TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1990
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FURTHER DETERRENT AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
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PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO DETER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM COMING TO HONG KONG TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT MONTH.
THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1990, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY), MAKES IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON TO HAVE AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE UNDER THAT PERSON'S CONTROL. THE MAXIMUM PENALTY ON CONVICTION WOULD BE A FINE OF $250,000.
TO
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE NEW OFFENCE WAS NECESSARY OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED RECENTLY IN EFFECTING PROSECUTIONS AGAINST EMPLOYERS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES, AS EXISTING LEGISLATION HAD PROVEN INADEQUATE.
THE
"AS EVIDENCED IN SERIES OF WELL PUBLICISED CASES, SUB-CONTRACTING SYSTEM IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TOGETHER WITH THE EFFORTS MADE BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HIRE THEM TO CIRCUMVENT THE LAW HAVE CREATED A LOOPHOLE, WHICH HAS BEEN LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM 40 TO ABOUT 80 A DAY AT PRESENT, HE SAID.
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"THE MAIN REASONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ARE ECONOMIC, ARISING FROM THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG, AND IT NECESSARY TO COUNTER THIS INDUCEMENT WITH HEAVY PENALTIES.
IS
"THE GOVERNMENT WISHES TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EMPLOYERS THAT IT WILL NO LONGER BE COST EFFECTIVE TO EMPLOY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THE MESSAGE WILL BE THAT IF THERE IS NO WORK AVAILABLE, THERE IS NO POINT IN COMING TO HONG
KONG," THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR A DEFENCE IF A PERSON CONTROLLING A CONSTRUCTION SITE CAN SHOW THAT HE HAS TAKEN ALL PRACTICABLE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT PRESENT ON THAT SITE.
IN LINE WITH THE NEW MEASURES COVERING CONSTRUCTION SITES, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ALL EMPLOYERS FOUND GUILTY OF EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BE INCREASED TO THREE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $250,000, COMPARED WITH ONE IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $50,000 AS AT PRESENT. PROVISION WILL BE MADE FOR A DEFENCE OF DUE DILIGENCE FOR THIS OFFENCE.
YEAR'S
ALSO
AS A FURTHER DETERRENT TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES, BILL PROVIDES FOR THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR WORKING ILLEGALLY IN HONG TO BE INCREASED FROM $5,000 TO $10,000.
THE
KONG
FROM
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT AS HONG KONG WAS SUFFERING ITS HIGHEST INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THE PAST DECADE, THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM.
"IT FURTHER UNDERLINES THE GOVERNMENT'S REPEATED MESSAGE THAT THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO COME TO HONG KONG, TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON, HE ADDED.
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