XN000022-1990-10-17 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1990

1

SECOND READING OF BILL TO DETER ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

* * * * * *

THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1990 SEEKS TO REINFORCE THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF DETERRENCE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BY DENYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN WORK IN HONG

KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ASPREY SAID THE BILL PROVIDED FOR MORE EFFECTIVE

AND FOR INCREASED PROSECUTION OF EMPLOYERS

PENALTIES, WITH THE OF REDUCING OBJECT

THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THUS STEMMING THE FLOW AT SOURCE.

"THE GREAT MAJORITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COME TO HONG KONG SEEK EMPLOYMENT.

TO

TO

BY

THE "WE NEED THEREFORE TO TACKLE

PROBLEM AT ITS SOURCE MAKING IT CLEAR TO EMPLOYERS THAT IT DOES NOT PAY TO EMPLOY ILLEGAL

AND TO PROSPECTIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT THERE IMMIGRANTS,

IS NO FOR POINT COMING TO HONG KONG BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO WORK AVAILABLE THEM HERE.

"THIS PROVIDES THE UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL," MR ASPREY SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE EXISTING PROVISIONS OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE ALREADY PROVIDED FOR THE PROSECUTION OF EMPLOYERS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

THEY HAD PROVED EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING THE

IMMIGRANTS IN

OTHER RESTAURANTS, FACTORIES AND WHERE THERE WAS ONLY ONE EMPLOYER WHO COULD

EMPLOYMENT

OF

BE

PLACES OF EASILY

ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT IDENTIFIED.

THE EXISTING PROVISIONS, HOWEVER, SUFFERED FROM TWO DEFECTS, MR ASPREY ADDED.

HAS

PENALTIES

IN FOR

"FIRST, THE PENALTIES ARE INADEQUATE, AND THERE PARTICULAR BEEN CRITICISM OF THE DISPARITY IN MAXIMUM ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND FOR THOSE WHO EMPLOY THEM.

YEARS THREE

WITHOUT

FOR

F

AN

"THE PRESENT LEGISLATION SETS A MAXIMUM OF IMPRISONMENT FOR ENTERING AND REMAINING IN HONG KONG

COMPARED TO A MAXIMUM OF ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT PERMISSION, EMPLOYER OF AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, HE SAID.

1+

BILL

SOUGHT FOR

ΤΟ

AN

MAXIMUM

MR ASPREY POINTED OUT THAT CLAUSE 2 OF THE REMEDY THIS

IMPRISONMENT BY INCREASING THE MAXIMUM TERM OF EMPLOYER TO THREE YEARS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING THE FINE FROM $50,000 TO $250,000.

/"THIS, WE