TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1989
COST OF ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME FOR VBP
*
IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES ABOUT THIS MORNING'S RETURN OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TO VIETNAM, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE COST OF THE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE PACKAGE, EXCLUDING TRAVEL COST, WAS US$620 PER HEAD.
"AND THE AVERAGE TOTAL COST UNDER THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME IS LIKELY TO BE IN THE REGION OF US$1,000 PER HEAD. THE COST WILL SHARED EQUALLY BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENTS.
"
BE
EACH OF THE BOAT PEOPLE RETURNING TODAY WAS GIVEN POCKET MONEY OF US$30 PER ADULT AND US$15 PER CHILD.
"THE BALANCE OF THE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE WILL BE DISBURSED BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES IN CASH OR IN KIND DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE RETURNEES.
++
ON THE MONITORING OF
POST-RETURN CONDITIONS, THE
SPOKESMAN
REITERATED THAT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.
"NOW THAT THE FIRST GROUP HAS RETURNED, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE UNHCR AGREEING TO TAKE ON THE TASK IN DUE COURSE, AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR NON-REFUGEES RETURNING TO LAOS FROM THAILAND.
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT A GOOD START HAD BEEN MADE ON THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME FOR THOSE BOAT PEOPLE DETERMINED ΤΟ BE NON-REFUGEES.
"WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THIS BUILD ON IT. HF SAID.
PROGRAMME AND INTEND TO
"FOR THE RETURN OF FURTHER GROUPS, WE ARE LOOK ING AT VARIOUS OPTIONS. E.G. WHETHER IN THE LONG RUN WE SHOULD USE SHIPS OR AIRCRAFT.
11
'HOWEVER, WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME MUST GO IN PARALLEL WITH VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. INDEED WE HOPE MORE WILL NOW COME FORWARD TO RETURN VOLUNTARILY.
"IN FACT, ARRANGEMENTS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR FLIGHTS OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM THIS MONTH.
REFERRING TO THE SITUATION IN VBP CAMPS, THE
THAT SO FAR THINGS WERE QUIET.
*
TWO MORE
SPOKESMAN SAID
RETURN
OF BOAT PROGRAMME
"CAMP MANAGEMENT STAFF ARE MEETING REPRESENTATIVES PEOPLE IN THE CAMPS. EXPLAINING TO THEM THE ORDERLY AND TODAY'S RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP, HE SAID.
"GOVERNMENT COUNSELLING WILL CONTINUE."
/5