WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
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ON THE QUESTION OF THE OUTFLOW OF THE REFUGEES BEING HALTED PERMANENTLY, MR. DAVIES SAID BOATS WERE STILL ARRIVING AND IT WAS TOO EARLY TO SAY WHETHER THE FLOW OF REFUGEES LEAVING VIETNAM HAD ACTUALLY CEASED AND, CERTAINLY TOO SOON TO SAY WHETHER IT (THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM) WOULD DO SO PERMANENTLY.
+THERE IS, HOWEVER, A MARKED REDUCTION IN ARRIVALS,+ HE INDICATED.
#WHAT WE WOULD WISH TO SEE IS THAT CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM SHOULD BE SUCH THAT THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON PEOPLE TO LEAVE, THAT THOSE WHO WISH TO LEAVE SHOULD BE FREE TO DO SO, IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, ON TRANSPORT THAT IS SAFE, AND TO AN ASSURED DESTINATION.+
TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF THE UNHCR ASSUMING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN CURRENTLY BORNE BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, MR. DAVIES SAID PROSPECTS WERE ENCOURAGING.
ASSERTING THAT IT WAS HIS AIM THAT THE UNHCR SHOULD BE PRESSED TO TAKE OVER FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, MR. DAVIES SAID THIS SUBJECT WOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH SENIOR UNHCR OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG IN MID-AUGUST.
MEANWHILE, HE CONTINUED, THE KAI TAK NORTH CAMP HAD BEEN HANDED
OVER FROM GOVERNMENT CONTROL TO UNHCR TODAY.
+THIS INCREASES THE NUMBER UNDER UNHCR DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY TO 32,000 OR ALMOST HALF OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
+ALSO, UNHCR CAMPS ARE TO BE EXPANDED AT LEAST TO A CAPACITY OF 44,000, HE ADDED.
REFUGEES PROVIDED WITH GUIDANCE ON LABOUR MATTERS
*****
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BRIEFED MANAGEMENTS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS AND PROVIDED THEM WITH COPIES OF PAMPHLETS ON LABOUR LEGISLATION TO HELP REFUGEES SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. HO KAM-FAI, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. JOHN CHAMBÉRS SAID GUIDANCE ON LABOUR MATTERS WAS ALSO BEING PROVIDED BY SEVERAL VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AS PART OF THEIR FAMILIARISATION PROGRAMMES WITHIN THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS.
♦IN ADDITION, THE CHINESE-SPEAKING VIETNAMESE WORKERS WHO MAKE UP THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED EMPLOYMENT HAVE ACCESS TO THE REGULAR LABOUR DEPARTMENT PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES THROUGH THE PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION, MR. CHAMBERS SAID.
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