XN000022-1988-09-15 — Page 6

5.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1988

MORE BOAT PEOPLE SEEK REPATRIATION

MORE THAN 80 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAVE REQUESTED REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THIS MONTH.

VOLUNTARY

"THIS BRINGS TO 178 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO HONG KONG AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCREENING POLICY ON JUNE 16 This YEAR AND HAVE REQUESTED TO BE SENT BACK, GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

"LAST MONTH, 69 SUCH REQUESTS WERE RECEIVED.

"EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO

P'.

ΤΟ THE HONG UNTARY

UNHCR THE NAMES OF 16 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO HAVE ARRIVE KONG BEFORE JUNE 16 THIS YEAR AND HAD REQUESTED REPATRIATION.

"MOST OF THE REQUESTS HAVE COME FROM VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE STAYING IN THE ERSKINE TEMPORARY HOLDING CENTRE AND THER DETAILS HAVE BEEN PASSED TO THE UNHCR FOR PROCESSING.

SINCE 1978, A TOTAL OF 26 VIETNAMESE REFUGERS HAVE VOLUNTARILY RETURNED TO VIETNAM.

REGIONAL COUNCILLORS BRIEFED ON WORK OF EPD

* * * * *

THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, MR MA NING-HET. ACCOMPANIED BY FELLOW COUNCILLORS, VISITED THE ENVIPONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDA1).

THE PURPOSE OF THE COUNCILLORS' VISIT WAS TO BE BRIEFED ON DEPARTMENT'S WORK THAT RELATED то VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNCIL, SUCH AS BATHING BEACH MANAGEMENT AND RUBBISH COLLECTION.

THE

THE

DR

AFTER A GENERAL BRIEFING BY THE DEPARTMENT'S DIRECTOR, STUART REED, THE COUNCILLORS WERE INFORMED ABOUT THE STEPS THE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING TO HALT THE DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF THE WATER AT BATHING BEACHES.

COULD BR POLLUTION AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

IN PARTICULAR, HE REFERRED TO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT EXPECTED AT SOME REGIONAL COUNGUL BEACHES AS A RESULT OF CONTROL IN THE RECENTLY DECLARED SOUTHERN WATER CONTROL ZONE LONGER-TERM GAINS TO DE EXPECTED FROM THE SEWAGE STRATEGY FOR THE WHOLE TERRITORY.

THERE WERE