WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982
22
NEW ID CARDS TO BE ISSUED IN MAY
****
THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IS TO BEGIN ISSUING MORE SECURE REPLACEMENT IDENTITY CARDS FROM MAY NEXT YEAR ADDING AN IMPORTANT NEW DETERRENT TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
AND THIS WILL NOT BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN AMNESTY, THE GOVERNOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE EMPHASISED TODAY.
THE GOVERNOR TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT PRIORITY OF ISSUE WOULD BE GIVEN TO MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 35, BECAUSE IT IS IN THIS GROUP THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED IN ENTERING ILLEGALLY ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE FOUND.
+ IN FUTURE, IT WILL BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO FORGE IDENTITY CARDS AND THOSE ALREADY HERE WHO ARE TRYING TO AVOID DETECTION BY USING THEM WILL BE DISCOVERED AND REPATRIATED, HE WARNED.
SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THIS IMPORTANT OPERATION WOULD CAUSE INCONVENIENCE TO THE EXTENT OF TWO SHORT ATTENDANCES AT A CENTRE, +BUT THE PERSONAL COST IS WORTH PAYING TO PRODUCE A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE DOCUMENT AND RECORD IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.+
THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT WHILE THE AVERAGE DAILY NUMBER OF ARRESTS ON ENTRY WAS NOW AROUND 30, COMPARED WITH 250 PRIOR TO THE ENDING OF THE 'REACH-BASE' POLICY IN 1980, THE URGE TO ENTER HONG KONG SEEMED TO BE AS POWERFUL AS EVER.
+WE MUST, THEREFORE, MAINTAIN THE HIGH LEVEL OF OPERATIONS BY THE SECURITY FORCES AND THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, AND WE ARE PRESSING ON WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO PHYSICAL BARRIERS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
THESE, HE ADDED, WILL BE COMPLETED IN MID-1983.
REFERRING TO THE GARRISON, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FORCES WERE STILL VERY MUCH COMMITTED ON OUR BORDERS WHERE CONSTANT VIGILANCE IS REQUIRED.
THE GOVERNOR ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE NUMBERS OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA WHO ARRIVED AT A RATE OF 55 000 A YEAR, REPRESENTING AN ADDITIONAL ONE PER CENT EXPANSION IN OUR POPULATION.
+WE RECOGNISE THE PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FROM THE VERY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH GOOD REASONS FOR COMING TO HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.
+WE HOPE NEVERTHELESS IT WILL SOON BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SOME REDUCTION IN THE NUMBERS WHO ENTER AND REMAIN HERE, AND WE ARE
IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THEM ON THIS ISSUE.+
ON THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT WHILE HONG KONG COULD BE PROUD OF ITS RECORD IN PROVIDING FIRST ASYLUM FOR REFUGEES, IT COULD NOT ABSORB MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WITHOUT DETRIMENT TO THE WELFARE OF OUR OWN CITIZENS.
/IT WAS