1
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1987
MINISTER LOOKS AT REFUGEES, BORDER FACILITIES
THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, LORD GLENARTHUR, SPENT HIS FOURTH AND FINAL DAY IN HONG KONG VISITING TWO VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS, THE BORDER AT MAN THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT DEPOT AT FANLING.
KAM TO AND
ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, LORD GLENARTHUR WENT TO THE KAI TAK OPEN REFUGEE CENTRE AT KOWLOON BAY IN THE MORNING.
NATIONS
THEY WERE MET ON ARRIVAL BY OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES WHICH RUNS THE CENTRE, AND SAW THE VARIOUS FACILITIES THERE. THE CAMP WAS OPENED IN JULY 1979 AND IS CURRENTLY HOUSING MORE THAN 3,000 REFUGEES.
THE MINISTER AND SIR DAVID THEN FLEW BY HELICOPTER TO THE TUEN MUN CLOSED CENTRE AND WERE MET ON ARRIVAL BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR CHAN WA-SHEK. THE CENTRE, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BOWRING CLOSED CENTRE, WAS OPENED IN MARCH 1985.
1,500
DURING THE TOUR OF THE CENTRE, WHICH AT PRESENT HOLDS REFUGEES, LORD GLENARTHUR AND SIR DAVID SAW VARIOUS FACILITIES INCLUDING DORMITORIES, A HOSPITAL, A TUCK SHOP AND A CANTEEN.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE VISIT, LORD GLENARTHUR SAID THAT DESPITE THE PRESSURE THAT THE VR'S HAD BROUGHT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, "THEY ARE BEING EXCEEDINGLY WELL LOOKED AFTER".
HE SAID THE STAFF OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHOM HE SPOKE то THIS MORNING WERE CLEARLY DEDICATED TO MAKING THE VERY BEST OF THE RATHER DIFFICULT LIVES THAT PEOPLE HAD TO LIVE IN VR CAMPS.
"I AM PARTICULARLY GLAD AND I PARTICULARLY WANTED ΤΟ SEE FOR MYSELF WHAT THE CONDITIONS WERE, TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE CAMPS, TALK TO THE CHILDREN EVEN, SEE PEOPLE LEARNING ENGLISH, LEARNING ALL SORTS OF THINGS, LEARNING FRENCH, BEING GENERALLY EDUCATED, AND BROUGHT ALONG AND LOOKED
VERY CARINGLY BY THE OTHER WELFARE AGENCIES, SUCH AS ON THE MEDICAL SIDE," HE SAID.
AFTER
GOOD,
HE
"MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THE CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT OBVIOUSLY MUST EXIST IN A CLOSED CAMP," ADDED.
LORD GLENARTHUR LATER FLEW BY HELICOPTER TO THE BORDER. HE WAS MET ON ARRIVAL AT MAN KAM TO BY THE COMMANDER OF THE 48 GURKHA INFANTRY BRIGADE, BRIGADIER RAY PETT.
THE POLICE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, MR GEORGE HINDHAUGH; AND THE POLICE DEPUTY REGIONAL COMMANDER, NEW TERRITORIES, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT BRIAN GOULDSMITH.
/BEFORE TRYING