POLICE ROLE IN DRUG TESTING TO BE REVIEWED

HONG KONG: The government has pledged to review the role police will
play in the proposed drug-testing trial in Tai Po secondary schools.

Commissioner for Narcotics Sally Wong Pik-yee made the remark after
the Law Society expressed grave concern about police involvement in
the trial program.

Speaking after a meeting with representatives of the Professional
Teachers' Union, Wong stressed that students who test positive for
drugs in the scheme will generally not be prosecuted.

Cheung Man-kwong, the union's president, said he opposes police
involvement in the scheme.

He cited the government as saying that it will consider the union's
proposal and further details of the scheme will come out early next month.

Meanwhile, a recent survey found that 70.6 percent of 606 Tai Po
residents backed the trial scheme.

Some 69.4 percent of the 337 Tai Po students polled said they will
join the scheme while 85.3 percent of 170 parents in Tai Po said they
will let their children take the tests.

The poll was carried out by the Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Tai Po Youths
Association from August 12 to August 17.