XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

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THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE RESOLVED SIMPLY BY THE PASSIVE APPROACH OF ESTABLISHING CLOSED CAMPS. THE GOVERNMENT SHOUD ADOPT A MORE POSITIVE APPROACH.

HE SAID THAT SETTING UP CLOSED CAMPS WAS NOT ECONOMICAL. +SINCE THE REFUGEES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WORK, NATURALLY THEY ARE NON-PRODUCTIVE AND HAVE NO INCOME, THUS BECOMING A HEAVY BURDEN FOR THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD SPENT MORE THAN $100 MILLION ON CARING FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES LAST YEAR.

+1F THE REFUGEES ARE ALLOWED TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. THE GOVERNMENT MAY SAVE THE ABOVE EXPENSES WHILE THE REFUGEES COULD EARN THEIR LIVING, HE SAID.

IN VIEW OF THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND THE HIGH EMPLOYMENT RATE IN HONG KONG, HE BELIEVED SUCH A PROPOSAL WOULD NOT AFFECT THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION.

MR LIU ALSO NOTED THAT NUMEROUS REFUGEE CHILDREN WERE REACHING SCHOOL AGE.

+ IF THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND SCHOOL, THEY WILL BECOME ILLITERATES WHO WILL HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN SEEKING JOBS AND ADJUSTING TO THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT NO MATTER WHETHER THEY ARE TO EMIGRATE OVERSEAS OR STAY IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

THE LONGER REFUGEES LIVED IN CLOSED CAMPS, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO ADAPT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

+ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS, WE CANNOT LET THEM LIVE IN THE SE CLOSED CAMPS FOREVER, MR LIU SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED SHOULD CONDUCT STUDIES NOW WITH A VIEW TO FINDING SOME PROPER SOLUTIONS BECAUSE, EVENTUALLY, HONG KONG HAD TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM ON ITS OWN.

CHANGES TO PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE PROPOSED

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TWO BILLS WHICH SEEK TO REPEAL THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE CONTROL OF NEWPAPERS WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON DAVID FORD, SAID THE TABLING OF THE BILLS FOLLOWED THE COMPLETION OF A REVIEW OF THE FORMER ORDINANCE BY THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION.

MR FORD