WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1983
AMONG THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS EXTENDED BY TODAY'S RESOLUTIONS TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 1984 ARE
* VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, HAVING BEEN REFUSED PERMISSION TO
LAND IN HONG KONG, ARE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL FROM HONG KONG AT ANY TIME AND NOT JUST WITHIN TWO MONTHS AS APPLIES TO OTHERS REFUSED PERMISSION TO LAND,
* THE PROVISION OF PENALTIES FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES FOR
PERSONS WHO AID ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO GET INTO HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE FORFEITURE OF THE PROPERTY INVOLVED.
* THE PROVISION FOR THE FORFEITURE OF A VESSEL IN CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING THE CARRIAGE OF EXCESS PASSENGERS.
MR JEAFFRESON POINTED OUT THAT THE PROSPECTS OF MASTERING THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WERE REASONABLY GOOD, WITH THE ISSUE OF THE NEW IDENTITY CARDS GOING SO WELL.
BUT IN THE CASE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES THE FUTURE REMAINED BLEAK, HE SAID.
+WE HAVE OVER 600 MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES THAN WE HAD AT THE START OF 1983, AND RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS FOR NEWCOMERS ARE NOW VERY POOR.
+WHILE ARRIVALS SO FAR THIS YEAR ARE DOWN BY OVER 50 PER CENT ON ARRIVALS DURING THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, DEPARTURES FOR RESETTLEMENT ARE DOWN BY TWO THIRDS.
+EVEN AT THE CURRENT RATE OF RESETTLEMENT, AND WITH NO FURTHER ARRIVALS HERE, IT WOULD TAKE FOUR YEARS TO RESETTLE THOSE ALREADY IN OUR OPEN AND CLOSED CENTRES, OVER 3 000 OF WHOM HAVE ALREADY BEEN HERE FOR OVER THREE YEARS, HE SAID.
AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT FIRM POLICY TOWARDS ANY FURTHER UNINVITED ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM AND TO MAINTAIN ALL THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS NECESSARY TO ENFORCE IT, HE ADDED.
PLAN FOR NEW CITY POLYTECHNIC HAILED
*****
THE PLANNED NEW CITY POLYTECHNIC WILL ASSURE HONG KONG INDUSTRIES OF AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF TECHNICALLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED MANPOWER, DR THE HON HARRY FANG SAID IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG BILL 1983 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+ IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE FOR OUR YOUNG PERSONS WISHING TO JOIN THE INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL SECTOR WITH AN INCREASED OPPORTUNITY IN GETTING THE NECESSARY PREPARATION, HE ADDED.
DR FANG ADDED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPLICATION OF ALL, IN UNDERTAKING THE HUGE EDUCATION PROJECT, WAS THE SHOW OF CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE.
ALTT SHOWS.