SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 1988
8
WORK OF POLICE AT ERSKINE CAMP
WITHIN 48 HOURS OF AN URGENT CALL FOR THE POLICE TO SET UP AND STAFF A CAMP FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE A DERELICT FORMER MILITARY SITE WAS ESTABLISHED AND PREPARED TO RECEIVE 1,200 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING, ERSKINE CAMP IN SAI KUNG SPEEDILY TRANSFORMED FROM A VANDALISED AND NEGLECTED GROUP HUTS IN A TANGLED AND OVERGROWN JUNGLE TO AN ORDERLY AND CAMP.
WAS BRING OF NISSEN HABITABLE
IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE HAS BEEN CALLED UPON TO CARRY OUT SUCH DUTIES.
SUPERINTENDENT
NEWLY APPOINTED COMMANDANT AT ERSKINE CAMP, VIANNEY WILLY-FURTH, SAID: "WE'RE STILL WORKING VERY MUCH OFF THE CUFF. WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'LL BE HERE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I'VE GOT BUT I KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT."
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AS HE SPOKE WORK CONTINUED OUTSIDE MR WILLY-FURTH'S IMPROVISED OFFICE TO RENOVATE OLD BUILDINGS, IMPROVR SECURITY FENCES AND PROVIDE BASIC SERVICES.
A WORK FORCE WAS PROVIDED BY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE CIVIL AID SERVICES AND THE ARMY TO CARRY OUT THE URGENT WORK OF MAKING THE CAMP READY WHILE THR NEW INMATES WATCHED FROM THEIR CLOSED HUTTED ACCOMMODATION.
"WE'VE HAD TO START FROM SCRATCH, SAID MR WILLY-FURTH. "GUARD ROOM, KITCHEN, PLUMBING, A CLINIC, FURNITURE YOU NAME IT AND WE HAD TO PROVIDE IT CALL IN A COUPLE OF DAYS."
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THE 1,200 BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVED IN THREE CONVOYS OF 400 ON THE DAY AFTER MR WILLY – FURTH AND HIS HASTILY ASSEMBLED STAFF FIRST VISITED THE SITE.
THEY ARRIVED WITH ONLY BASIC DOCUMENTATION
DETAILS OF THE
BOAT ON WHICH THEY ARRIVED, THEIR FAMILY GROUPINGS AND NUMBERS.
"I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHERE ANY INDIVIDUAL COMES FROM, NORTH OR SOUTH VIETNAM OR WHETHER HE'S GOOD OR BAD. I'VE GOT 11 HUTS BULGING WITH THEM AND THERE'S A LOT OF PAPER WORK TO DO.
"WHEN WE'VE DONE THE DOCUMENTATION WE'LL START TO THINK OF THE REFINEMENTS."
MR
ARRIVALS
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NEW WILLY-FURTH SAID THE
TRANSFERRED ASHORE AFTER UP TO SIX WEEKS ON THE FERRY MAN YIP WERE MOSTLY FARMERS OR FISHERMEN, ALTHOUGH SOME WERE HIGHLY EDUCATED AND OTHERS HAD RNTRY PERMITS TO OTHER DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE HONG KONG.
THE VIETNAMESE