XN000022-1992-07-06 — Page 10

-

9

MONDAY, JULY 6, 1992

VIETNAMESE POPULATION IN HK DROPPED

*

THE NON-REFUGEE POPULATION OF VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS IN HONG KONG HAS DROPPED BELOW 50,000 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1988, THE NEW REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR, MR BRIAN BRESNIHAN, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

"THIS IS A CLEAR VINDICATION OF THE ORDERLY RETURN AS A MEANS TO DISCOURAGE DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM THOSE HERE TO RETURN HOME VOLUNTARILY," HE SAID.

PROGRAMME

AND TO ENCOURAGE

HE POINTED OUT THAT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S TOTAL OF MORE THAN 20,000 VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS, ONLY SEVEN HAD COME THIS YEAR, WHILE 5,396 HAD VOLUNTEERED TO RETURN HOME SO FAR THIS YEAR COMPARED TO ONLY 7,660 FOR THE WHOLE OF 1991.

"WHILE THERE IS STILL SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE THE CAMPS CAN BE CLEARED, WE SEE THIS AS A VERY ENCOURGING TREND WHICH WE HOPE то MAINTAIN AND ACCELERATE, SAID MR BRESNIHAN.

"VIETNAM HAS BEEN MAKING GREAT EFFORTS RETURNEES AND THIS MONTH ALONE HAS APPROVED SIX UNHCR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME, HE ADDED.

"

ΤΟ ABSORB MORE FLIGHTS UNDER THE

BUT THE REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LETUP IN THE ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME.

"THE NEXT FLIGHT SHOULD BE IN EARLY AUGUST AND MORE WILL FOLLOW ON A REGULAR BASIS.

"IN THE MEANTIME, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNHCR WILL CONTINUE TO STEP UP COUNSELLING EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE ALL NON-REFUGEES TO GO HOME VOLUNTARILY, HE SAID.

"

APPEAL FOR SUPPORT TO HERITAGE TRUST

IN ONE OF HIS FINAL ACTS AS GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON DEEMED THE YU KIU ANCESTRAL HALL IN PING SHAN AS AN HISTORICAL MONUMENT.

THIS BROUGHT TO 21 THE BUILDINGS AND PLACES DECLARED AND DEEMED AS MONUMENTS DURING HIS TENURE AS GOVERNOR, MAKING THE TOTAL TO DATE TO 54.

LORD WILSON ALSO APPROVED THE FOUNDATION OF A HERITAGE TRUST HIS NAME, WHICH WILL UNDERTAKE EDUCATIONAL AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS WHICH HELP TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S HERITAGE.

IN

THE TRUST WILL BE CHAIRED BY BARONESS DUNN,

/THE YU

Page 10Page 11