SATURDAY, AUGUST
THEY ARRESTED FIVE SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO THE MISUSE OF IDENTITY CARDS. ANOTHER 45 PEOPLE WEK- SUMMONSED OR CHARGED FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE PROPER PROOF OF IDE AND A FURTHER EIGHT WERE WARNED IN RESPECT OF THIS OFFENCE, WHIC CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $1 000.
ON THE LABOUR FRONT, INSPECTORS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED 5 678 ESTABLISHMENTS TO WEED OUT ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WORKING IN THEM, AND TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYERS FULFILLS,, THE IR LEGAL OBLIGATION OF KEEPING PROPER RECORDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
A TOTAL OF 11 303 EMPLOYEES WERE CHECKED AND SEVEN PERSONS IN SEVEN ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FOUND WITHOUT PROPER PROOF OF IDENTITY. THEY HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMEN FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
ANOTHER 56 ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FOUND TO BE KEEPING
EITHER NO RECORD OR IMPROPER RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES.
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT THEY COULD BE FINE TO 350 000 AND JAILED FOR UP TO A YEAR IF THEY WERE FOUND TO EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
TEXTBOOK ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR PUPILS
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A CASH GRANT FOR BUYING TEXTBOOKS IS BEING OFFERED TO ELIGI PUPILS STUDYING IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY AND JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS UP TO FORM 3 OR MIDDLE 3 LEVEL.
PUPILS OCCUPYING BOUGHT PLACES AT JUNIOR SECONDARY LEVEL PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.
THE GRANT IS AWARDED TO SCHOOL CHILDREN UNDER THE SCHOOL TEXTBOOK ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR PUPILS INTRODUCED IN 1982-83, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
PUPILS WHO WISH TO BENEFIT FROM THE SCHEME MUST APPLY THROUGH THE IR SCHOOLS USING A STANDARDISED FORM TO BE COMPLETED BY THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15 FOR THE 1985-86 SCHOOL YEAR.
NEW PUPILS JOINING A SCHOOL AFTER SEPTEMBER 15 WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AS THE GRANT IS PAYABLE ONLY ONCE A YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAI FRESH APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED.
PAYMENT OF THE GRANTS, WHEN APPROVED, WOULD ONLY BE MADE BY DIRECT BANK TRANSFER TO THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS THROUGH THE TREASURY IN LATE OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVE THIS YEAR.
/A FULL