BOAT
PEOPLE
ALSO ON BOARD THE PLANE WAS A FURTHER GROUP OF 83 RETURNING то VIETNAM UNDER THE UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.
COMPRISES 12
THE GROUP OF 23 RETURNEES UNDER THE NEW CATEGORY MEN, FIVE WOMEN, TWO BOYS, AND FOUR GIRLS, MAKING UP THREE FAMILIES AND 15 SINGLE PERSONS.
VOLUNTARY THE GROUP OF 83
WOMEN, 23 BOYS AND 14 GIRLS.
RETURNEES COMPRISES 25
MEN,
21
THESE 83 BOAT PEOPLE ARE THE 42ND BATCH OF VOLUNTARY NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE RETURNEES, AND THEY BROUGHT TO 5,829 THE TOTAL WHO HAVE RETURNED UNDER UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN MARCH 1989.
REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR'S STATEMENT
* * *
IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, THE REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR, CLINTON LEEKS, MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT TODAY (SATURDAY):
MR.
"THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE DEPARTURE TODAY OF THE FIRST GROUP OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM UNDER THE TERMS OF THE JOINT STATEMENT SIGNED IN HANOI ON SEPTEMBER 21.
"THE GOVERNMENT HOPES THAT DESPITE THE SMALL NUMBERS ON THE FIRST FLIGHT, THE UNHCR WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD UP MOMENTUM WITH THE NEW PROGRAMME VERY QUICKLY, THUS HELPING TO ACHIEVE THE EARLY RETURN OF ALL NON-REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG TO THEIR OWN HOME IN VIETNAM."
PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF RETAIL SALES SURVEY FOR SEPTEMBER RELEASED
THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN SEPTEMBER 1990, ESTIMATED AT $9,401 MILLION, INCREASED BY SEVEN PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 1989 WHILE THEIR VOLUME REMAINED ALMOST UNCHANGED, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY { SATURDAY} THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
BY
CHANGES IN VOLUMES OF RETAIL SALES REFER TO CHANGES IN VALUES OF RETAIL SALES AFTER DISCOUNTING FOR THE ESTIMATED CHANGES IN PRICES.
/THE INDICATORS