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THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1975.
C.A.S. ROLE IN LOOKING AFTER REFUGEES PRAISED
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SPECIAL TRIBUTE WAS PAID TODAY TO THE CIVIL AID SERVICES FOR THEIR MAGNIFICENT RESPONSE IN RUNNING AND MANAGING THE THREE CAMPS FOR THE 3,600-0DD VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
IN A TALK TO MEMBERS OF THE KOWLOON ROTARY CLUB, C.A.S. CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, MR. JOHN FORTUNE, NOTED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME ANY CIVIL ORGANISATION IN HONG KONG HAD ATTEMPTED TO ADMINISTER AND CONTROL SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF FOREIGN NATIONALS FOR SUCH A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME IN CAMPS OF THIS NATURE.
BY PERFORMING THESE DUTIES, HE SAID, MEMBERS OF THE VOLUNTEER BODY HAD RELIEVED THE HEAVY BURDEN ON THE POLICE, OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES, THUS ENADLING THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR NORMAL DUTIES.
THE C.A.S. VOLUNTEERS - RELEASED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS FOR SPECIAL DUTY -- WERE HEAVILY ENGAGED IN THEIR EXCEPTIONAL NEW TASK WHICH RANGED FROM CHAIRING REFUGEE COMMITTEES AND SUPERVISING DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND RELIEF ITEMS TO MANNING THE CAMP GATES AND ASSISTING IN SOLVING THE THOUSAND AND ONE PROBLEMS FACING THE REFUGEES.
+IN RUNNING AND CO-ORDINATING THE CAMPS,+ MR. FORTUNE SAID, ONE OF MY MAIN WORRIES IS THAT WITH THE ADVENT OF TIME WHILST LABORIOUS PROCEDURES ARE ENACTED IN THE PROCESSING OF REFUGEES FOR EVENTUAL EMIGRATION OVERSEAS, THEY WILL BECOME BORED IN THE CAMPS, FRUSTRATED AND THEN RESTLESS.+
HE HOPED THAT SCREENING PROCESSES WOULD CONTINUE URGENTLY BY THE FOREIGN CONSULATES AND COMMONWEALTH COMMISSIONS SO THAT THE REFUGEES COULD MOVE ON FROM HONG KONG AND THEIR MORALE MAINTAINED.
FOR ITS PART, THE C.A.S. HAD MARSHALLED THE TALENTS OF THE REFUGEES TO START SCHOOLING FOR THE 1,400-PLUS REFUGEE CHILDREN, UTILISED VIETNAMESE DOCTORS TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES AND ORGANISED THE ADULTS INTO WORKING GROUPS TO MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE WITHIN THE CAMPS.
+WE HAVE FORMED REFUGEE COMMITTEES TO CO-ORDINATE AND ORGANISE ALL ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CAMPS, INCLUDING RECREATION, FILM SHOWSAND SPORTING ACTIVITIES, HE ADDED.
/ON THE C.A.Š.,
my bag daddy da