Hong Kong Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho said Monday that Hong Kong would continue efforts to curb gambling-related activities.

Ho made the remarks at the Special Finance Committee meeting on the budget 2004-05.

He said, in the coming months, the government is planning to launch a special youth empowerment project. It is aimed at engaging young people and driving home amongst their peers clear messages about gambling-related problems.

Ho said two dedicated counseling and treatment centers for problem and pathological gamblers operated by Caritas and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals respectively began operations last October.

Hong Kong will soon commission an evaluation of the centers' effectiveness.

He said the government also plans to commission an independent institute to conduct a study on the local people's participation in gambling activities.

The study will assess the impact of gambling participation and keep track of the prevalence of problem and pathological gambling in Hong Kong.

Ho said gambling-related issues are long-standing problems. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has been taking a series of measures to tackle the problems.

Last year, Hong Kong set up the Ping Wo Fund to finance preventive and remedial measures to address gambling-related problems.

Hong Kong also launched a public education program to warn against excessive gambling and to enhance understanding of pathological gambling.

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2004)