A CORONER'S jury yesterday called on the Correctional Services Department and police to pay more attention to drug problems in Whitehead detention centre. The call came after the jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure on inmate Lam Dai Dung, 23. Lam was found lying outside a toilet by a fellow inmate, Pham Van Thanh, in the centre on October 8 last year. Coroner Mr Richard Day said evidence revealed that there was a drug problem in the camp, which the authorities had tried to stop. It was difficult, however, since the inmates, though living in a closed camp, were not treated as prisoners, he said. The court heard that Lam was escorted by Pham to the camp clinic and was later transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital. He was pronounced dead before arrival. Dr Wong Hon-man, the forensic pathologist who conducted a post-mortem examination of Lam, testified that the cause of death was the adverse effects of alcohol, codeine and morphine. Constable Pang Yiu-kee, from the Siu Lek Yuen police station, said six dangerous drug cases in the camp had been reported between April and October last year. The acting superintendent of the detention centre, Mr Lee Hak-kui, said that at the time of the incident there were more than 22,000 Vietnamese boat people living in the centre and 800 staff. He admitted that small quantities of drugs had been found but he said the scenario was similar to that in an ordinary housing estate. The court heard that Lam escaped from the centre in April 1990 and surrendered three months later. Correctional Services Department officials said they would study measures to help prevent a repeat of the tragedy. The acting Assistant Commissioner (Vietnamese Migrants), Miss Bonnie Wong, said drinking and drug problems were not serious in the camps but it was difficult to eradicate them. She said boat people were not allowed to keep alcohol but often made it with food they received. ''These problems are under our control but we will take note of the jury's comments and try ways of further improving our operations,'' she said.
