WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1990
UK MEETING HALF THE COSTS OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION
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THE UK GOVERNMENT WILL MEET HALF THE REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE FOUND NOT TO BE FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
COSTS OF THE MANDATORY REFUGEES, THE SECRETARY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON POON CHI-FAI, MR BARNES SAID IT WAS STANDARD INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE TO REPATRIATE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THE NORMAL PROCEDURE WAS FOR THE COUNTRY RETURNING SUCH IMMIGRANTS TO PAY THE COST OF THEIR RETURN TO THE IR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
IN THE CASE OF THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE WHO HAD BEEN FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES, AND WHOSE STATUS WAS THEREFORE SIMILAR TO THAT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, IT WOULD THEREFORE BE NORMAL FOR COSTS TO BE BORNE BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THIS WOULD BE CHEAPER THAN FUNDING THEIR INDEFINITE DETENTION IN HONG KONG.
"WE HAVE, HOWEVER, ALWAYS SOUGHT ΤΟ OBTAIN THE MAXIMUM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM. THIS HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF REPEATED REPRESENTATIONS BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE CLOSEST PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT BY UK MINISTERS.
"THESE EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED
IN
SUBSTANTIAL
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED.
"IN THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROCESS THIS WILL TAKE THE FORM OF THE UK GOVERNMENT MEETING HALF THE COSTS," MR BARNES SAID.
HOUSING FOR ELDERLY REVIEWED
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AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY WAS SET UP IN NOVEMBER 1988 AT THE INSTIGATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO EXAMINE, INTER ALIA, THE EXTENT то WHICH PROVISION OF PUBLIC HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY PEOPLE COULD BE IMPROVED, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON PETER TSAO, TOLD COUNCIL TODAY WEDNESDAY).
THE LEGISLATIVE
MR TSAO SAID:
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HO SAI-CHU, "ARISING FROM THIS REVIEW, A NUMBER OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CURRENT ALLOCATION AND TRANSFER POLICIES WILL BE PUT то THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE SHORTLY."
FOR
CONSIDERATION
/HE ADDED