************************

Following is the full text of the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Correctional Services Department Annual Inspection today (Thursday):

Mr Lai, colleagues of the Correctional Services Department, ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to take part as the Inspecting Officer again in this year's Annual Inspection of the Correctional Services Department.

As I said at the Annual Inspection last year, our Correctional Services Department is amongst the best correctional institutions in the Asia-Pacific region. It enjoys a great reputation for high efficiency, well-managed organisation as well as high standards of professionalism. I am particularly pleased to learn that the performance of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in its correctional work was highly commended by the delegations from over 20 countries at the 18th Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators held in Canada in October last year. We all take pride in the high acclaim the Department has earned amongst overseas correctional institutions. I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the Commissioner and members of the Department for their outstanding work.

Over the years, the Department has worked with continued efforts to improve itself to meet the changing needs and expectations of the community. Today, the Department has already developed a through-care penal system to facilitate effective correctional work and to look after the various needs of persons in its care. Last year, the Department established a Rehabilitation Division to achieve better co-ordination of the planning and implementation of various rehabilitation programmes. All these programmes aim at helping prisoners with different needs to integrate into society and start a new life through appropriate training and counselling service.

The overcrowding situation in prisons has always been our concern. In the past one year, the Department has made good progress in the two major redevelopment projects of the Stanley Prison and Tai Lam Correctional Institution. The completion of the projects will further relieve the overcrowding situation of our penal institutions. To meet future demands, we will continue to work actively for the provision of additional accommodation through expansion of existing institutions as well as construction of new prison facilities.

Members of the Correctional Services Department have always been working with dedication and conscientiousness to implement and improve various correctional and rehabilitation services. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr Raymond Lai, the Commissioner, who will be retiring in March this year after 35 years of service in the Government. His utmost devotion and enthusiasm have played an important part in upgrading our penal system. Under his leadership, the services provided by our brilliant correctional force have been maintained at international level. I am sure every member of the correctional service will uphold the fine tradition of the Department and give continued support to the new Commissioner in meeting the challenges ahead with professionalism and unshaken confidence.

Thank you.

END/Thursday, January 7, 1999

NNNN