XN000022-1979-06-20 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1979

BILL ON IMPROVING GOVT'S CAPACITY

TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PASSED

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THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1979 AIMED AT IMPROVING THE GOVERNMENT'S CAPACITY TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA AND VIETNAM WAS PASSED INTO LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL BEFORE IT WAS PASSED, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID HE WAS SATISFIED THAT THE ADDITIONAL POWERS INCLUDED IN THE BILL WERE ESSENTIAL TO COUNTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND WOULD HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL.

MR. DAVIES POINTED OUT THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA WAS CONTINUING AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

+UP TO THE MORNING OF JUNE 18, 43,770 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED THIS YEAR ENTERING HONG KONG COMPARED WITH 8,205 IN 1978, HE SAID.

MR. DAVIES ADDED THAT OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS BY THE SECURITY FORCES HAD BEEN MADE TO SECURE A HIGH RATE OF ARRESTS. THE DAILY AVERAGE OF ARRESTS IN JUNE IS 570.

EXPLAINING THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION, MR. DAVIES SAID THAT UNDER THE EXISTING LAW, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COULD ONLY PROPERLY BE DETAINED FOR SUCH MINIMUM TIME AS WAS NECESSARY TO EFFECT THE IR REMOVAL TO CHINA OR ELSEWHERE.

+THIS USUALLY MEANS THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SECURE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE THOSE WHO MAY HAVE ASSISTED IN THE IR ENTRY TO HONG KONG, MR. DAVIES SAID.

+AND I SHOULD ADD THERE IS INCREASING INFORMATION THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN AIDING AND ABETTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, + HE ADDED.

THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO BE DETAINED FOR SUFFICIENT TIME TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN THE PROSECUTION OF AIDERS AND ABETTERS IN APPROPRIATE CASES, MR. DAVIES SAID.

ANOTHER CLAUSE OF THE BILL WILL PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT AND THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE WITH THE POWERS OF ARREST WHICH THEY NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ASSISTING THE REGULAR SECURITY FORCES IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATONS AND DUTIES.

ON OTHER AMENDMENTS OF THE BILL. MR. DAVIES SAID THAT SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE +HUEY FONG IN DECEMBER 1978, TWO MORE OCEAN-GOING VESSELS, THE +SKYLUCK+ AND THE SEN ON+ HAD ENTERED HONG KONG CARRYING BETWEEN THEM NEARLY 4,100 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

/MR. DAVIES