XN000022-1990-01-19 — Page 6

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1990

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FUNDS APPROVED FOR VBP INITIAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME * * * * * *

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY

(FRIDAY) APPROVED A NON-RECURRENT COMMITMENT OF $6.07 MILLION AS THE GOVERNMENT'S 50 PER CENT CONTRIBUTION TO AN INITIAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME FOR UP TO 1,000 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROGRAMME WAS ESTIMATED AT $12,140,000 BUT IT HAD BEEN AGREED WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PAY ONLY HALF.

COST THAN 'THE

IT WAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ESTIMATED PER CAPITA

LESS EVEN OF REPATRIATION BY AIR REPRESENTED SIGNIFICANTLY NOTIONAL ANNUAL COST OF $15,700 PER ANNUM FOR THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF A BOAT PËRSON IN A DETENTION CENTRE.

THE COMMITTEE LEARNED THAT IT HAD BEEN AGREED WITH VIETNAM

REPATRIATION THAT, IN ADDITION TO VOLUNTARY

AND IN LINE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, THOSE BOAT PEOPLE SCREENED OUT SHOULD BE MANDATORILY RETURNED TO VIETNAM.

FOLLOWING THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF THE FIRST GROUP IN

CONSIDERED

IN NECESSARY

ORDER DECEMBER, ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS ARE

ΤΟ ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS.

GIVEN THE SECURITY AND OTHER OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE NUMBER OF RETURNEES PER FLIGHT WILL BE LIMITED TO ABOUT 80.

IT IS INTENDED THAT UP TO 1,000 NON-REFUGEES BE RETURNED BY AIR UNDER THE INITIAL REPATRIATION PROGRAMME.

THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF $12,140,000 FOR THE PROGRAMME COMPRESES $7 MILLION FOR CHARTERING AIRCRAFT, $4.9 MILLION AS REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE AND $240,000 AS CASH ALLOWANCE FOR RETURNEES.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT REPATRIATION BY AIR HAD THE

ESTABLISHING OF

QUICKLY AND FIRMLY THE PRACTICE OF

ADVANTAGE MANDATORY REPATRIATION.

NEED FOR AN NUMBERS OF

HOWEVER, FOR THE LONGER TERM, THERE IS A ALTERNATIVE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WHICH ALLOWS FOR LARGE NON-REFUGEES TO BE REPATRIATED REGULARLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

THE GOVERNMENT 15 CURRENTLY EXAMINING A MORE OPTION, THAT IS REPATRIATION BY SEA.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO LEARNED THAT

REPATRIATED TO SUCCESSFULLY RE-ESTABLISH HAD BEEN AGREED TO PROVIDE REINTEGRATION

COST-EFFECTIVE

TO ENABLE THOSE

IN THEMSELVES

VIETNAM, IT ASSISTANCE TO HELP DEFRAY

THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION AND RESETTLEMENT WITHIN VIETNAM.

/THIS WOULD