Record of the 23^rd APCCA

Closing Ceremony

A Guard of Honour entered the conference venue and marched onto the stage. 

The Rapporteur, Dr Neil Morgan then made a brief speech. He noted that this was the first APCCA Conference for many years which had not been served by Professor Biles, and he recorded the Conference’s appreciation for Professor Biles’ enormous contribution.  He went on to say that this had been an extremely successful conference by all measures, including the record number of countries that had attended and the quality of the formal papers, presentations and discussions. The atmosphere had been relaxed and this had generated a most positive learning environment.  He paid particular tribute to the skills of the Chairman, Mr Kelvin Pang, who had not only ensured that business was completed in a timely manner but had also allowed delegates ample opportunity to speak.  On behalf of all the delegates, Dr Morgan then also thanked the members of the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department for their professionalism and attentiveness, including Mr Kwok Leung Ming, Mr Samson Chan, Mr Mathias Chan, Miss Pearl Tie and all the liaison officers.  Finally, he thanked the Conference for honouring himself and Mrs Irene Morgan with the appointment as Rapporteur and Co-Rapporteur.  He promised to work closely with future hosts to ensure that APCCA develops but also retains its sound traditions and continuity.

Mr Kelvin Pang, Conference Chair and Commissioner of the Hong Kong CSD, then delivered the following address:

Distinguished delegates and guests,

As Romeo said to Juliet in Shakespeare’s famous play, “Parting is such sweet sorrow”, I would like to say a few words as the conference host and Chair of the APCCA Governing Board to make the close of this year’s conference.  I shall be brief so as to give you all a longer break this afternoon to tour around this city before joining us for the Farewell Dinner at Stanley in the evening.  That is the sweet part.  For those who have to hurry back home and are not able to come to the Farewell Dinner (that is the sorrow), I wish you all the best and a safe journey home.

We have spent almost a week at this conference to put our heads together for the benefit of our profession.  Your active participation and unfailing wisdom have made the event productive and meaningful.  I am sure that the conference has not only strengthened our regional ties, but also generated new insights and inspirations that help individual jurisdictions address more effectively the current and future challenges.  I would like to ask those of you who are not APCCA members to take this opportunity to join us by signing the APCCA Joint Declaration.  You can contact the in-house conference secretariat for details before you leave Hong Kong, or the APCCA Conference Secretariat after you have returned to your countries.

The year long preparation for this conference has paid off resulting in a successful event.  In closing, I would like to thank you all for the support and cooperation extended to me as Chair of this year’s conference.  Also, I must thank Dr Morgan, Mrs Morgan, the Organising Committee and the in-house secretariat for the good work they have done; staff of the Hong Kong Correctional Services institutions and units for all the arrangements made for the conference; and all the liaison officers who embody the hospitality of Hong Kong, which I hope will bring good memories to our guests for years to come.

According to the APCCA Joint Declaration, Singapore, the host of the next Annual Conference, will become the Governing Board Chair upon the conclusion of the current conference.  The moment has come for me to pass this honour to Mr Chua Chin Kiat, Director of Singapore Prisons Service.  I am confident that he will carry out the duties most efficiently and effectively and I am sure that all of us will continue to render our support and co-operation to him and the Singapore Prisons Service, as you have so kindly done for Hong Kong over the past year.  I am now pleased to call upon Mr Chua to come onto the stage for the handover of the APCCA symbols, which, as a tradition of the APCCA, have been passed from one conference to the next. Mr Chua, please.

Mr Pang then invited Mr Chua Chin Kiat of Singapore, the host of the 2004 Conference, to come to the stage.  The APCCA symbols were formally handed over by Mr Pang to Mr Chua for safe keeping.  Mr Chua made a brief speech in which he thanked the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department for the 2003 conference.  He noted that 2004 would be a particularly significant year, given the opening of Stage One of the new Changi Prison complex, and offered a warm welcome to people to attend the 2004 conference in Singapore. 

The Chair declared the 23^rd APCCA to be formally closed and the Guard of Honour removed the symbols form the Conference venue.