5
-
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1980
REFERRING TO THE CALL FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE SCHEMES, SIR JACK SAID THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER IN THE NEAR FUTURE A REPORT CONTAINING EXPANSION PROPOSALS BY THE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE WHICH SUPERVISES THE TWO SCHEMES ON BEHALF OF THE LAW SOCIETY.
HE NOTED THAT THE PROVISION FOR THESE TWO SCHEMES HAS GROWN IN 18 MONTHS FROM $1.5 MILLION FOR SERVICES AT THREE MAGISTRATES' COURTS AND TWO ADVICE CENTRES TO $3.6 MILLION FOR SERVICES AT FOUR MAGISTRATES' COURTS AND FIVE ADVICE CENTRES.
EVASION RATIO OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
KEPT AT A GREATLY REDUCED LEVEL
****
HONG KONG IS A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT PLACE TO ENTER ILLEGALLY THAN IT WAS AND THE EVASION RATIO- THE PROPORTION OF THOSE ARRESTED COMPARED WITH THOSE WHO SUCCEED IN EVADING ARREST HAS BEEN KEPT AT A GREATLY REDUCED LEVEL OF ONE TO ZERO POINT NINE (110.9) IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR DAVIES SAID HE WAS RELIEVED TO NOTE THAT SINCE THE HIGH RATE OF INFLOW STARTED MARCH WAS THE FIRST MONTH TO SEE A REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF ARRESTS COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN THE PRECEDING YEAR. A TOTAL OF 4 700 ARRESTS WERE MADE IN MARCH COMPARED WITH 6 600 IN MARCH LAST YEAR. +NEVERTHELESS THE FIGURES REMAIN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH, HE SAID.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE SECURITY FORCES CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF WATCHFULNESS AND A CONSTANT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF PATROLS ON LAND, SEA AND AIR.
+THEY INVOLVE MANY ELEMENTS AND UNITS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE, HM FORCES AND THE AUXILIARY SERVICES WHOSE DEPLOYMENT, OPERATIONAL TECHNIQUES AND COMMAND AND CONTROL ARE ALL KEPT UNDER CLOSE SCRUTINY AT ALL LEVELS TO ENSURE MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS, + HE SAID.
MR DAVIES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT REPRESENTATIONS CONTINUE TO BE MADE ON THE LEVEL OF ILLEGAL AND LEGAL IMMIGRATION AND THE COUNTER MEASURES WHICH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THEMSELVES ARE TAKING ARE OF THE GREATEST POSSIBLE IMPORTANCE.
+WE KNOW OF AND SEE PATROLLING OPERATIONS ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE BORDER AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE NUMBERS APPREHENDED ON THE CHINESE SIDE ARE GREATER THAN THOSE WHO CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALLY,
+THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW CRIMINAL CODE IN CHINA UNDER WHICH LEAVING CHINA ILLEGALLY IS MADE AN OFFENCE IS A FURTHER DETERRENT- SO ARE RECENT CONVICTIONS AND THE IMPOSITION OF LONG SENTENCES OF IMPRISONMENT OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN ORGANISING ILLEGAL EMIGRATION FROM CHINA,+ HE SAID.
MR DAVI