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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1982
HE SAID IT WAS A GOOD THING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH DISTRICT BOARDS TO FACILITATE INPUT FROM PEOPLE IN THE DISCUSSION OF LOCAL PUBLIC ISSUES, AND TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO ELECT THE IR REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT ON THE BOARDS.
+1 ALSO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERY REGISTERED VOTER TO VOTE ON POLLING DAY BECAUSE THE MORE VOTERS THERE ARE, THE MORE REPRESENTATIVE THE ELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE, HE SAID.
SIR SZE-YUEN REMINDED VOTERS THAT POLLING STATIONS WOULD BE
OPEN FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM ON THURSDAY (SEPTEMBER 23).
AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH UNHCR ON CARE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
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AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE CHARGE DE MISSION OF THE UNHCR IN HONG KONG AND THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY TO COVER THE UNHCR'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD FROM JULY 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1982, THE UNHCR WILL PAY FOR THE COST OF FOOD, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, RELIEF ITEMS AND UTILITY CHARGES INCURRED IN ACCOMMODATING REFUGEES IN THE GOVERNMENT-RUN CLOSED CENTRES INTRODUCED ON JULY 2.
THE UNHCR ALREADY MEETS THESE CHARGES IN GOVERNMENT RECEPTION AND DEPARTURE CENTRES, WHICH ARE ALSO COVERED UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT. THE UNHCR ALSO MEETS THE RECURRENT COSTS OF RUNNING THE TWO REMAINING OPEN CENTRES (KAI TAK AND JUBILEE).
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AGREEMENT LAY IN THE UNHCR'S COMMITMENT TO FUND A PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF RUNNING THE NEW CLOSED CENTRES AT CHI MA WAN, HEI LING CHAU, TAI LAM AND TAI TAM GAP.
HE SAID THAT SINCE SEPTEMBER 1, 1979 THE UNHCR'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE BASIC CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN COVERED BY AN UNDERSTANDING DRAWN UP FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNHCR AND THE GOVERNOR ON AUGUST 14, 1979, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE REFUGEE INFLUX. SINCE 1979 THE LOCAL UNHCR OFFICE HAS SPENT ABOUT $120 MILLION ON REFUGEES AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT $96 MILLION.
THE MAJOR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN HONG KONG HAVE ALSO SPENT ABOUT $41 MILLION ON PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE REFUGEES, WHICH HAVE INVOLVED OVER 400 WORKERS IN THE VARIOUS AGENCIES.