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FM FCOLN TO HOKON
0814452 MAY
GRS 380
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TELNO 1270
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MIPT: FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS IN HONG KONG
1.
TEXT OF MR COLLIS' LETTER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE (PARA
1 OF TUR) IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
DEAR SIR GEOFFREY,
I AM WRITING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A DISTURBING
SITUATION WHICH HAS ARISEN IN THE BRITISH COLONY OF HONG KONG.
WAS INFORMED OF THIS SITUATION ONLY YESTERDAY BY TELEPHONE AND I
AM WRITING TO ASK YOU TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE APPROPRIATE
AUTHORITIES.
I
ABOUT 3,000 IMMIGRANT DOMESTIC WORKERS WILL BE DEPORTED
FROM HONG KONG EFFECTIVE FROM 5TH MAY 1987. THIS SITUATION IS
THE RESULT OF THE ENACTMENT OF A LAW BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
ON APRIL 21ST. THIS LAW, WHICH APPLIES RETROSPECTIVELY FOR A
PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS, MEANS THAT ANY DOMESTIC EMPLOYEE WHOSE
CONTRACT IS BROKEN OR OTHERWISE INEFFECTIVE, WILL BE DEPORTED TO
HIS OR HER COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND BE OBLIGED TO REAPPLY FOR A WORK
PERMIT.
THE SAME RULING APPLIES IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO BROKE THE
CONTRACT AND WHETHER THE WORKER HAS FOUND NEW EMPLOYMENT. THE
REAPPLICATION PROCESS TAKES THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, DURING WHICH
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