NTS seminar on gambling

1 Photo


Over 140 officers from New Territories South (NTS) Region attended a seminar on problem gambling, held at the Officers' Mess at NTS Regional Headquarters on May 27. The event looked into the prevailing trends, especially those of football and online gambling, causes of problem gambling, behaviour and treatment, successful solution cases and use of community resources to solve the problem.

Following an opening address given by SSP CRIME NTS Chan Kwok-keung, three speakers shared their professional views and experiences with the audience. Mr Lawrence Lee, a veteran counsellor in pathological gambling at the Even Centre of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, spoke of his clinical experience and introduced the recent trend of gambling in Hong Kong. Dr Ronald Chen, a practising psychiatrist, explained the underlying causes of the addictive behaviour of gambling and the effective ways of treatment. Finally, Mr Wu Ping-tsuen, officer- in-charge of the Gamblers Recovery Centre, recounted how he quitted gambling.

In March this year, NTS Regional Commander Tang How-kong formally set up the NTS Regional Habitual Gambling Working Committee and later appointed 128 officers from districts within NTS Region as committee members.

The NTS Regional Habitual Gambling Working Committee aims at steering officers away from gambling. To achieve this goal, the Regional Supervising Committee, which comprises RC NTS, all SSPs and RSEO, has worked out strategies, co-ordinated with all the districts and units in NTS Region and worked closely with professionals outside the Force.

The contents of the seminar will be made into VCDs for TSROs in NTS Region as training reference material. Those interested may approach NTS Crime HQ direct.

At the end of the seminar, Mr Tang presented Certificates of Appreciation to the speakers for providing professional services to officers of NTS Region. At the same time, NTS Deputy Regional Commander Albert Cheuk Chun-yin presented prizes to winners of a "Problem Gambling Slogan and Poster Competition".

NTS Regional Commander Tang How-kong (centre on front row) with guest speakers and newly appointed members of the NTS Regional Habitual Gambling Working Committee


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