FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1987
JEAFFRESON WELCOMES UK MOVE *****
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR DAVID JEAFFRESON, WELCOMED THE DECISION TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO RENEW ITS INTAKE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. HE SAID THIS DECISION WAS MOST WELCOME BOTH BECAUSE MORE REFUGEES WOULD NOW BE RESETTLED AND BECAUSE THE MOVE WOULD ASSIST HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN THEIR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER COUNTRIES TO DO MORE FOR HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
MR JEAFFRESON EXPLAINED THAT WHEN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN A SIMILAR DECISION IN 1985, THE RESPONSE FROM OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAD BEEN VERY ENCOURAGING AND, AS A RESULT, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES LEAVING HONG KONG TOOK PLACE IN 1986.
HE HOPED THAT THIS NEW BRITISH INITIATIVE WOULD STIMULATE A SIMILAR RESPONSE.
MR JEAFFRESON SAID BOTH THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WOULD NOW INTENSIFY THEIR EFFORTS TO SEEK ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR HONG KONG'S REFUGEES. AT THE SAME TIME, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE ITS DIALOGUE WITH OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES WITH THE AIM OF REACHING A DURABLE SOLUTION TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM.
HE SAID THE DETAILS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESETTLING THE REFUGEES WERE STILL BEING FINALISED BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS, BUT THE OFFTAKE WOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEREAFTER THEY WOULD LEAVE AT A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 EACH MONTH.
REVIEW OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME: LIAO
*****
A SERIES OF MEASURES HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO IMPROVE THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AND TO ENHANCE TIES BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, DISTRICT BOARDS, RESIDENT BODIES AND THE COMMUNITY, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
ANNOUNCING DETAILS IN THE REVIEW OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, MR LIAO SAID THERE WERE NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE PRESENT SYSTEM ALTHOUGH SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE FULLER SUPPORT TO DISTRICT BOARDS AND LOCAL BODIES.
/+THESE CHANGES