THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1982
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A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND REPRESENTATION OF THE COUNCIL ON THE BOARD WAS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE SMOOTH WORKING OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IN CHANGING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG.
MR CHEONG-LEEN'S SPEECH FOLLOWED AN OPENING SPEECH OF WELCOME BY THE BOARD CHAIRMAN, MR WILFRED WONG.
LATER BOARD MEMBERS WERE INFORMED OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT IN THE SIX PRECEDING MONTHS BY THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, FORMED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO PUT DISTRICT PROBLEMS IN BETTER PERSPECTIVE, AND WHICH PRECEDED THE SETTING UP OF THE DISTRICT BOARD.
THE COMMITTEE PROVIDES A FORUM FOR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONSULTATION ON DISTRICT PROBLEMS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO FUNCTION, SHARING THE WORKLOAD OF THE BOARD.
NO CHANGE IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICY ****
THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TOWARDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA.
REFERRING TO YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE ARRIVAL OF SIR EDWARD YOUDE TO REPLACE SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR LEWIS DAVIES, SAID THAT PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED RECENTLY AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE SAID THAT RUMOURS ABOUT CHANGES WERE CIRCULATING IN COMMUNES IN CHINA.
+ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE SNAKEHEADS SPREADING RUMOURS ABOUT CHANGES OF POLICY BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ENTICING PEOPLE TO PAY MONEY IN ORDER TO BE SMUGGLED INTO HONG KONG BY ILLEGAL MEANS.
+THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TOWARDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, WHICH THREATENS AND PUTS IN JEOPARDY THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, MR DAVIES SAID.
MR DAVIES WENT ON TO SAY THAT AMONG OTHER RUMOURS BEING SPREAD IS ONE WHICH SUGGESTS THERE WILL BE A CHANGE OF POLICY WHEN NEW IDENTITY CARDS ARE INTRODUCED IN THE FUTURE.
+THIS IS ALSO NONSENSE AND QUITE UNTRUE, MR DAVIES ADDED.