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Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, today (February 29) said the government was deeply concerned about the problem of psychotropic drug abuse by young people and had allocated $53 million in 2008-09 to tackle this problem.
During his visit to a youth centre in Islands District, Mr Lee said a high level inter-departmental task force led by the Secretary of Justice had conducted in-depth studies of the problem over the past few months and devised a series of initial measures that could be implemented in the short to medium term.
When Mr Lee chatted with social workers and a group of rehabilitated young drug abusers at Cheung Chau Caritas Integrated Service for Young People, he encouraged the rehabilitated young drug abusers to participate in activities provided by the centre and refrain from taking drugs again.
Noting that the centre provides a variety of services to young people such as counselling, school social work and recreational activities, Mr Lee praised the centre's frontline social workers for their enthusiasm and hard work in helping young drug abusers return to the right track.
During the visit, Mr Lee also went to Pak Tai Temple, where he was briefed by Cheung Chau Rural Committee Chairman Mr Yung Chi Ming on the committee's work, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival and the history of the temple.
Mr Lee went to Tung Wan Road to receive a briefing by Islands District Officer Mr Byron Lam on the revitalisation project at Cheung Chau, under which the Hong Kong Housing Society will spend a total of $20 million to beautify the area to make it an attraction to tourists. The project will start in the middle of this year and is expected to complete next year.
Ends/Friday, February 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:19
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