A joint initiative was a Yau Tsim Mong Anti-drug Variety Show held on November 8 to drive home the "Say no to drugs!" message to over 800 NEC youngsters and their parents. This function marked the multi-agency collaboration among the Yau Tsim Mong District Fight Crime Committee, District Council, District Office, Narcotics Division, Non-governmental Organisations, NEC organisations, local and NEC schools as well as community leaders.

Officiating at the opening ceremony were Kowloon West Regional Commander (KW RC) Tang How-kong; Yau Tsim District Commander Chung Hung-fung; Commissioner for Narcotics, Ms Sally Wong; Yau Tsim Mong District Officer, Ms Vickie Kwok, and the Consul Generals of India, Pakistan and Nepal.

In her opening address, Ms Wong said she was very impressed with the overwhelming support of the NEC community for local policing and appreciated the Police's continuous efforts to tackle the youth drug abuse problem. She then spelt out a five-pronged strategy to deal with the problem through preventive education and publicity; treatment and rehabilitation; legislation and law enforcement; external co-operation, and research. Finally, she emphasised the need to intensify efforts to mobilise wider public participation by tapping the goodwill and resources of different sectors of the community.

During the opening ceremony, KW RC, Mr Tang presented certificates of appreciation to six NEC volunteers who had assisted the Police in a crowd management operation on the National Day by acting as communicators for their ethnic groups at the information booths set up in crowded areas.

Non-ethnic-Chinese community leaders lend full support to the Force's anti-drug initiatives