XN000022-1983-03-09 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1983

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PUBLICITY TO DISCOURAGE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM COMING

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THE CENTRAL THEME OF GOVERNMENT PUBLICITY TO DISCOURAGE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM COMING HERE IS THAT THEY WILL BE MUCH BETTER OFF STAYING WHERE THEY ARE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON D.G. JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ROGER LOBO, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS PUBLICISING THE FACT THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO COME HERE WILL BE CONFINED IN CLOSED CENTRES AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED OUT TO WORK.

PUBLICITY IS ALSO BEING GIVEN TO THE FACT THAT THEY WILL FIND THEMSELVES AT THE END OF A VERY LONG QUEUE FOR RESETTLEMENT, AND THAT IN PRACTICE THE IR HOPES FOR RESETTLEMENT ANYWHERE, PARTICULARLY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOW VERY SLENDER INDEED, HE SAID.

WORK ON SQUATTER AREA SLOPES

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THE AREAS OR INDIVIDUAL SQUATTER HUTS IDENTIFIED AS BEING IN IMMEDIATE DANGER FOLLOWING THE HEAVY RAINS OF LAST SUMMER HAVE ALL BEEN CLEARED. THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON DONALD LIAO, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR LIAO WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HO KAM-FAI ON THE SUBJECT.

IN ADDITION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S MAJOR PROGRAMME OF LANDSLIP PREVENTIVE MEASURES WHICH HAS BEEN IN PROGRESS SINCE 1976, MINOR REMEDIAL WORKS TO SLOPES IN SQUATTER AREAS WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME OF IMPROVING BASIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN SQUATTER AREAS, MR LIAO EXPLAINED.

THESE MEASURES SHOULD REDUCE THE RISK OF SLOPE FAILURE, BUT THE RISK, PARTICULARLY IN SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS, CANNOT BE TOTALLY ELIMINATED, HE SAID.

THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE FOR THESE AREAS MUST THEREFORE, FOR THE TIME BEING, REMAIN THAT OF TEMPORARILY EVACUATING THE OCCUPANTS WHEN HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED, HE ADDED,

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