POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION
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involving 392 persons the first instance decision has been overturned and in 1895 cases involving 4 562 persons it has been upheld.
Once screened-out as non-refugees, the VBPs have to be detained in detention centres pending repatriation to Vietnam.
With the 1 650 babies born during the year, the number of Vietnamese refugees, and Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong at the end of 1989 totalled 12 022 and 43 702 respectively. Among the 12 022 refugees, 4 930 were in closed centres and 7 092 in the open centres.
Refugees who arrived before July 2, 1982, are accommodated in the Kai Tak Transit Centre, an open centre managed by the Hong Kong Christian Aid to Refugees on behalf of the UNHCR. Refugees in the open centre have complete freedom of movement and are allowed to take up employment. More than 808 of the refugees have been living in the open centre for over eight years.
Refugees who arrived in Hong Kong after July 1982 continue to be detained in closed centres while awaiting resettlement overseas. These closed centres are managed by the Correctional Services Department pending handover to the UNHCR as open centres. Each of the closed centres is provided with basic facilities such as standard refugee dormitories, dining halls, communal bathrooms, toilets, washing areas and open space for outdoor activities. There is also a medical clinic in each centre manned by either the government or the UNHCR through an operational agency. Dental services are provided by visiting Rotarian dentists funded by the International Rotary.
Schools, run by voluntary agencies, are provided for school-age children in each of the closed centres. Classroom and workshop facilities are also available for conducting lan- guage and skill-training programmes. Adults can participate in various 'cottage industries' which are income-generating. Co-operative shops have also been set up in some closed
centres.
Social, educational and recreational activities and skill-training programmes are provided by voluntary agencies subvented by both the government and the UNHCR. The services are co-ordinated by the Education Co-ordinator and the Social Service Co-ordinator appointed by the UNHCR.
With the implementation of the new screening policy on June 16, 1988, the government announced the gradual liberalisation of the closed camps. It is the government's intention to transform the closed centres into open centres and place them under the management of the UNHCR. A programme was implemented in September 1988 which was designed to provide a period of adjustment for the refugees in order to lessen the impact of the change to open centre status. The first stage of an open centre at Pillar Point in Tuen Mun district was completed in July 1989 and the whole centre opened in December 1989. The major elements of the liberalisation programme are:
Schooling
Refugee children will study in schools operated under the auspices of the UNHCR through its agents. This programme commenced with an existing school at the Kai Tak open centre and another in Yuen Long. These schools are exclusively for refugee children.
Employment
The UNHCR, through a voluntary agency, has started an employment placement service for refugees in the closed centres. The service will identify employment opportunities for refugees and make arrangements for work placements. Vocational training for some of the refugees will also be organised by UNHCR.