WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
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HE POINTED OUT THAT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, HONG KONG HAD SETTLED 13,516 PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM IN HONG KONG 3,954 WERE UNDER THE CARE OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND A FURTHER 1,568 WERE EITHER STILL BEING PROCESSED OR WERE BEING HELD IN DETENTION PENDING A DECISION ON WHETHER THEY COULD BE RETURNED TO CHINA.
THIS INFLUX FROM VIETNAM HAS OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN HONG KONG IS UNDER PRESSURE FROM OTHER DIRECTIONS. THE NUMBER OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA IN 1978 WAS 71,520, COMPARED WITH 26,000 IN 1977, AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE FIGURE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE REGION OF 33,000.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY ALSO NOTED THAT WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE FLOW OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM WILL STOP AS LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
HE SAID: +HONG KONG CANNOT BE THE LONG-TERM HOME FOR REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA. WE DO NOT HAVE THE LAND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH JOBS- SOCIAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR WELL-BEING WITHOUT SERIOUSLY IMPAIRING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HEALTH OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
+WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE TAKEN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF BOAT REFUGEES', BUT THE NUMBER OF SUCH COUNTRIES IS STILL LAMENTABLY FEW AND THE PLACES RECENTLY OFFERED PATENTLY FALL SHORT OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE ON THE ONE HAND, AND ARE NECESSARY ON THE OTHER.+
SIR JACK CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP OF THOSE WHO NOW KNOCK AT OUR DOOR AND THOSE TO WHOM WE HAVE GIVEN TEMPORARY SHELTER. +OUR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR BUT CAN THAT BE TRUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AT LARGE?+ HE ASKED.
CLAUSE 2 OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE PENALTY FROM $IX MONTHS TO FOUR YEARS FOR OFFENCES OF CARRYING PASSENGERS ON BOARD A VESSEL IN EXCESS OF THE NUMBER PERMITTED BY THE PASSENGER CERTIFICATE OR EXCESS PASSENGERS ON AN UNCERTIFICATED SHIP.
TO FACILITATE PROSECUTION OF SUCH OFFENCES, THE BILL ALSO INTRODUCED TWO REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTIONS - PERSONS ON BOARD A VESSEL OTHER THAN CREW MEMBERS AND INFANTS UNDER THE AGE OF ONE, WOULD BE PRESUMED TO BE PASSENGERS AND A SHIP WITH MORE THAN 12 PASSENGERS ON BOARD WOULD BE PRESUMED TO BE A PASSENGER-SHIP.
ANOTHER CLAUSE OF THE BILL PROVIDES FOR THE FORFEITURE OF SHIPS WHERE THE MASTER OR THE OWNER IS GUILTY OF AN OFFENCE OF CARRYING EXCESSIVE PASSENGERS. IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT, BEFORE THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE INITIATES THE FORFEITURE PROCEDURE IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE, THE APPROVAL OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL MUST BE OBTAINED.
/SIR JACK.....