XN000022-1988-06-21 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1988

FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER BOAT PEOPLE FUNDING

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE ASKED TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING EMERGENCY CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THE RECEPTION AND ACCOMMODATION OF THE INCREASED NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, AND FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGE IN POLICY UNDER WHICH ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARE BEING SCREENED ON ARRIVAL TO DETERMINE THEIR STATUS.

THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE POLICY CHANGE, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCREENING PROCEDURES, DETENTION CENTRES AND THE UPGRADING OF SECURITY AT GREEN ISLAND, ARE ESTIMATED TO BE SOME MILLION

$39 IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURE AND $103 MILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE PER ANNUM.

THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF ACCOMMODATION AND CARE FOR BOAT PEOPLE ALREADY HERE ARE ESTIMATED ΤΟ BE SOME $88 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, AND SOME $166 MILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE.

OF THESE, NEARLY $41 MILLION WOULD BE RECOVERED DIRECTLY FROM THE UNICR UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT ON REIMBURSABLE EXPENDITURE.

ΤΟ

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE PERSUADE THE UNHCR TO INCREASE ITS SUBSIDY AND TO REVISE ITS APPARENT APPROACH THAT HONG KONG, AS A RELATIVELY PROSPEROUS TERRITORY, SHOULD RECEIVE RELATIVELY LESS SUBSIDY FROM THEM.

THE EXPENDITURE TO BE SOUGHT TOMORROW INCLUDES PROVISION FOR THE CREATION OF 1,126 NON-DIRECTORATE POSTS TO MAINTAIN SERVICES TO AND ACCOMMODATION FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ALREADY HERE, AND TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE IN POLICY.

OF THESE, 664 POSTS ARE NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED BEFORE THF CHANGE POLICY, WHILE 162 POSTS ARE NEEDED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY OF SCREENING AND DETENTION.

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THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME SAVINGS ON CERTAIN ITEMS IN LATER YEARS IF THE NEW POLICY WAS SUCCESSFUL AS ' DETERRENT, AND THAT A REDUCED LEVEL OF PROVISION MIGHT BE INCLUDED THE ESTIMATES FOR 1989-90 AND BEYOND.

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AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS WILL ALSO CONSIDER APPROVING A RATE OF HONORARIUM OF $2,500 FOR MEMBERS OF THE KOWLOON WALLED CLEARANCE SPECIAL COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO ASSESS APPEALS COMPENSATION ARISING FROM RESUMPTION CASES. THE TOTAL FXPENDITURE ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE REGION OF $800,000 A YEAR.

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