XN000022-1987-12-02 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1987

MR JEAFFRESON SAID NO PARTICULAR REASON HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE INCREASED LEVEL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA THIS YEAR.

IT COULD WELL BE A COMBINATION OF THE USUAL FACTORS INCLUDING ABSOLUTELY UNFOUNDED RUMOURS CIRCULATING IN CHINA THAT AMNESTIES WOULD BE GRANTED AND THAT JOBS WERE EASILY AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG, EVEN TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO RETAIN THESE PROVISIONS IN THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.

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"BUT IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT NEITHER THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE NOR THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS WILL BE WITH US PERMANENTLY,' HE ADDED.

LATER, IN RESPONDING TO THE SPEECHES BY THE HON RITA FAN AND THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR JEAFFRESON SAID HE HAD FULLY TAKEN THE POINTS MADE BY THEM, AND HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT EFFORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PURSUE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF REFUGEES WOULD NOT IN ANY WAY DIMINISH.

"OUR SOLUTIONS ARE, OF COURSE, RESETTLEMENT IN THE SHORT TERM, AND SCREENING AND REPATRIATION OF NEW ARRIVALS IN THE LONG TERM PROVIDED WE CAN BE SATISFIED THEY WILL NOT BE TREATED INHUMANELY ON RETURN, HE SAID.

BEEN

CONCERNING MR HUI'S POINTS ABOUT EDUCATION AND WORK IN THE CLOSED CENTRES, HE SAID: "FOR MANY YEARS NOW WE HAVE IN FACT CONSIDERING WITH THE UNHCR AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES CONCERNED WAYS OF IMPROVING THE EDUCATION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES' CHILDREN IN THE CLOSED CENTRES. IMPROVEMENTS HAVE, IN OUR VIEW AT ANY RATE, BEEN INTRODUCED STEADILY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AS FAR AS EDUCATION IN THE CAMPS IS CONCERNED.

"WHAT WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT IS A FORMAL PROPOSAL FROM THE UNHCR THAT THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CHILDREN IN CLOSED CENTRES SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN HONG KONG SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE CENTRES.

"ON THE FACE OF IT, THIS IS A VERY GOOD IDEA AND, IN PARTICULAR, IT MEETS THE MAJOR VALID CRITICISM OF THE CLOSED CENTRES WHICH IS THAT CHILDREN ARE BEING BROUGHT UP IN THESE CENTRES COMPLETELY DIVORCED FROM NORMAL LIFE.

"IF THESE CHILDREN CAN GO TO HONG KONG SCHOOLS THEN THEY WILL EXPERIENCE LIFE IN A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED SOCIETY.

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MR JEAFFRESON SAID THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE TO THEIR ADVANTAGE, NOT ONLY AS INDIVIDUALS BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THEIR PROSPECTS OF RESETTLEMENT.

/BUT HE