19
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1989
$1 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO REPATRIATE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY APPROVED A $1 MILLION CONTRIBUTION THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) TOWARDS INITIAL PROGRAMME FOR THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE.
TO
ITS
BOAT
THE CONTRIBUTION IS IN RESPONSE ΤΟ AN INTERNATIONAL APPEAL LAUNCHED BY THE UNHCR то FUND AN INITIAL REPATRIATION AND REINTEGRATION PROGRAMME FOR SOME 500 BOAT PEOPLE FROM THE REGION WHO WANT TO RETURN TO VIETNAM.
THE APPEAL AIMS то RAISE US$567000 (HK$4345000). THIS 19 REQUIRED TO TRANSPORT RETURNEES BACK TO VIETNAM AND TO HELP THEM RESUME NORMAL LIFE IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME. ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED IN KIND RATHER THAN IN CASH.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT 296 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG HAVE SO FAR VOLUNTEERED TO BE REPATRIATED.
"THERE ARE VERY FEW OTHER VOLUNTEERS ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION AND HONG KONG WILL CERTAINLY START AS THE MAJOR BENEFICIARY OF THIS PROGRAMME.
"AND IF MORE VOLUNTEERS SHOULD COME FORWARD, HONG KONG MIGHT WELL PROVE TO BE IN EFFECT THE ONLY BENEFICIARY," HE SAID.
"ALTHOUGH HONG KONG MIGHT BE EXPECTED BY POTENTIAL DONOR COUNTRIES TO COME FORWARD WITH A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION ΤΟ THE PROGRAMME, WE MUST AVOID CREATING THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WRRE READY TO MEET THE BULK OF ALL COSTS CONNECTED WITH THE REPATRIATION OF VOLUNTEERS FROM HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
"THIS CONTRIBUTION SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A COMMITMENT ΤΟ AN EQUIVALENT SHARE OF FUTURE PROGRAMMES.
"HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM HONG KONG TO ANY SUBSEQUENT PROGRAMME WHICH THE UNHCR MIGHT ORGANISE, PROVIDED THAT IT IS TO HONG KONG'S CLEAR ADVANTAGE," HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT ONE-OFF
23 CONTRIBUTION OF $1 MILLION REPRESENTED
PER CENT OF THE TOTAL BUDGET OF THE INITIAL PROGRAMME OR 38 PER CENT OF THE COST OF
HONG KONG,
WOULD REPATRIATING THE 300 VOLUNTEERS FROM
BE THE
FIRST TO RETURN.
WHO
"THIS CONTRIBUTION REPRESENTS 14 PER CENT OF THE NOTIONAL COST OF KEEPING 300 BOAT PEOPLE IN DETENTION CENTRES FOR A YEAR," HE SAID.
"LORD GLENARTHUR HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE US$125,000 TOWARDS
PROGRAMME, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS OUR CONTRIBUTION,
INITIAL
"
HE ADDED.
/20
Page 20Page 21