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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1991
"WE AIM TO SECURE THEIR REPATRIATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THIS PROCESS TOO WILL TAKE TIME, HE ADDED.
"
NOTING THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA REMAINED A PROBLEM, HE SAID THE TOUGH LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR PROVED EFFECTIVE AT FIRST.
UP TO THE END OF JULY THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS FELL BY 22 PER CENT AGAINST THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
"BUT, SINCE AUGUST, THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN BEGAN TO INCREASE, MATCHING AND IN SOME MONTHS OVERTAKING THE 1990 LEVELS.
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"THE MAIN CAUSE HAS BEEN THE ILLUSION OF JOBS ON THE NEW AIRPORT SITE AND OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS, ENCOURAGED AS ALWAYS BY DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION AND THE SPREADING OF FALSE RUMOURS THE "SNAKEHEADS" WHO TRAFFICK IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS,
་་
HE SAID.
BY
IT IS NECESSARY TO RETAIN STRONG SANCTIONS AGAINST THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN THIS ILLICIT TRADE, MR STRACHAN SAID.
BE
THEREFORE, THESE POSITIONS IN THE ORDINANCE NEED TO RETAINED FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE YEAR AND THE SITUATION WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN IN LATE 1992, HE SAID.
INFORMATION PROVIDED TO FACILITATE SCRUTINY OF LEGISLATION
* * *
THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE то PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AND EXPLANATION ΤΟ THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS CAN PROPERLY BE PROVIDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE COUNCIL'S SCRUTINY OF LEGISLATION BEFORE IT, THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL C.C. SZE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON EMILY LAU WAI-HING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR SZE SAID HE TRUSTED MEMBERS WOULD RECOGNISE THAT IN DOING THIS THE PROVISION ON CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROCEEDINGS THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP LAID DOWN IN ANNEX II ΤΟ THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WOULD HAVE TO BE OBSERVED.
OF
HE EXPLAINED THAT ARTICLE VII(1) OF THE LETTERS PATENT PROVIDED FOR THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE LAWS IN HONG KONG WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
"WHENEVER DRAFT LEGISLATION. IS PUT BEFORE DECIDES WHETHER TO APPROVE OR OTHERWISE.
IT, THE COUNCIL
"THIS COUNCIL'S
SCRUTINY OF LEGISLATION HAS ALWAYS THOROUGH AND CONSCIENTIOUS AND, I HAVE NO DOUBT, WILL REMAIN So," HE ADDED.
BEEN
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