ENG-2000 — Page 407

Hong Kong Year Books 香港年報 All

PUBLIC ORDER

stations and to set up an electronic display board at the Lo Wu Control Point to remind travellers not to carry illegal drugs in and out of Hong Kong.

Anti-drug publicity in the electronic media included two new promotional announcements ¡Xone on money changers and the other targeted at countering psychotropic substance abuse. Funded by the Beat Drugs Fund and the ACAN, a joint project was undertaken with Cable TV for a television series that included an anti-drug programme for children and an inter-school quiz for primary schools. These were produced and broadcast in November and December, respectively.

To enlist the support of the community, the Narcotics Division launched an Outstanding Anti-drug Workers Awards Scheme in collaboration with the Outstanding Young Persons' Association. The scheme aimed to give recognition to those who had made continuous and significant contributions to the anti-drug cause in recent years as well as arousing public awareness of the importance of combating drugs. From a total of 44 nominations, 15 persons were selected as outstanding anti- drug workers. The award presentation ceremony was held in March, with Mrs Betty Tung, wife of the Chief Executive who was also the patron of the scheme, officiating. The pilot scheme on partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in conducting school education programmes, introduced in 1999, had encouraging results. The pilot scheme was therefore extended for another school year. Three NGOs the Community Drug Advisory Council, The Life Education Activity Programme and The KELY Support Group were engaged to conduct anti-drug talks in schools. During the year, the Narcotics Division and the NGOs delivered a total of 1 436 education programmes to 98 900 students in 363 primary schools and 158 secondary schools. In addition, a total of 28 education programmes were organised for 1855 students in the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education. Hong Kong's first drug resource centre, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre (DIC), was opened on June 26, the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. This resource centre is an important milestone in Hong Kong's preventive education and publicity efforts in combating drugs. The main objective of the DIC is to provide a one-stop service for the public in providing anti-drug information at a convenient location. It also serves as a focal point for drug education and community involvement activities.

Phase I of the DIC comprises a library, a multi-purpose room and a meeting room for volunteers who assist in organising community involvement programmes. More than 8000 reference items on drugs such as books, CD-ROMs, video and audio facilities are available in the library. It is planned to open the second phase of the DIC, consisting of a 900-square-metre exhibition hall, in 2003.

A first issue of a DIC Newsletter was published in October, to provide up-to-date information about the DIC. The newsletter is distributed to DIC members, government departments, and individual and corporate volunteers to publicise the resources and facilities available at the centre for holding anti-drug activities.

In line with the theme of Partnership Towards a Drug-Free Hong Kong, the Narcotics Division adopted the 'train-the-trainer' approach and organised seminars. and workshops for teachers, social workers and Boy Scouts. Together with the Scout Association of Hong Kong, the division organised a drug education course to develop trainers among scouts in spreading the anti-drug message. Forty scout leaders participated in the first course held on August 29. The programme included anti-drug

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