WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1981
1
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BEHIND 35-45 PER CENT OF CRIME
****
A RECENT POLICE ASSESSMENT SUGGESTS THAT FORMER ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR BETWEEN 35 PER CENT AND 45 PER CENT OF THE CRIME OF ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON RAYSON HUANG, AS TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH FORMER II'S WERE INVOLVED IN CRIME, MR DAVIES SAID THE ASSESSMENT WAS BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF A NUMBER OF RECENT ROBBERIES WITH VIOLENCE, TOGETHER WITH INFORMATION DERIVED FROM CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCES.
MR DAVIES ALSO SAID ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING FROM CHINA AND ARRESTED AFTER OCTOBER 23, 1980, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THEY WERE CONVICTED OF SERIOUS OFFENCES OR NOT, WOULD CONTINUE TO BE REPATRIATED TO CHINA.
THOSE WHO HAD COME BEFORE THAT DATE, TOGETHER WITH THOSE WHO HAD REGISTERED IN THE GRACE PERIOD BETWEEN OCTOBER 23 AND 26 AND WHO AFTER INVESTIGATION WERE ALLOWED TO STAY CONDITIONALLY, WOULD NOT BE REMOVED.
HE SAID THAT DURING THE GRACE PERIOD, 6 952 II'S WHO PURPORTED TO HAVE COME FROM CHINA, APPEARED FOR REGISTRATION, AND OF THESE, 4 086, OR 59 PER CENT, WERE ALLOWED TO REMAIN.
ON THE QUESTION OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT SITUATION, HE SAID A COMPLETE RECORD WAS NOT AVAILABLE, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE FIGURES FOR SOME OF THEM. HE WOULD DISCUSS WITH THE COMMISSIONERS OF POLICE AND LABOUR ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONDUCTING A SPECIAL SURVEY ON THIS AND WOULD THEN ADVISE DR HUANG, HE SAID.
-
GOVERNMENT REMAINS DETERMINED TO RESETTLE ALL VR'S
****
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS DETERMINED TO ENDEAVOUR TO SEE ALL 16 000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES NOW IN HONG KONG RESETTLED OVERSEAS AND TO PROVIDE A FAIR AND EFFECTIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE QUOTAS OFFERED BY OTHER COUNTRIES TO BE FILLED.
THE REMARKS WERE MADE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT THE SECOND READING OF THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981 WHICH IS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE DETERRENTS TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO REFUSE RESETTLEMENT OFFERS.
MR DAVIES SAID IT IS OUR INTENTION TO USE THE POWER TO MAKE DETENTION WARRANTS WITH DISCRETION BUT TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT AND DETERRENT EFFECT.+
/THE MAIN