WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1989
21
SPEEDING UP SCREENING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR VBP
UP
THE
OF
ΤΟ PROCEDURES
SPEED THE GOVERNMENT IS TO REVISE ITS
(VBP) AND THE PROCESSING BOAT PEOPLE SCREENING OF VIETNAMESE APPEALS FROM THOSE WHO ARE SCREENED OUT AS NON REFUGEES.
FOLLOWING THE APPEAL
THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL COMPLETION OF A GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF THE PRESENT SCREENING AND ARRANGEMENTS.
PROCEDURES то MINIMISE APART FROM STREAMLINING THE SCREENING
SET UP THE TIME REQUIRED FOR STATUS DETERMINATION, IT IS PROPOSED TO REFUGEE STATUS REVIEW BOARDS TO DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH APPEAL CASES.
TO THIS END, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO AMENDMENT BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROPOSED REVIEW BOARDS.
INTRODUCE SHORTLY AN TO PROVIDE FOR THE
SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY}
WERE TOO SLOW TO
REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR, MR MIKE HANSON, THAT THE EXISTING SCREENING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES COPE WITH THE GROWING POPULATION OF VBP WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD TIME.
UNTIL WE CAN COMPLETE
SCREENING
AND
"UNLESS AND QUICKLY, REPATRIATION, WHETHER VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY, OF THOSE
HE SAID. NOT TO BE REFUGEES WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE,"
"WITH
THE
REVISED PROCEDURES,
WE OF
OF
APPEALS
FOUND
ΤΟ ARE AIMING
COMPLETE VBP AND DEAL WITH
SCREENING FOR THE CURRENT POPULATION RESULTING APPEALS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS, AND TO COMPLETE PROCEDURES FOR NEWLY ARRIVED VBP WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF ARRIVAL.
"TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, WE ESTIMATE THAT THE SCREENING APPEAL MECHANISMS MUST BE ABLE TO COPE WITH 400 PERSONS PER WEEK." HAD ARRIVED MR HANSON SAID THAT OF THE 20,000-ODD VBP WHO HONG KONG SINCE THE SCREENING POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST JUNE, HAD BEEN SCREENED.
PER CENT
"OF THOSE SCREENED, 163 OR 10.4 REFUGEE STATUS; THE REST HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT AS SAID.
THE
THE
AND
IN
1,573
HAVE BEEN GRANTED
NON-REFUGEES,
T
HE
STATUS HAVE
NOTIFIED
THE
T
"SO FAR, ALL THOSE REFUSED REFUGEE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR INTENTION TO APPEAL AGAINST THE DECISION.
STREAMLINED SCREENING
DEALING WITH
ASSISTANTS PERSONAL
VBP WILL PROCEDURES,
ON THE PART OF DETAILS INCLUDING FAMILY
BE
THE
INTERVIEWED BY IMMIGRATION
UNDER
QUESTIONNAIRE
COMPOSITION, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND.
/ON THE