XN000022-1989-05-26 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1989

GRADUATING FIRE SERVICES STAFF GIVEN ADVICE

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NEW MEMBERS OF THE FIRE SERVICES WERE TODAY | FRIDAY) REMINDED THAT THEY SHOULD DO THEIR UTMOST TO SAFEGUARD THE GOOD REPUTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT.

ADDRESSING A PASSING OUT PARADE OF 30 AMBULANCEMEN AND 18 FIREMEN, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF AMBULANCE OFFICER, MR CHENG KWONG-TAK, SAID: "YOU HAVE ENTERED A SERVICE WITH A FIRST CLASS REPUTATION, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND ABROAD.

"SO REMEMBER THAT YOU EACH REPRESENT THIS SERVICE WHEREVER YOU GO AND WHATEVER YOU DO AND THE SERVICE SHALL BE JUDGED BY YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS."

MR CHENG ALSO URGED THE GRADUATING RECRUITS TO SHOW IN THEIR DAILY WORK AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NEEDED THEIR AT TIMES WHEN THEY WERE IN DISTRESS.

COMPASSION

HELP MOST

AFTER REVIEWING THE PARADE, MR CHENG PRESENTED THE BEST RECRUIT AWARDS TO FIREMAN MO CHI-WING AND AMBULANCEMAN LAI CHI-WAI.

LEGISLATION SOUGHT TO SPEED UP APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR VBP

AN AMENDMENT BILL SEEKING то GIVE LEGISLATIVE EFFECT то PROPOSALS TO SPEED UP APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE (VBP) WAS PUBLISHED TODAY (FRIDAY) IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1989 WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT WEDNESDAY.

IT PROVIDES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REVIEW BOARDS TO CONSIDER APPEALS FROM THOSE VBP WHO ARE REFUSED REFUGEE STATUS. AT PRESENT, THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL DEALS WITH SUCH APPEALS.

UNDER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED IS GIVEN 28 DAYS TO OBJECT TO A NOTICE OF REFUSAL TO GRANT REFUGEE STATUS.

IN IT

THE REFUGEE STATUS REVIEW BOARDS WILL CONSIDER APPEAL CASES PRIVATE AND WILL CONFIRM OR REVERSE THE FIRST-INSTANCE DECISION AS THINKS FIT WITHOUT A REQUIREMENT TO ASSIGN REASONS FOR ITS DECISION, WHICH WILL BE FINAL.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AT THE BEARING BY A BOARD RUT THE APPLICANT WILL BE ASSISTED IN PREPARING HIS CASE BY HIS LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE.

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