FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1990
5
FUNDS APPROVED FOR VBP INITIAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME * * * * * *
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY
(FRIDAY) APPROVED A NON-RECURRENT COMMITMENT OF $6.07 MILLION AS THE GOVERNMENT'S 50 PER CENT CONTRIBUTION TO AN INITIAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME FOR UP TO 1,000 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROGRAMME WAS ESTIMATED AT $12,140,000 BUT IT HAD BEEN AGREED WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PAY ONLY HALF.
COST THAN 'THE
IT WAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ESTIMATED PER CAPITA
LESS EVEN OF REPATRIATION BY AIR REPRESENTED SIGNIFICANTLY NOTIONAL ANNUAL COST OF $15,700 PER ANNUM FOR THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF A BOAT PËRSON IN A DETENTION CENTRE.
THE COMMITTEE LEARNED THAT IT HAD BEEN AGREED WITH VIETNAM
REPATRIATION THAT, IN ADDITION TO VOLUNTARY
AND IN LINE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, THOSE BOAT PEOPLE SCREENED OUT SHOULD BE MANDATORILY RETURNED TO VIETNAM.
FOLLOWING THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF THE FIRST GROUP IN
CONSIDERED
IN NECESSARY
ORDER DECEMBER, ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS ARE
ΤΟ ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS.
GIVEN THE SECURITY AND OTHER OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE NUMBER OF RETURNEES PER FLIGHT WILL BE LIMITED TO ABOUT 80.
IT IS INTENDED THAT UP TO 1,000 NON-REFUGEES BE RETURNED BY AIR UNDER THE INITIAL REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.
THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF $12,140,000 FOR THE PROGRAMME COMPRESES $7 MILLION FOR CHARTERING AIRCRAFT, $4.9 MILLION AS REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE AND $240,000 AS CASH ALLOWANCE FOR RETURNEES.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT REPATRIATION BY AIR HAD THE
ESTABLISHING OF
QUICKLY AND FIRMLY THE PRACTICE OF
ADVANTAGE MANDATORY REPATRIATION.
NEED FOR AN NUMBERS OF
HOWEVER, FOR THE LONGER TERM, THERE IS A ALTERNATIVE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WHICH ALLOWS FOR LARGE NON-REFUGEES TO BE REPATRIATED REGULARLY AND ECONOMICALLY.
THE GOVERNMENT 15 CURRENTLY EXAMINING A MORE OPTION, THAT IS REPATRIATION BY SEA.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO LEARNED THAT
REPATRIATED TO SUCCESSFULLY RE-ESTABLISH HAD BEEN AGREED TO PROVIDE REINTEGRATION
COST-EFFECTIVE
TO ENABLE THOSE
IN THEMSELVES
VIETNAM, IT ASSISTANCE TO HELP DEFRAY
THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION AND RESETTLEMENT WITHIN VIETNAM.
/THIS WOULD