XN000022-1978-10-18 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1978

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FILIPINO WOMEN'S ALLEGATIONS REFUTED

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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TODAY EXPLAINED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEHIND THE REFUSAL OF ENTRY TO HONG KONG OF TWO FILIPINO WOMEN BY THE

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT RECENTLY.

MR. DAVIES SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. LYDIA DUNN, THE TWO WOMEN WERE ONLY IN POSSESSION OF A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY WHEN ENTERING HONG KONG, ENTIRELY INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THEMSELVES IN HONG KONG FOR THE INTENDED STAY.

CONCERNING THE ALLEGATIONS BY THE TWO WOMEN, MR. DAVIES SAID THEY WERE TOTALLY UNFOUNDED.

HE SAID THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF HAVE BEEN VERY POLITE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COURSE OF IMMIGRATION EXAMINATIONS. THEY WERE EACH GIVEN A PROPERLY FURNISHED BEDROOM TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT, IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL FACILITIES NORMALLY AVAILABLE TO PERSONS REFUSED ENTRY AT THE AIRPORT, INCLUDING DISTILLED WATER AND BATHING FACILITIES. THEY HAD BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING SUPPLIED FROM THE AIRPORT RESTAURANT- AND THEY MADE THREE TELEPHONE CALLS AND RECEIVED ONE RETURN CALL.

MR. DAVIES ADDED A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONSUL GENERAL FOR THE PHILIPPINES HAS EXAMINED THE FACILITIES AT KAI TAK AND THE CONSUL GENERAL HAS BEEN INVITED TO CONTACT THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION IF HE FEELS A DISCUSSION OF THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE USEFUL.+

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QUERY ON EXPERIENCE OF CHILD CARE WORKERS

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, TODAY TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT UNDER THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE, HE COULD WAIVE THE WORKING EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT FOR CHILD CARE WORKERS IN APPROPRIATE CASES.

MR. LEE SAID THIS WOULD ENABLE A CHILD CARE WORKER, WHO HAD NOT HAD SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE, TO CONTINUE HER SERVICE UNTIL SHE HAD ACCUMULATED THE REQUIRED EXPERIENCE TO QUALIFY FOR REGISTRATION.

HE WAS REPLYING TO DR. THE HON, HO KAM-FAI WHO ASKED WHETHER GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER DEFERRING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES REGULATIONS FROM 1979 TO 1981 SO AS TO ENABLE MORE WORKERS TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY WORKING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED UNDER THE REGULATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AS CHILD CARE WORKERS.

MR. LEE SAID: +AS THE NUMBER OF CHILD CARE WORKERS WITHOUT THE REQUIRED WORKING EXPERIENCE BY JUNE 1979 WILL BE VERY SMALL, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO DEFER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGULATIONS.-