as quarters for additional staff who may be working in the treatment centre. The licence will be at a nominal fee and oblige the Services to maintain the buildings and area in good condition and to hand them back to the Government in this condition at the end of the period. Common arrangements for supplies of water and electricity, and for transport, are under discussion with the Prisons Department.

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If this allocation is agreed, it will be possible for the services to surrender Sai Kung Camp in April 1976, which is somewhat earlier than previously planned. Ideally, this area should be used for recreation, because it stands on one of the most attractive headlands in Hong Kong. However, the shortage of prison institutions is now so serious, and the expense of building new institutions so great, that it may regrettably be necessary to use this Camp also for this purpose, though a move to this site of the Police Cadet School is another possibility.

Publicity

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These proposals have been discussed as a matter of courtesy with the Leprosy Mission, which has indicated that, subject to certain assurances being given, it does not object to them. The possibility of the island being used as a drug addiction treatment centre has already been mentioned in the Legislative Council, and did not attract much adverse public criticism, probably because the public appreciates the seriousness of the drug problem in Hong Kong. The temporary alloca- tion of land for a military leave centre can, it is thought, be satisfac- torily offset by suitable publicity being given to the release of Sai Kung Camp. The virtual sterilisation of the island for other purposes imposed by the presence of the treatment centre and the explosives depot can also be emphasised. The use of the south of the island for an explosive depot is already well known.

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