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RELEASED QUICKLY FOR USE AS A VBP CAMP, AND TO DRAW UP A CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR THIS PURPOSE. WE REALISE THAT THIS IMPLIES SERIOUS DISRUPTION FOR THE FORCES UNITS/FAMILIES BASED IN THE NT, NEVERTHELESS IT IS AN OPTION WHICH WE MUST NOW CONSIDER. THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY IN DUE COURSE BE REPROVISIONING COSTS INVOLVED WHICHEVER
SITE IS CHOSEN
III) LEI YUE MUN BARRACKS. THE OLD LEI YUE MUN BARRACKS HAS RECENTLY BEEN CONVERTED INTO A HOLIDAY CENTRE BY THE URBAN COUNCIL.
WE ESTIMATE THAT IT COULD PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR 7,000 PEOPLE. THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT COSTS INVOLVED IN COMPENSATING THE URBAN COUNCIL (WE ESTIMATE HKD 20 MILLION) AND IN PROVIDING FENCING (PERHAPS ANOTHER HKD 10 MILLION) BUT THE SITE COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE QUICKLY. ALTHOUGH WE JUDGE THIS TO BE LESS POLITICALLY SENSITIVE THAN TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS OR THE FOUR SEASONS BUILDING WE WOULD HAVE TO ANTICIPATE A SHARP REACTION FROM THE UC AND THE PUBLIC.
3. WE NEED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH THE TENTS IMMEDIATELY. CAN YOU UNDERTAKE TO PROVIDE 100 TENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IE WITHIN 48 HOURS? MEANWHILE WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH COMPLETING OUR ASSESSMENT OF (II) AND (III).
FINANCE
4. I FEAR WE CANNOT THIS TIME UNDERTAKE TO ABSORB THE COST OF THE TENTS OR THEIR TRANSPORT COSTS FROM THE U K. AS EXPLAINED IN EARLIER EXCHANGES, WE DO NOT/NOT HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO COVER THE COSTS OF THIS FURTHER EMERGENCY VBP ACCOMMODATION. GOING TO FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY, AT THIS STAGE AND PRE-GENEVA, PRODUCE A SHARP REBUFF COUPLED WITH DEMANDS FOR AN END TO FIRST ASYLUM AND HIGH CHARGED COMMENT ON INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE CRISIS. I HOPE THEREFORE YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE COST OF TENTS AND FREIGHT SHOULD BE
MET BY HMG AS PART OF DISASTER RELIEF.
5. IN COMPLETING OUR ASSESSMENTS ON (II) AND (III) ABOVE WE WILL ALSO PRODUCE ESTIMATES OF THE COSTS INVOLVED IN CONVERTING THIS ACCOMMODATION FOR VBP USE. AT THIS STAGE WE ARE NOT/NOT ABLE TO GIVE ANY INDICATION OF THE COSTS INVOLVED IN (II) BUT ON (III) THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE IS THAT IT MIGHT BE IN THE RANGE OF HKD 30-40 MILLION. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EARLY ADVICE ON WHETHER IN PRINCIPLE HMG WOULD BE PREPARED TO MEET THE COSTS INVOLVED IN CONVERTING EITHER A MILITARY CAMP OR LEI YUE MUN. YOUR ADVICE WILL OF COURSE BE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN OUR APPRAISAL OF THESE TWO OPTIONS.
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