THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1979
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HE EMPHASISED THAT THE VIEW OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WHICH CLEARLY REFLECTED THE VIEW OF ITS PEOPLE, IS THAT THE PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA AND VIETNAM ARE ONES THAT MUST BE DEALT WITH - AND WHAT WAS MORE DEALT WITH IN THE SHORT RATHER THAN THE LONG TERM.
+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS COMMUNITY DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT ITSELF AGAINST AN INUNDATION OF STRANGERS THAT THERE IS MORE THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE DONE,+ HE ADDED.
TURNING BACK TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR. FORD SAID THE PRIORITY MUST BE TO BRING PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WOULD REAP A MASSIVE US$3,000 MILLION IF IT WAS ALLOWED TO CARRY THROUGH +THIS TERRIBLE PROGRAMME OF EXPORT OF HUMAN BEINGS+.
AND, HE CONTINUED, IF THE CONCEPT OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS TO MEAN ANYTHING, IT MUST BE IN THAT FORUM THAT THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD MUST COME TOGETHER INTENT ON THE TASK OF BRINGING HOME TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT THE FULL HORROR OF THEIR POLICY, A DELIBERATE POLICY OF CONDEMNING TO DEATH BY DROWNING OVER 500,000 OF ITS OWN CITIZENS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN TO BE CHINESE.
ON THE QUESTION OF RESETTLEMENT OF THE REFUGEES, HE SAID THE PROCESS WAS WOEFULLY SLOW.
+AT THE PRESENT RATE, SOME 4-500 PER MONTH, IN THE UNLIKELY SITUATION OF NOT ONE MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE COMING TO THESE SHORES, IT WOULD STILL TAKE SEVEN YEARS TO RESETTLE THOSE WHO ARE HERE NOW,+ HE SAID.
15 PER CENT INCREASE IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL
NEEDS ALLOWANCE RATES *****
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE RATES OF PAYMENT FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS OLD AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES WOULD BE INCREASED BY ABOUT 15 PER CENT FROM SEPTEMBER 1.
THE INCREASES ARE ESTIMATED TO COST AN ADDITIONAL $31.2 MILLION UP TO THE END OF MARCH NEXT YEAR, AND THEREAFTER AN EXTRA $53.4 MILLION FOR A FULL YEAR.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WOULD BE THE FIFTH INCREASE IN THE PAYMENT RATES SINCE THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PA) SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN 1971,
HE SAID THE LAST INCREASE WAS MADE IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR WHEN THE SCALE OF PAYMENT WENT UP BY ABOUT 11 PER CENT.
HE SAID THE PAYMENT RATES FOR PA AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE (SNA) WERE REVIEWED AND ADJUSTED FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAINTAIN THE IR PURCHASING POWER IN REAL TERMS. SNA, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE WELFARE ALLOWANCE, COMPRISES OLD AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES.
THE DEPARTLENT