XN000022-1979-01-10 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979

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SIR JACK SAID IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE FORFEITURE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL SHOULD EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE OTHER PENAL PROVISION IN THE BILL WAS TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES TO A SIMILAR LEVEL FOR THE OFFENCE OF ENDANGERING THE SAFETY OF PERSONS CARRIED ON A VESSEL.

ON THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, SIR JACK SAID CLAUSE 2

OF THE BILL WOULD REMOVE THE TWO MONTHS LIMIT SO THAT PERSONS PREVIOUSLY RESIDENT IN VIETNAM COULD BE REMOVED AFTER A LONGER PERIOD AND DETAINED UNDER ANOTHER SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE.

HE SAID EACH CASE WOULD BE CONSIDERED ON ITS OWN MERITS AND IT WAS PROPOSED THAT THIS MEASURE SHOULD CEASE TO HAVE EFFECT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR UNLESS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EXTENDS ITS LIFE.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILLS ON BEHALF OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THE HON. ROGER LOBO SAID THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE STRICT MEASURES IN THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL AND THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH WERE NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IN MEETING THE THREAT POSED BY THOSE WHO SEEK TO USE HONG KONG AS A STAGING POST FOR +THIS TRAFFIC IN HUMAN MISERY+.

MR. LOBO ALSO ENDORSED THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY.

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN WHO ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL SAID A PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF THE AMENDED BILL WAS TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP ITS EFFORTS TO PUT A STOP TO TRAFFICKING IN REFUGEES ON A LARGE SCALE.

HE SAID: +A RACKET NOW APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED TO USE OCEAN-GOING VESSELS TO PICK UP LARGE NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AT A DESIGNATED POINT AND TRANSPORT THEM TO PORTS SUCH AS HONG KONG.

+THE PROFITS ARE IMMENSE, AS IT IS REPORTED THAT EACH REFUGEE, WHETHER MAN, WOMAN OR CHILD, HAS TO PAY THE EQUIVALENT OF US$2,000 TO GET OUT OF VIETNAM.

ON THE 2,700 REFUGEES ON THE HUEY FONG, HE SAID IT WAS REGRETTED THAT THEY HAD SO FAR NOT BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO PROCEED TO KAOHSIUNG. THEIR CHIEF HOPE PERHAPS LIES IN THE VESSEL BEING ALLOWED TO PROCEED TO SOME NEARBY U.S. POSSESSION SUCH AS GUAM, WHICH WOULD BECOME A TEMPORARY STAGING GROUND PENDING FINAL RESETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES.+

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