THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979
7
*NOT ONLY DO WE WISH TO REDUCE TO A MINIMUM THE NUMBER
OF THOSE WHO SLIP THROUGH THE NET, WE ALSO WANT A HIGH ARREST RATE TO BE A DETERRENT TO THOSE WHO ARE THINKING OF TRYING TO COME HERE ILLEGALLY, + HE EXPLAINED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE BEEN HARD PRESSED TO ACHIEVE THIS STRATEGY BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THE COASTLINE AND THE ATTRACTION WHICH HONG KONG APPEARED TO REPRESENT TO PEOPLE LIVING IN GUANGDONG.
TO MEET THIS COMMITMENT, HER MAJESTY FORCES HAVE BEEN REINFORCED, MORE GURKHA SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED, ADDITIONAL VESSELS ORDERED, MORE FENCING, OBSERVATION TOWERS AND LIGHTING ON THE BORDER HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, SMALL BOAT UNITS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND PLANS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OUR SECURITY FORCES ARE PROVIDED WITH THE MANPOWER AND OTHER RESOURCES TO CONTAIN AND REDUCE THE FLOW, HE SAID.
+WE ARE MAINTAINING AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF VIGILANCE AND· PATROLLING, MR, DAVIES ADDED.
HE ALSO SAID THE ASSURANCES GIVEN RECENTLY BY CHINESE LEADERS THAT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ARE VERY WELCOME, EFFECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN IN JUNE AND JULY WITH THE RESULT THAT NUMBERS DROPPED SHARPLY.
+UNFORTUNATELY THIS TREND WAS NOT MAINTAINED, IN OCTOBER THE SECURITY FORCES WERE ARRESTING AN AVERAGE OF 374 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS A DAY, A VERY HIGH FIGURE WHICH WAS MORE THAN TWICE THE DAILY RATE FÖR SEPTEMBER.
+SO FAR THIS MONTH THE FIGURE IS LOWER, AT AN AVERAGE OF 220 A DAY. BUT ALTHOUGH THE TREND IS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, LITTLE COMFORT CAN BE DERIVED FROM SUCH A FIGURE.
+BY ALL HISTORICAL MEASURES IT IS STILL ABNORMALLY HIGH, IT SHOWS THAT THE PROBLEM IS STILL FAR FROM BEING BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. +
PROPOSALS TO AMEND LAW ON PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE
BEING FINALISED ******
PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE LEGISLATION CONCERNING THE_CONTROL OF MEETINGS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS ARE BEING FINALISED AND WILL BE PUT BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
THIS WAS REVEALED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HON. JOHN GRIFFITHS IN THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE.
HE SAID THE PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE WERE AGREED AMONGST MEMBERS OF A WORKING GROUP COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS, AND THEIR GENERAL NATURE IS AS FOLLOWS:
/* A NARROWER