The District held the event on a Saturday afternoon for the convenience of parents and children to interact as a group at the seminar.

Tsim Sha Tsui Divisional Commander Yeung Chi-choi pointed out that the seminar highlighted the fact that drug abuse among young people is a concern and also involves Non-ethnic Chinese.

Mr Yeung, who heads the District's project team to promote police services to NEC, also took the opportunity to enlist the continuing support of NEC and the working partners from NGOs for tackling the problem of drug abuse among youths.

The anti-drug seminar enjoyed the full support of NEC communities. Despite inclement weather, over 50 members of NEC communities turned up at the seminar, including Nepalese, Pakistani and Indian parents and children from the Christian Action (an HAB-funded Non-Government Organisation (NGO) offering integrated services to NEC in Yau Tsim), members from the Tamu Association (a local Nepalese organisation) and Pakistan Association, as well as representatives from two other NGOs, namely, the Unison and Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service.

The audience showed a great interest in the presentation given by SIP Paul Lewis of the Narcotics Bureau, who spoke, with fact and figures, on a number of topics related to drug abuse. A voluntary worker of the Christian Action provided an Urdu interpretation of the presentation.

Following the presentation were a sharing session with an NEC parent, display of dummy dangerous drugs from the Narcotics Bureau, and a visit to the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station.

Copies of an anti-drug leaflet in English, Urdu and Nepali designed by the Yau Tsim District, anti-drug poster from the Narcotics Bureau, together with a booklet on "Understanding Drug Abuse Problem" in English and Nepali published by the Narcotics Division, were also distributed to the audience to reinforce the anti-drug message to NEC communities.

Enhancing police services to NEC remains one of Yau Tsim District's operational targets, with the objective of improving communication and co-operation with NEC communities in the fight against crime. The anti-drug seminar, visits to the Drugs Information Centre of the Narcotics Division, and distribution of anti-drug leaflets in English, Urdu and Nepali, are the District's latest initiatives in 2006 to promote the anti-drug message in the local and NEC communities. These initiatives have gained the full support of the NEC communities and the NGO partners in Yau Tsim. Other new initiatives include a poster design competition on fighting drugs, and an anti-drug road show later this year.

NEC youngsters are thrilled by what they see and hear at the anti-drug seminar