WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1990
110 VBP RETURN TO VIETNAM
A GROUP OF 110 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) RETURNED то VIETNAM UNDER THE UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.
COMPRISING 39 MEN, 30 WOMEN, 21 BOYS AND 20 GIRLS, THEY WERE THE 33RD BATCH TO GO BACK UNDER THE PROGRAMME.
SO FAR, A TOTAL OF 4,349 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED VOLUNTARILY.
GOVT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS
* * *
AND UNEQUIVOCAL
SECRETARY FOR
THE GOVERNMENT HAS A VERY DEFINITE, POSITIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS, THE RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
"THIS STATEMENT IS MADE WITHOUT ANY RESERVATION AND WITH DUE EMPHASIS AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE MUCH TALK AND ANXIETY CONCERNING FINANCIAL CUTBACKS AND REDUCTION IN FUNDING TO THE ARTS GROUPS, HE SAID.
MR CHUI WAS ADDRESSING A GATHERING OF MORE THAN 240 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE ARTS GROUPS AND INTERESTED ORGANISATIONS ATTENDING THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS AND THE ARTS.
"ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION IS DIFFICULT WITH THE GOVERNMENT LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE SAVINGS IN ALL AREAS, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY DOUBT THAT OUR SUPPORT TO THE ARTS WOULD CONTINUE.
SAID.
11
"AND THIS SUPPORT IS NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF FUNDING,' HE
MR CHUI SAID HOW THE FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE AND HOW THEY WERE SPENT WERE ALSO IMPORTANT.
UNDER
THE
ABLE
"THE COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, LEADERSHIP OF DR WANG GUNGWU, HAS, IN RECENT MEETINGS, BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH A POSITIVE WAY FORWARD, HE ADDED.
*T
ALSO SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, DR WANG SAID MANY BUSINESSES IN HONG KONG SPONSORED THE ARTS FROM TIME TO TIME.
/"BUT IF