closed centre [this was done in the case of Hei Ling Chau Closed Centre which was designed as a minimum security prison, but is used at present as a refugee Closed Centre]. Chi Ma Wan would then be redeveloped in a phased manner. Subject to detailed planning, it is proposed that Bowring Closed Centre be retained until such time as Chi Ma Wan has been developed. Thereafter, Bowring Closed Centre could be closed and the remaining refugees held in two closed centres at Hei Ling Chau and Chi Ma Wan, each of which would be designed to meet Hong Kong's Correctional Service needs when the Vietnamese refugee problem had been solved.
17
It is difficult to predict the closed centre population after 1986. But Hong Kong is likely to have a closed centre refugee population for some time to come > because any efforts to eliminate closed centres would undoubtedly attract more arrivals from Vietnam. Therefore, reluctantly, Hong Kong might have to accept the fact that there will be a residual Vietnamese refugee population in Closed Centres. Increasingly, their stay will be
be prolonged and it is important that conditions in these centres should be commensurate with the length of time which refugees would have to spend there. Additional space, better educational and training facilities, more cottage industry and a less austere environment are among the improvements which will have to be considered. .
Resettlement in Hong Kong of ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam
18
On 20 May 1985, Members considered memorandum XCC (85) 62 which set out the SCORRI Report recommendations (at Annex A). Members advised and the Governor ordered in respect of SCORRI recommendation (e) (iv) that, depending on a satisfactory response from HMG to the other recommendations, the Hong Kong Government would be prepared to consider the possibility of accepting for resettlement up to 20 ethnic Chinese refugees a month who have been in Hong Kong for more than five years, up to a total of 250.
19
HMG asked if further consideration could be given to SCORRI recommendation (e) (iv). After considering memorandum XCC (85)118 on 27 August 1985, Members advised and the Governor ordered, inter alia, that the Hong Kong Government would be prepared to accept for resettlement a limited number of ethnic Chinese refugees from open centres as part of a package to reduce dramatically the size of Hong Kong's population of Vietnamese refugees and to resettle those whose stay in the camps had been prolonged.