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214 VMs depart on orderly repatriation flights
Two groups totalling 214 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) returned by air to Hanoi, Vietnam, today (Thursday) on the 51st and 52nd flights under the Orderly Repatriation Programme (ORP).
All of the returnees, comprising 96 men, 48 women, 41 boys and 29 girls, are from North Vietnam.
The majority of them arrived in Hong Kong in 1988 and 1989, with the remaining in 1991.
The two groups brought the total number repatriated on ORP flights to 4,804 since November 1991.
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Monitors' report submitted to CS
The monitors appointed to observe the Orderly Repatriation Programme operation this (Thursday) morning have submitted their report to the Chief Secretary.
The two monitors comprised a non-official Justice of the Peace, Mr Lo King- man; and a representative from a non-government organisation, Mr Thierry Taveaux from Medecins Sans Frontieres.
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Grading of beach water quality
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (Thursday) announced the latest gradings of Hong Kong's beaches, based on the bacteriological water quality, for the 1996 swimming season.
The purpose of the grading system is to inform swimmers and the general public about the state of bacteriological pollution at various beaches.
The grading will be announced biweekly during the bathing season to coincide with the frequency at which beach waters are usually sampled.