Transcript of ir T. Raison's Press Conference at Kai Tak on September 21, 1980,
The Rome
are runliche bere primarily to inform myself and to see what is going
on and in certain areas for which I have responsibility in the Home Office in
London. You are probably aware that I am not the Home Secretary.
Secretary, is Mr Whitelaw, I am the Minister of State at the Home Office and
I have del gated to me under the Home Secretary certain areas of responsibility.
And the ar as of responsibility which have brought me to Hong Kong are firstly
the responsibility for the refugee programme the Vietnamese refugee
programme. Secondly, a responsibility for drugs, and thirdly a responsibility
for the law of nationality and also the operation of the immigration system.
So really, it has been to come and see what is happening here in these particular
fields that my visit has been directed. I see one or two other things as well
and people have talked to me about all sorts of other things and it has been to
inform myself of the situation and perhaps to explain a little bit about the
British Government's position on these matters. Well, during the week I've
had, I think, a fairly full range of visits, they've covered Vietnamese
refugee camps. I started off by visiting the Canton Road Reception Centre.
I visited the Shanshuipo Refugee Camp. I hope you'll forgive my Chinese
pronounciation which I am afraid is unlikely to be very accurate.
And then
So
I saw some more on Saturday morning, Kai Tak North and Kai Tak East.
I've seen these four different camps which as you know are operated by
different organisations. And can I say that from seeing them I hope I have
had some ideas of the problems which have faced Hong Kong in coping with this
very large influx of refugees to Hong Kong. I think people generally have
had a great deal of admiration for the way which Hong Kong responded generously
to this cruel problem of refugees which was thrown up especially last year
and indeed before that and the way in which Hong Kong has taken in the
refugees and its been very interesting to me to see how the camps have been
handling these refugees, have been looking after them. I am impressed by the
way there is obviously a wealth of voluntary support for the refugees, and
I think that is very important. I have also had a particular job which is
that we have a team out from our Home Office in London at the moment selecting
/refugees to *****