XN000022-1989-05-31 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1989

SIX HONG KONG FIRMS HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO UNDERWRITE THE

PROCESSION UP TO $3

SPONSORSHIP MILLION

FURTHER AND

COST IS

OF THE EXPECTED.

AND

OTHER EXPENSES FOR THE ROYAL VISIT INCLUDE COSTS FOR PRESS

DECORATIONS AND

AND OFFICIAL ARRANGEMENTS.

PUBLICITY RECEPTIONS.

DISPLAYS.

CREATION OF VBP REVIEW BOARD POSTS APPROVED

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED THE CREATION OF SUPERNUMERARY POSTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REFUGEE STATUS REVIEW BOARDS TO CONSIDER APPEALS FROM VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE (VBP) SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.

THE POSTS COMPRISE ONE CHAIRMAN OF THE REVIEW BOARDS, FOUR DEPUTY CHAIRMEN AND FOUR MEMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL BOARDS. THE ADDITIONAL NOTIONAL ANNUAL SALARY COST INVOLVED TOTALS $4,476,600.

THE COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF APPOINTING NON-CIVIL SERVICE MEMBERS TO THE BOARDS WAS BEING ACTIVELY CONSIDERED. IF IMPLEMENTED, THEY WOULD BE PAID AN HONORARIUM.

THE

IN THE MEANTIME, FOR THE IMMEDIATE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING REVIEW BOARDS, MEMBERS WOULD TEMPORARILY BE OFFICIALS. ONCE THE MECHANISM OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF NON-CIVIL SERVICE MEMBERS WAS CLARIFIED. THESE OFFICIALS WOULD BE ABLE TO BE REDEPLOYED.

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ALSO APPROVED $7.334.320 IN THE ESTABLISHMENT CEILINGS SECRETARIAT AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDE ADEQUATE STAFF TO SPEED UP SCREENING OF APPEALS.

INCREASES TOTALLING IN THE GOVERNMENT 1989-90 IN ORDER TO VBP AND PROCESSING OF

MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE AIM WAS TO COMPLETE SCREENING FOR THE CURRENT VBP POPULATION AND TO DEAL WITH THE RESULTING APPEALS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS, AS WELL AS TO COMPLETE THE PROCEDURES FOR NEW ARRIVALS WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF ARRIVAL.

TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE SCREENING AND APPEAL MECHANISMS MUST BE ABLE TO COPE WITH 400 PERSONS PER WEEK.

THE REVIEW BOARDS WILL TAKE OVER FROM THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THE PRESENT WORKLOAD OF CONSIDERING APPEALS FROM SCREENED-OUT VBF.

ITS

OR

DECISION

A BOARD MAY CONSIDER APPEAL CASES IN PRIVATE AND TO CONFIRM REVERSE THE FIRST-INSTANCE DECISION AS IT THINKS FIT. WILL BE FINAL.

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