>
The only site which has been identified so far is a borrow area west of Wang Chow Industrial Estate in Yuen Long. An area of 1.3 hectares could be available in September 1982. This could provide ultimately for an estimated capacity of 4,000. The general problem with the selection of sites is that there is difficulty in providing services to the remote ones, whilst to choose more convenient ones would disrupt their development for temporary housing etc.
Construction
18
Using the standard 320-man huts (on the basis of a crisis density of 2.24 persons per bunk) devised in 1979, construction of a camp for say 5,000 persons (probably the maximum desirable population) on a formed site would cost about $3.6 million. However, if segregation is implemented it would be necessary to provide one bed space per person in the male and teenager camp leaving multi-bed spaces in the women's and children's camp . This is likely to increase the number of huts and, therefore, the cost to about $1 million. In either case construction would take about 4 months, if built by contractors. Provision of access roads, drainage, fencing, water and electricity, would cost in the region of $9 million per camp.
:
Management
19
It would be unrealistic as well as inadvisable to expect the voluntary agencies, which have performed so well in open camps, to undertake management and control in closed camps and, as mentioned earlier, it will be necessary to determine which Government organisation/department should be responsible for this task. Although there are one or two Government Departments and Services which have experience in running residential institutions, the Service which is probably most qualified to do this is the Correctional Services Department. It is appreciated that this Service would need to establish a specialised division to carry out this duty (probably by expanding the existing staff engaged on it and by recruiting specialist staff on contract) and that some retraining and reorganisation will be needed.
20
The Commissioner of Correctional Services estimates. that, if his department is given this responsibility the custodial and administrative staff for a camp of say 5,000 would be a minimum of 3 to 5% at a rough annual staff cost between $10 and $16 million, including on-costs and at 1981 salary levels. Staffing levels would, however, have to be decided in the light of experience of what was necessary to maintain law and order and minimum standards.
To meet this commitment staff would
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.