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Your reference to the Argyle Street Reception Centre is misleading in this context. The population of this centre is transient, by the nature of its different functions as a transit, reception, detention and pre-departure orientation centre, and fluctuates considerably. As at 22 January 1988 for example there was a total of 425 refugees plus 110 ex-China Vietnamese illegal immigrants in the centre, nearly four times the number of residents there at the time of your group's visit in November 1987. But no additional staff were deployed at the centre.
We agree that the Hei Ling Chau and Tuen Mun closed centres were, and still are, overcrowded. This situation is a direct result of the further significant increase in the number of arrivals and particularly from North Vietnam in the second half of 1987 - a trend which is apprently continuing in the early days of 1988 - and the significant reduction in resettlement off-take during 1987. The total closed centre population actually increased by 45% between the beginning of July (4,400) and the end of December (6,400).
As you know short and medium term measures have been and are being taken to alleviate the overcrowding.
In the You mention some of these in the report. slightly longer term we are planning urgently for the construction of a fourth closed centre. Every indication is that this will become a regrettable necessity during the course of 1988.
As regards the provision of toilet facilities at Hei Ling Chau to which you make particular reference,
Each of the situation is not as bad as you make out. the ten dormitory blocks in Hei Ling Chau is provided with one male and one female toilet, each with two cubicles. As each dormitory is intended to house 200 persons, the design ratio in the dormitories alone is one toilet cubicle to 50 persons. As a result of the enforced over-crowding, this ratio has fallen to 1:70-75. There are additional toilet facilities which are accessible at all times in the two school blocks and the two dining halls in the event that a shortage of toilet facilities becomes a serious problem, we will make additional facilities available in the form of portable latrines. But for the time being it is not necessary to do so.
You refer to "considerable psychological pressure" on the refugees resulting from the overcrowding. Clearly some degree of psychological pressure is inevitable in a situation where a large number of people are confined in a small area. Additional pressures arise due to the long period of uncertainty and frustration arising from the lack of