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Following is a transcript of the remarks by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session after officiating at the opening ceremony of a tea fair today (August 13):
Reporter: (On school drug testing trial scheme)
Secretary for Food and Health: As far as I know, most of the tests will be provided by the Narcotics Division as well as the Education Bureau. But young people who have a habitual addiction would require treatment of complications like psychiatric and physical problems. This is an integrated service as far as we are concerned. We are working together with the other bureaus.
Reporter: What economic benefits will the tea fair bring to Hong Kong?
Secretary for Food and Health: This is the first tea fair in Hong Kong. The atmosphere there is very attractive. We have over 260 exhibitors coming from all through the world. This can provide an important international platform for the trade to exchange ideas and conduct businesses. It is a very good opportunity for the trade to have such an international platform in Hong Kong. Hong Kong can also play an important part in promoting tea drinking, tea drink culture and various products from everywhere. It is very interesting to see that apart from tea from our neighbouring regions including the Mainland, there are many other countries coming, including Africa. So this is really a very good opportunity for these products to be developed in Hong Kong. We foresee that this might continue in the years to come.
Reporter: Are seven clinics (on drug abuse) really enough?
Secretary for Food and Health: We will look at the results of the measures we are taking in the coming months. If there are more young people having such a problem and requiring increasing treatment, we will put in more resources in those clinics.
(Please also refer to the Chinese session of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, August 13, 2009
Issued at HKT 13:03
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