THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1990
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URGENT NEED FOR TAI A CHAU DETENTION CENTRE
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THERE IS A VERY URGENT NEED TO BUILD A VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE DETENTION CENTRE AT TAI A CHAU, AS HONG KONG FACES THE PROBLEM OF GREATLY OVER-CROWDED CAMPS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER INFLUX OF BOAT PEOPLE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NEW AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES HEADQUARTERS, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WERE CAMPS AT VERY UNSATISFACTORY SITES SUCH AS SHEK KONG.
IS
"ONE OF THE PRIME PURPOSES OF BUILDING A CAMP ON THE ISLAND SO THAT WE CAN THIN OUT THE EXISTING POPULATION OF EXISTING CAMPS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE DOWN THE CAMP AT SHEK KONG. IT'S IN A MOST UNSATISFACTORY SITE," HE SAID.
FF
WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM ALREADY ON OUR HANDS. WE NEED ΤΟ THIN OUT THE EXISTING CAMPS. WE WILL HAVE AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM IF WE HAVE A CONTINUED INFLUX OF PEOPLE THIS YEAR, AND WE MUST BE IN THE POSITION TO DEAL WITH IT, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
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'THE COMMUNITY SHOULD EXPECT THAT AND THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE THE RIGHT SORT OF PLANS IN ADVANCE, HE ADDED.
ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD PLANS TO TRY TO PERSUADE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING FOR THE CAMP, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS A QUESTION OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN ΤΟ MEMBERS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THE FOR CARRYING OUT A PARTICULAR POLICY.
OF THE REASONS
MEMBERS
'THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPLANATIONS GIVEN TO CERTAIN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL GO ON EXPLAINING THE REASONS FOR HAVING THAT PARTICULAR CAMP," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID NOTED THAT MANDATORY REPATRIATION WAS A POLICY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN TRYING TO ADOPT SINCE THE EARLY PART OF LAST YEAR, AND AFTER AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF EFFORT IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
"IT IS STILL OUR INTENTION TO GO ON WITH IT BECAUSE IT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO RESETTLE GENUINE REFUGEES. SECONDLY, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE FOUND NOT TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES AND SEND THEM HOME.
"SU
THEY ARE BOTH A KEY PART OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. WE'LL GO ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MANDATORY REPATRIATION, AND THAT 15 PRECISELY THE POLICY WHICH WAS STRONGLY APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR DAVID SAID.
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REFORM,
ASKED ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS ON POLITICAL THE GOVERNOR SAID DISCUSSIONS WERE CONTINUING BETWEEN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT HE COULD NOT GIVE ANY FURTHER REPORT THAN THAT AT THE MOMENT.
SIR DAVID ALSO SAID THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE PLANS, AT THE MOMENT, FOR ANY SPECIAL DELEGATION FROM THE BRITISH SIDE ΤΟ GO TO PEKING.
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