MONDAY. OCTOBER 30, 1989
CAS PLAYS KEY ROLE IN EMERGENCY AND SECURITY SERVICES
SUPPORT OF
THE CIVIL AID SERVICES (CAS) PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN HONG KONG'S EMERGENCY AND SECURITY SERVICES AND THE WORK AND DEDICATION OF THE SERVICE IS HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TONIGHT (MONDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE CAS ANNUAL DINNER, SIR DAVID PAID TRIBUTE TO THE SERVICE FOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR ASSISTANCE IN MANAGING CAMPS FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
ITS
"DURING 22 YEARS HERE, I HAVE SEEN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, DURING NATURAL DISASTERS, RESCUE OPERATIONS AND TYPHOONS, THE CAS RESPONDING ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND EFFICIENTLY TO THE CALL OF DUTY.
"WE ARE FORTUNATE INDEED TO HAVE IN THE CAS A WELL-TRAINED ORGANISATION WHICH IS TOTALLY DEPENDABLE EVEN UNDER THE MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS," HE SAID.
NOTING THAT OVER 33,000 VBF HAD ARRIVED SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR, SIR DAVID SAID WHILE THE SITUATION HAD NOT REACHED CRISIS LEVELS, IT HAD BEEN A STRAIN ON THE TERRITORY'S RESOURCES AND A TEST OF ITS DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES.
"WITH CLOSE CO-OPERATION
AND OTHER OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS,
AMONGST THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES WE HAVE COPED WELL, HE SAID, POINTING OUT THAT THE CAS HAD MADE A MOST VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION BY MANAGING THE FACILITIES AT ARGYLE STREET AND STONECUTTERS.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE WAS VERY IMPRESSED THAT WITH THE LIMITED FACILITIES AVAILABLE AND DESPITE THE CROWDED CONDITIONS. THE CAS WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN GOOD DISCIPLINE AND ORDER AT BOTH ARGYLE STONECUTTERS ISLAND,
"I AM GRATEFUL TO THE CAS OFFICERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO TAKEN ON THESE ONEROUS DUTIES." HE SAID.
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AND
HAVE
"WE SHALL START EVACUATING THE FERRIES AT STONECUTTERS IN A FEW DAYS' TIME. AND BY EARLY DECEMBER THE 2,000 BOAT PEOPLE THERE WILL HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO MORE PERMANENT,
ACCOMMODATION.
LAND BASED
MEMBERS
"THIS WILL REPRESENT THE CLOSE OF A SMALL CHAPTER, AND OF THE CAS WILL MOVE ON TO OTHER AND I HOPE MORE ENJOYABLE DUTIES," HE ADDED.
SIR DAVID ALSO THANKED THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE MANY I'MPLOYERS IN THU PRIVATE SECTOR WHO HAD CO-OPERATED TN RELEASING THEIR STAFF TO UNDERTAKE CAS DUTIES.
14 BIS SIFICH TO THE DINNER, THE CAS COMMISSIONER. SIN ROGER LOBO, SAID HE WAS VERY PROUD OF THE ROLE THAT THE CAS HAD PLAYED IN MANAGEMENT OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
THE UNPRECEDENTED