5. 5 -
Speaker: Yes, I understand that both the UK and Hong Kong would like to get the problem resolved as soon as possible. But what about the question of responsibility, is Britain and you, Hong Kong, on the same side?
Governor: I think we're on exactly the same side but everybody recognises that the decisions that we've been making since, for example, the late 1980s, have been decisions made here in Hong Kong. There is nobody in the camps who was here before the Executive Council took its decisions on policy on Vietnamese migrants in 1988. I want to see the problem resolved as rapidly as possible. And I don't think, as I've said to the Legislative Council in the past, I don't think it's helpful to give the impression to the Vietnamese migrants that if only they hang about they'll be able to go somewhere other than Vietnam. That's not the situation.
I tell you one thing which I think people in Hong Kong really wonder about. Hong Kong is the biggest investor in Vietnam. It's investing in Vietnam's economic success. So why don't the people who are at present in our camps and costing money, why don't they go back and take part in that economic success story in Vietnam which we're helping to finance?
Speaker: But you say that the responsibilities and the duties of the British and Hong Kong are the same. But a lot of people think that the British people are being generous with Hong Kong people's money. And you're talking about humanity, but in taking care of the Vietnamese it is the Hong Kong people who are shouldering it. Do you agree?
Governor: I totally agree that the people of Hong Kong have shown very considerable humanity and very considerable patience in the way that they have handled the problem over the years. Let me give a more practical example - and I hope Legislators sometimes think about this. You consider the problem which the people in the Correctional Services Department, which our Police, have to face every time that they are trying to deal with those in the camps who are having to be moved from one camp to another, who are having to be mandatorily repatriated. Every time they do that it's a very difficult tough exercise for them and my heart goes out to them, my sympathy goes out to them, and they have my unequivocal support, and I don't want to do or say anything which makes their job more difficult.
Speaker: Recently, Foreign Secretary Rifkind has said something in Hong Kong about the Vietnamese people and that has caused a lot of havoc and anger. Some of the angrier citizens have suggested that if the Vietnamese migrants cannot be sent back before 1997, then they should charter some vessels to take them to the English Channel for the British Government to resolve the matter. How would you respond to that?