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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 1988
RESIDENTS' CONCERN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT
EXAMINE THE
THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO DISCUSS AND CONCERNS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS TOWARDS ITS GRADUAL AND PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION OF CONDITIONS IN CLOSED CENTRES FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG BEFORE JUNE 16.
THIS ASSURANCE WAS GIVEN TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR LETTER REPLYING ON BEHALF OF THE BY MEMBERS OF THE TUEN MUN AND YUEN
SECURITY, MR ROBERT UPTON, IN A GOVERNOR TO REPRESENTATIONS MADE LONG DISTRICT BOARDS LAST WEEK.
IN THE LETTER, MR UPTON EXPLAINS TIIE CIRCUMSTANCES WHY THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT ACCEPT THE SUGGESTION BY THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS THAT THE LIBERALISATION PROGRAMME BE SHELVED.
"I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE CONCERNS WILL PROVE, ON EXAMINATION, TO BE UNFOUNDED," HE SAYS.
"FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHILDREN WITHIN THE CAMPS WILL NOT BE IN COMPETITION WITH LOCAL CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL PLACES. THE PLACING OF PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT WILL BE A PHASED PROCESS, MANAGED BY THE UNHCR."
MR UPTON SAYS IN HIS LETTER THE GOVERNMENT IS SETTING UP A NUMBER OF LOCAL WORKING GROUPS то ADVISE ON THE PROGRESS OF LIBERALISATION IN EACH CENTRE, ΤΟ CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE LOCAL CONCERNS AND TO DEVISE PLANS ΤΟ MEET ANY PROBLEMS WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED.
"IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL THAT DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS BECOME FULLY INVOLVED, AND TO THIS END THE CHAIRMAN AND ONE OTHER DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER ARE BEING INVITED TO JOIN BACH WORKING GROUP, HE SAYS.
"
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I BELIEVE THAT IT IS NECESSARY NOW TO TURN THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION IN PRINCIPLE INTO A CAREFULLY PLANNED PROGRAMME FOR EACH CLOSED CENTRE, THROUGH THE OPERATION OF THE NEW WORKING GROUPS.
MR UPTON SAYS THE RELAXATION OF CONDITIONS IN THE CLOSED CAMPS WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE MAJOR COSTS SAVINGS FOR THE HONG KONG PUBLIC AND BY ALLOWING THE REFUGEES TO WORK IT IS INTENDED THEY WILL BECOME ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT.
THAT
'WE BELIEVE THAT WORK EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING WILL IMPROVE PROSPECTS OF RESETTLEMENT FOR THESE PEOPLE. THESE BENEFITS ARE 30 IMPORTANT THAT WE BELIEVE THEY JUSTIFY AN IMMEDIATE START то GRADUAL BUT PROGRESSIVE PROCESS OF LIBERALISATION,"
THE
THE
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