WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1978
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SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM IMMIGRANTS
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THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT OUR SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES ARE INEVITABLY UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM THE IMMIGRANTS WHO CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO HONG KONG.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, MR. HADDON-CAVE REVEALED THAT A TOTAL OF 23,500 LEGAL AND 6,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (EXCLUDING THOSE ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED) FROM ALL SOURCES ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG SO FAR THIS YEAR.
+THESE FIGURES COULD IMPLY A TOTAL GROSS INTAKE FOR THE YEAR BETWEEN 75-80,000,+ MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID.
MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THE PRESENCE OF THESE IMMIGRANTS INITIALLY EITHER CONTRIBUTES TO THE NUMBERS WHO CONTINUE TO SQUAT ON CROWN LAND OR EXACERBATES OVERCROWDING IN TENEMENTS AND HOUSING ESTATES.
+ IMMIGRANTS ADD, THEREFORE TO THE POTENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC HOUSING. DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE AND NEEDS, THEY ADD TO THE DEMAND, AND IMMEDIATELY, FOR OUR EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SERVICES, + MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID.
+THEN, WITHIN PRESCRIBED PERIODS OF TIME, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE FROM PÚBLIC FUNDS: FOR EXAMPLE, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE AFTER ONE YEAR'S RESIDENCE AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES AFTER FIVE YEARS,+ HE ADDED.
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