14 -
Monitors' report submitted to CS
The monitors appointed to observe the camp transfer operation in Whitehead Detention Centre in the past two days have submitted their report to the Chief Secretary today (Monday).
Four monitors - two Justices of the Peace, Dr Raymond Ho Chung-tai and Mr Paul Yu Shiu-tin, Mr Edward Chan Chai-shi from Oxfam and Ms Caroline Beetz from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) - observed the transfer operation on Saturday (May 20) while Dr Jaime Bendeck, also from MSF, observed the continuation of that operation yesterday (May 21).
The two-day operation involved the transfer of 1,500 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) from section 1 of Whitehead Detention Centre to High Island Detention Centre.
The monitors commented in the report that the disciplined forces "were very restrained during the whole operation despite violent reactions from the VMs".
A Government spokesman also confirmed today that subject to final inventory checking, a total of 3.250 CS cartridges and grenades were used during the operation in the Whitehead Detention Centre on Saturday.
"It should be borne in mind that the disciplined services faced violent resistance from the 10,000 VMs in all six sections of the camp in an operation which lasted 13 hours," the spokesman said.
End/Monday, May 22, 1995
Contract awarded for the new airport
*****
The Secretary for the Treasury, on the advice of the Central Tender Board, has approved the award of an Airport Core Programme contract for the supply and installation of Automatic Terminal Information Service and Automatic Volmet Broadcast Service Equipment for the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.
The contract, valued at $5.6 million, has been awarded by the Civil Aviation Department to Crimp A/S Company of Denmark.