FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1988
11
VA'S PRAISED FOR LOOKING AFTER VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
*
THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, TODAY (FRIDAY) THE CIVIL AID SERVICES AND OTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR THEIR IN LOOKING AFTER VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
PRAISED
EFFORTS
ALONG WITH THE CAS, SIR DAVID CITED THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES, THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT AND THE AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE FOR "DOING A FANTASTIC JOB" IN TAKING CARE OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE.
SIR DAVID WAS VISITING GREEN ISLAND RECEPTION CENTRE AND ARGYLE STREET CAMP, BOTH BEING MANAGED BY CAS.
HE ALSO SAW THE CONDITIONS ON BOARD THE HARBOUR RECEPTION CENTRE, A FERRY BEING USED TO HOLD 500 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. A SECOND FERRY HAS BEEN HIRED то TAKE ANOTHER 500 VIETNAMESE THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON TO RELIEVE THE CROWDED CONDITION ON GREEN ISLAND.
THE TWO FERRIES ARE BEING MANAGED BY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT.
SIR DAVID WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE TOUR BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CAS, SIR ROGER LOBO, AND CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, MR JOHN FORTUNE.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE TOUR, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID: "I THINK IT'S A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE VOLUNTARY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THIS EFFORT.
"THEY ARE DOING IT FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND IT'S ΤΟ BE HIGHLY COMMENDED, ALL THEIR EFFORT.
THE CONDITIONS ON GREEN ISLAND AND ON THE FERRIES WERE NOT GOOD, SIR DAVID SAID, BUT THE EFFORTS OF THE CAS, IN PARTICULAR, то MAKE THE BEST OF THEM WERE EXCELLENT.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT A STATEMENT THAT VIETNAM HAD ASKED THE UNHCR TO PREPARE A REPATRIATION PROGRAMME FOR THE BOAT PEOPLE, SIR DAVID SAID: "ANY SIGN OF WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THEIR PEOPLE BACK IS VERY ENCOURAGING.
I THINK WE HAVE A LONG WAY то GO YET BEFORE WE ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THAT AIM BUT ALL THESE SIGNS ARE ENCOURAGING AND WE CERTAINLY WELCOME THEM.'
"
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID TALKS WITH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ON POSSIBLE REPATRIATION WERE STILL BEING PLANNED AND HOPED TO ARRANGE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
/HE ADDED: