XN000022-1988-10-28 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1988

WORKING GROUP ON REFUGEES HOLDS FIRST MEETING

THE WORKING GROUP FOR CLOSED CENTRES IN TUEN MUN, SET UP TO MONITOR AND ADVISE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RELAXATION PROGRAMME FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AT THE BOWRING, SAN YICK, AND PILLAR POINT CLOSED CENTRES, HELD ITS FIRST MEETING THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON.

THIS FOLLOWED THE FIRST MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE SHAM SHUI PO CLOSED CENTRE HELD LAST FRIDAY (OCTOBER 21).

FOR THE

AMONG THE TOPICS DISCUSSED TODAY WERE JOB PLACEMENT REFUGEES, PROVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES THE CENTRES AND THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION IN THE LOCALITY.

FOR

SUCH

ON JOB PLACEMENT ARRANGEMENTS, MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT SERVICES WOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND ITS DESIGNATED VOLUNTARY AGENCY.

THEY WERE GIVEN THE ASSURANCE THAT THE PROGRAMME OF ARRANGING EMPLOYMENT FOR THE REFUGEES WOULD BE PHASED TO AVOID A LARGE NUMBER OF REFUGEES JOINING THE LABOUR MARKET AT ANY ONE TIME.

IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT THE UNHCR OR THE VOLUNTARY AGENCY CONCERNED SHOULD ENSURE THAT REFUGEES SUITABLE FOR EMPLOYMENT WOULD BE GIVEN APPROPRIATE TRAINING IN INDUSTRIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON THE RELEVANT LABOUR LEGISLATION TO FACILITATE THEIR ADJUSTMENT TO THE NEW WORKING ENVIRONMENT.

SIMILAR TO THE ARRANGEMENT BEING MADE FOR THE SHAM SHUI РО CLOSED CENTRE, PROVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES FOR THE THREE CLOSED CENTRES IN TUEN MUN WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY AN AGENCY APPOINTED BY THE UNHCR.

GOVERNMENT AND AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES STAFF CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN THE CLOSED CENTRES WOULD BE RELIEVED OF SUCH RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THE AGENCY EVENTUALLY TAKES OVER.

AS FOR THE CENTRES' MANAGEMENT SERVICES, THE WORKING GROUP LEARNED THAT FOLLOWING THE FULL RELAXATION OF THE CENTRES WHEN CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFF AND POLICE WILL WITHDRAW, A MANAGEMENT AGENCY WOULD BE APPOINTED FOR EACH CENTRE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNHCR.

THE AGENCY WOULD TAKE OVER THE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY AND EFFECTIVELY DISCHARGE THE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS BEFORE FULL RELAXATION IS TO BE ACHIEVED.

THE MEETING WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD CLOSELY ,OMITOR THE SITUATION AND MAKE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS TO COPE WITH THE ADDITIONAL DEMAND IF THE NEED AROSE.

/TODAY'S WORKING