XN000022-1989-05-24 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1989

21

SPEEDING UP SCREENING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR VBP

UP

THE

OF

ΤΟ PROCEDURES

SPEED THE GOVERNMENT IS TO REVISE ITS

(VBP) AND THE PROCESSING BOAT PEOPLE SCREENING OF VIETNAMESE APPEALS FROM THOSE WHO ARE SCREENED OUT AS NON REFUGEES.

FOLLOWING THE APPEAL

THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL COMPLETION OF A GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF THE PRESENT SCREENING AND ARRANGEMENTS.

PROCEDURES то MINIMISE APART FROM STREAMLINING THE SCREENING

SET UP THE TIME REQUIRED FOR STATUS DETERMINATION, IT IS PROPOSED TO REFUGEE STATUS REVIEW BOARDS TO DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH APPEAL CASES.

TO THIS END, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO AMENDMENT BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROPOSED REVIEW BOARDS.

INTRODUCE SHORTLY AN TO PROVIDE FOR THE

SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY}

WERE TOO SLOW TO

REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR, MR MIKE HANSON, THAT THE EXISTING SCREENING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES COPE WITH THE GROWING POPULATION OF VBP WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD TIME.

UNTIL WE CAN COMPLETE

SCREENING

AND

"UNLESS AND QUICKLY, REPATRIATION, WHETHER VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY, OF THOSE

HE SAID. NOT TO BE REFUGEES WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE,"

"WITH

THE

REVISED PROCEDURES,

WE OF

OF

APPEALS

FOUND

ΤΟ ARE AIMING

COMPLETE VBP AND DEAL WITH

SCREENING FOR THE CURRENT POPULATION RESULTING APPEALS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS, AND TO COMPLETE PROCEDURES FOR NEWLY ARRIVED VBP WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF ARRIVAL.

"TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, WE ESTIMATE THAT THE SCREENING APPEAL MECHANISMS MUST BE ABLE TO COPE WITH 400 PERSONS PER WEEK." HAD ARRIVED MR HANSON SAID THAT OF THE 20,000-ODD VBP WHO HONG KONG SINCE THE SCREENING POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST JUNE, HAD BEEN SCREENED.

PER CENT

"OF THOSE SCREENED, 163 OR 10.4 REFUGEE STATUS; THE REST HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT AS SAID.

THE

THE

AND

IN

1,573

HAVE BEEN GRANTED

NON-REFUGEES,

T

HE

STATUS HAVE

NOTIFIED

THE

T

"SO FAR, ALL THOSE REFUSED REFUGEE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR INTENTION TO APPEAL AGAINST THE DECISION.

STREAMLINED SCREENING

DEALING WITH

ASSISTANTS PERSONAL

VBP WILL PROCEDURES,

ON THE PART OF DETAILS INCLUDING FAMILY

BE

THE

INTERVIEWED BY IMMIGRATION

UNDER

QUESTIONNAIRE

COMPOSITION, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND.

/ON THE