THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1977.
POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. ALAN SCOTT, TODAY (THURSDAY) URGED A GROUP OF GRADUATING IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT RECRUITS TO LOOK FOR THE MANY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE ASPECTS IN THEIR WORK.
SPEAKING AT THEIR PASSING-CUT PARADE AT THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT PARADE GROUND THIS MORNING, MR. SCOTT ASKED THEM TO RESIST STRONGLY THE TEMPTATION OF THINKING OF THEIR JOB AS MAINLY NEGATIVE, RESTRICTIVE AND PUNITIVE.
HE SAID IT WAS NOT DIFFICULT FOR A YOUNG OFFICER TO COME TO THINK IN THIS WAY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF POWERS ENTRUSTED TO OFFICERS OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE.
THESE INCLUDE THE POWERS TO SEARCH PEOPLE, PREMISES AND SHIPS- TO QUESTION PEOPLE AND IF NECESSARY TO DETAIN THEM FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING TO REFUSE PEOPLE PERMISSION TO LAND OR STAY IN
HONG KONG, AND TO SEIZE VESSELS OR VEHICLES USED TO BRING PEOPLE INTO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.
+ON THE POSITIVE SIDE,+ MR. SCOTT SAID, +FOUR-AND-A-HALF MILLION INHABITANTS OF HONG KONG DEPEND UPON THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE TO PREVENT THE ENTRY OF UNDESIRABLE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE.
+AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER CAN THEREFORE PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE PART IN KEEPING HONG KONG A SECURE AND STABLE PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE.+
HE TOLD THE RECRUITS THAT THEY COULD RENDER POSITIVE SERVICE IN THE PROPER EXERCISE OF CONTROL OVER IMMIGRANTS WISHING TO SETTLE IN HONG KONG.
+COULD
+UNCONTROLLED IMMIGRATION,+ MR. SCOTT POINTED OUT, QUICKLY UPSET THE PLANS OF GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE.+
HE ADDED THAT THEY COULD ALSO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION IN FACILITATING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NUMEROUS HONG KONG RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY BUSINESSMEN, WHO WISH TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS.
THE RECRUITS WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS THEIR JOB TO BE HELPFUL AND COURTEOUS AND TO MIX THE RIGHT PROPORTION OF PATIENCE WITH THEIR DESIRE FOR EFFICIENCY,
+THE FIRST CONTACT WHICH THE TOURIST, THE BUSINESSMAN, OR THE RETURNING RESIDENT HAS IS WITH A MEMBER OF YOUR SERVICE. THUS IN A REAL SENSE YOU REPRESENT HONG KONG AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU GIVE THE RIGHT IMPRESSION,+ MR. SCOTT SAID.
TWENTY-ONE ASSISTANT IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AND 25 IMMIGRATION ASSISTANTS TOOK PART IN THE PASSING-OUT PARADE, NEARLY ALL OF THEM WILL BE POSTED TO THE CONTROL DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT.
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