WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1981
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ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MEASURES WILL CONTINUE
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR JACK CATER, TODAY REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER TO RELAX THE POLICY AND MEASURES ADOPTED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR TO PREVENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HON ROGER LOBO, SIR JACK MADE IT CLEAR THAT HONG KONG MUST AND WILL CONTINUE WITH ALL THE VARIOUS MEASURES AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING THE BORDER DEFENCE, THE REQUIREMENT TO CARRY AND PRODUCE PROOF OF IDENTITY AND TO PRODUCE ID CARDS ON SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, THE MARKING OF BOATS AND SO ON.
+WE SHALL CONTINUE TO SEND BACK ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DETECTED HERE AS A RESULT OF THESE MEASURES, INCLUDING CHILDREN, MANY OF WHOM, REGRET TO SAY, HAVE LATELY BEEN BROUGHT ACROSS THE BORDER BY ILLEGAL SYNDICATES QUICK TO EXPLOIT FAMILY AFFECTION, SIR JACK SAID.
THESE MEASURES HAVE TO DATE PROVED TO BE REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL, HE NOTED. THEY HAVE CLEARLY HAD A DETERRENT EFFECT ON THOSE WHO MIGHT BE THINKING OF LEAVING THEIR HOMES IN CHINA IN AN ATTEMPT TO COME TO HONG KONG.+
SOME OF THESE MEASURES, SIR JACK SAID, HAD UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSED INCONVENIENCE TO OUR PEOPLE.
+BUT I BELIEVE THAT NEARLY EVERYONE ACCEPTS THEM AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE POLICY. HAVING ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN STEMMING THE TIDE, WE MUST NOT DROP OUR GUARD, HE STRESSED.
GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM IN ECONOMY
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THERE ARE REALISTIC GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM ABOUT THE ECONOMY'S PROSPECTS WHICH HAVE BEEN REINFORCED BY INFORMATION THAT HAS BECOME AVAILABLE SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS IN EARLY OCTOBER.
THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON D.G. JEAFFRESON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FACTS SUGGESTED THAT OUR ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE NOT ONLY WOULD IMPROVE, BUT WAS ALREADY IMPROVING.
MR JE AFFRESON ADMITTED THAT THE HONG KONG ECONOMY, LIKE EVERY OTHER FREE ECONOMY, HAD HAD ITS PROBLEMS, BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE REMARKABLE FEATURE OF OUR ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE HAD BEEN THAT, IN THE FACE OF UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS IN OUR MAIN MARKETS AND OF PERSISTENT WORLD INFLATION, THESE PROBLEMS HAD NOT BEEN MORE SEVERE.
ON THE CONTRARY, HE SAID, THE GROWTH RATE OF THE ECONOMY HA REMAINED HIGH.
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