XN000022-1988-04-28 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1988

THIS BROUGHT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPRENTICES REGISTERED IN HONG KONG UNDER TRAINING IN THE VARIOUS TRADES TO ABOUT 9,900.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING THE TRAINING CENTRES, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE MORE FUNDS, IF REQUIRED, TO OFFER MORE TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LEARN A TRADE.

"THERE IS A CONSTANT RESEARCH EFFORT TO EXAMINE WHAT TRAINING IS REQUIRED IN THE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY," SIR DAVID SAID.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID CONTINUOUS EFFORTS WERE MADE TO FIND OUT IF THE FACILITIES WERE ADEQUATE TO MEET DEMAND.

"IF A NEW NEED IS REVEALED, THEN WE WILL MAKE THE MAXIMUM EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEED IS MET, HE SAID.

LEGCO GROUP BRIEFED ON VR ISSUE

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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR GEOFFREY BARNES, TODAY (THURSDAY) BRIEFED MEMBERS OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO OBTAIN THE AGREEMENT OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES ΤΟ ACCEPT THE RETURN OF NON-REFUGEE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS.

AT A MEETING OF THE AD HOC GROUP, MEMBERS WERE ALSO BRIEFED ON THE LEGAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO HONG KONG'S POLICY ON FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

MR BARNES SAID AFTER THE MEETING THAT EFFORTS TO PRODUCE A SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ON REPATRIATION HAD SO FAR MET WITH DISCOURAGING RESULTS.

ON FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, MR BARNES EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS BASED PRIMARILY ON THE 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE.

AT THAT CONFERENCE IT WAS GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST ASYLUM WOULD BE OBSERVED FOR ALL BOAT PEOPLE AND THAT THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD ASSIST THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND RESETTLEMENT.

ALTHOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES