XN000022-1980-10-23 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 23, 1980

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, SIR JACK SAID, WILL OF COURSE EXERCISE DISCRETION BUT THE INTENTION WAS THAT ALL THE NORMAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES ENJOYED BY RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG WILL BE DENIED TO ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS.

SIR JACK SAID WE WERE EMBARKING ON A COURSE THE OUTCOME OF WHICH COULD NOT BE ENTIRELY CERTAIN — +BUT ALL OUR CONSIDERATIONS LEAD US TO THE BELIEF THAT THIS IS ONE STEP WHICH STANDS A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF RIDDING OURSELVES OF A PROBLEM WHICH HAS SO ADVERSELY AFFECTED OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, THE PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN NAGGING US FOR LONG.

FOR US TO SUCCEED AND SUCCEED WE MUST, HE SAID, THE MESSAGE MUST GET BACK TO, AND BE UNDERSTOOD BY, THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNES THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT WELCOME IN HONG KONG THAT WE SIMPLY CANNOT HAVE THEM: THAT FROM NOW ON LIFE FOR THEM IN HONG KONG WILL NOT JUST BE UNPLEASANT, IT WILL BE INTOLERABLE: AND THAT SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL BE DETECTED AND THEY WILL BE REPATRIATED.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOING INEVITABLY WAS GOING TO BE ROUGH AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED AND THE FAINT OF HEART BEGAN TO CRY OUT FOR A RETURN TO THE OLD DAYS, AND THE OLD WAYS, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO LOOK BACK UPON THESE PAST TWO YEARS, AND ESPECIALLY THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND RECALL THE WORRY AND CONCERN WE ALL FELT- TO RECALL THE DEMAND MADE BY THE VAST MAJORITY IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO SAFEGUARD OURSELVES AGAINST THE FLOODS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

SIR JACK ADDED: +AND THEN TO RESOLVE, TO DETERMINE AS A COMMUNITY AS WE DO TODAY

AS WE DO TODAY TO OVERCOME THIS NAGGING, PAINFUL PROBLEM IN THE INTERESTS OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG: IN OUR OWN INTERESTS AND IN THE INTERESTS OF OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.+

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NEW POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

****

FROM TODAY (OCTOBER 23) ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA ENTERING HONG KONG WILL BE LIABLE TO BE REPATRIATED.

NEW LEGISLATION TO GIVE EFFECT TO THIS POLICY WAS PASSED AT TODAY'S MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE NEW MEASURES ALSO:

*

*

*

MAKE IT COMPULSORY TO CARRY PROOF OF IDENTITY ANYWHERE IN HONG KONG,

BAN THE EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AND

PROVIDE STIFF PENALTIES AGAINST EMPLOYERS EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITHOUT PROOF OF IDENTITY.

/HOWEVER, IN

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