10
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987
HE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS THIS LIABILITY TO DEPORTATION IN THESE NARROW CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH PREVENTED RESIDENT BRITISH CITIZENS AND UK BELONGERS FROM ENJOYING THE FULL BENEFITS OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.
HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE MANY SUCH RESIDENT BRITHISH CITIZENS IN HONG KONG WHO WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS THIS DIVIDE AND BECOME HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.
+I WOULD THEREFORE URGE THAT THE GOVERNMENT GIVE CONSIDERATION TO A FURTHER CHANGE IN OUR IMMIGRATION LAW WHICH WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR SUCH PERSONS TO BECOME HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS BY DECLARING THEIR INTENTION TO MAKE HONG KONG THEIR PLACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE, A MOVE WHICH WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, HE SAID.
FURTHERMORE, MR SWAINE SAID: +IF A PERSON IS AGGRIEVED BY
A DECISION OF A REGISTRATION OFFICER NOT TO ISSUE A PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD OR TO DECLARE SUCH A CARD INVALID, HE MAY APPEAL TO A TRIBUNAL SPECIALLY SET UP FOR THIS PURPOSE UNDER THE NEW SECTION 3C TO BE KNOWN AS THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS TRIBUNAL.+
CALL TO CLARIFY STATUS OF HK CHINESE WITH FOREIGN PASSPORTS
*****
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO SEEK CLARIFICATION WHETHER HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF CHINESE RACE HOLDING FOREIGN PASSPORTS WILL BE ENTITLED TO THE RIGHT OF ABODE AFTER 1997.
THE CALL WAS MADE BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1987 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
POINTING OUT THAT THIS WAS A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE, MR CHEONG- LEEN SAID HE HOPED THE ISSUE COULD BE DISCUSSED WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION SO THAT PEOPLE UNDER THIS CATEGORY WOULD STILL BE ENTITLED TO THE RIGHT OF ABODE AFTER 1997.
+1 BELIEVE THAT SUCH PERSONS, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF WHICH MAY WELL EE AROUND HALF-A-MILLION BY 1997, SHOULD BE GIVEN EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT TO RETURN TO HONG KONG AND TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY, + HE SAID.
MR CHEONG-LEEN