MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1983
REFUGEE CAMPS TOUR A +MOVING EXPERIENCE+
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THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR. FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR RICHARD LUCE, TODAY (MONDAY) DESCRIBED AS A VERY MOVING EXPERIENCE HIS VISIT TO SOME OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS IN HONG KONG.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A TOUR OF THE KAI TAK TRANSIT CENTRE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HE SAID HE WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS, SUPPORT AND WORK BEING DONE BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES, BY THE RED CROSS AND BY THE VAST RANGE OF VOLUNTARY BODIES WHO WERE HELPING OUT WITH THIS +REAL HUMAN PROBLEM+.
+WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES ABOUT THE BROADER INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM THAT IS FACED BY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES,+ HE ADDED.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR CLINTON LEEKS, MR LUCE WAS MET ON ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP BY MR PETER MEIJER, DEPUTY CHARGE' DE MISSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES, DR T.C. CHENG, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG RED CROSS. MR MORRIS MORGAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG RED CROSS TRANSIT CENTRE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND MR HENRY LOKE, CENTRE MANAGER.
HE THEN TOURED THE TRANSIT CENTRE AND SAW VARIOUS CAMP FACILITIES INCLUDING NURSERIES, DORMITORIES, PLAY GROUPS, SCHOOLS, AND A CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.
BEFORE VISITING THE KAI TAK TRANSIT CENTRE, MR LUCE ALSO VISITED THE CHI MA WAN CLOSED CAMP FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THIS VISIT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR THOMAS GARNER.
EARLIER IN THE AFTERNOON, THE VISITING MINISTER HAD A MEETING WITH UMELCO MEMBERS IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
HE TOLD REPORTERS AFTER THE MEETING THAT HE HAD BEEN LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY TO THE VIEWS OF ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF UMELCO ON THE SITUATION.
HE VALUED THIS SESSION VERY MUCH, HE ADDED.
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