XN000022-1982-07-30 — Page 3

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1982

TO FACILITATE PLANNING AND THE URBAN COUNCIL'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR SCHEME, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE UNWANTED BUILDINGS SHOULD BE DEMOLISHED IN THREE PHASES.

PHASE ONE WILL BEGIN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR FOR BUILDINGS NOT BEING USED AT PRESENT AND THOSE BEING USED FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EXTENSION OF THE HEADQUARTERS BRITISH LAND FORCES.

PHASE TWO, WHICH WILL COMMENCE AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR OR BEGINNING OF 1984, INVOLVES BUILDINGS BEING USED AS TEMPORARY QUARTERS.

TWO BLOCKS OF BUILDINGS - KITCHENER BLOCK AND HQBLF EXTENSION - WILL BE INVOLVED IN PHASE THREE OF THE DEMOLITION PROGRAMME TO BE CARRIED OUT IN MID-1985. THE INFANT SCHOOL BUILDING WILL BE DEMOLISHED IF IT IS SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDED TO RE-ERECT MURRAY HOUSE ON THAT SITE WHILE THE HQBLF EXTENSION WILL BE DEMOLISHED AFTER THE COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE, NOW HOUSED IN THE BUILDING, IS ACCOMMODATED ELSEWHERE

IN 1984.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE CONVERSION AND DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDINGS IN QUESTION WERE ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $3.3 MILLION.

REFUGEE CHANGES MIND ABOUT REPATRIATION

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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECURITY BRANCH ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT WAS ADVISED BY THE UNHCR THAT THE 29-YEAR-OLD MALE REFUGEE AT CHI MA WAN WHO HAD EARLIER EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN BEING REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM, HAD HAD A CHANGE OF HEART AND RETRACTED HIS REQUEST.

HE SAID THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS WAS CLEARLY A CASE WHICH COULD NOT BE PURSUED FURTHER.

DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS REFUGEE'S REQUEST, THE UNHCR HAS KEPT IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE SECURITY BRANCH OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

BOTH THE UNHCR AND THE SECURITY BRANCH CONFIRMED THAT THE CASE OF ANY REFUGEE EXPRESSING AN INTEREST IN VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WOULD BE URGENTLY AND SYMPATHETICALLY CONSIDERED.

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