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The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, today (October 20) elaborated on Security Bureau initiatives in the 2009-10 Policy Agenda at a special meeting of the Legislative Council's Panel on Security.
The initiatives include anti-drug work, enhancement of assistance to outbound Hong Kong travellers, improvement of the torture claim screening mechanism, combating illegal employment, immigration convenience and implementation of measures for Hong Kong and Macao residents travelling between the two places, reducing the coverage of the Frontier Closed Area, emergency ambulance services, admission of talent, combating terrorism, prison development programme, and bilateral agreements relating to Surrender of Fugitive and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
Mr Lee said the Chief Executive had taken the helm of a territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse in July this year to step up anti-drug work. Progress had been achieved on various fronts.
He said, "We will seize the opportunity to press on with the anti-drug work. Apart from making active preparation for the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po District in December, the Government Laboratory will take the lead in bringing in hair drug testing, with a view to transferring the technology to other organisations."
Mr Lee said the Government had stepped up law enforcement, which resulted in the detection of a number of drug trafficking cases involving schools and youths, and other cross-boundary cases. Hong Kong and the Mainland would continue to co-operate to combat cross-boundary drug abuse and trafficking cases. The Government would fully support the Mainland¡¯s efforts to place ketamine under the control of international anti-drug conventions.
To enhance assistance to Hong Kong residents travelling abroad, Mr Lee said the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) System, which becomes effective today, uses amber, red and black to differentiate among the levels of risk to personal safety from low to high. The OTA System covers 60 countries or territories that are popular travel destinations with Hong Kong residents. People can check the OTA webpage for more information.
Mr Lee said the Immigration Department would upgrade the "1868" hotline system as part of a plan expected to be up and running at the end of 2010. The Immigration Department had formed stand-by/ reinforcement teams to provide additional manpower to handle assistance calls and public enquiries when there were emergencies.
The Immigration Department is exploring an e-network to allow Hong Kong travellers to inform the Immigration Department of their itineraries and emergency contact information.
Mr Lee said it was necessary for the Government to launch improvement measures on the torture claim screening mechanism as soon as possible. This is to achieve an effective mechanism and to ensure fair procedures while maintaining effective immigration control. The Government planned to put forward a legislative proposal this legislative year.
He added that the Government had tabled the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2009 in June which specified that it was a criminal offence for illegal immigrants and other persons not lawfully employable to take up employment or to establish/join any business. The Government would step up publicity and encourage the public to report such activities.
Ends/Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:41
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