XN000022-1993-05-05 — Page 31

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1993

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MR WOODHOUSE SAID A WORKING GROUP WAS SET UP LAST AUGUST IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CO-ORDINATE THE WORK OF TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE POLICE IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST TRIADS AND TRIAD-RELATED ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS.

GUIDELINES AND TRAINING COURSES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR DISCIPLINE MASTERS IN SCHOOLS.

THE WORKING GROUP ALSO HELPS IN STRENGTHENING THE POLICE DISTRICT SCHOOL TEAMS, HE SAID,

CONTROL MECHANISM ON FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS EFFECTIVE

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OVER 1,700 CASES OF OFFENCES INVOLVING FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS WERE INVESTIGATED LAST YEAR, RESULTING IN 759 HELPERS AND 48 EMPLOYERS BEING PROSECUTED.

OF THE CASES, FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS WHO HAD OVERSTAYED OR TAKEN UP UNAPPROVED EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING STREET HAWKING, WERE FINED BETWEEN $1,000 AND $2,000 WHILE EMPLOYERS WHO HAD UNLAWFULLY DEPLOYED THEIR HELPERS WERE FINED BETWEEN $1,000 AND $5,000.

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"THE SITUATION IS REVIEWED FROM TIME TO TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE EXISTING POLICY AND LEGISLATION ON THE CONTROL MECHANISM ARE SUFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAM YIU- CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHAN TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT ALL FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS COULD ONLY PERFORM DOMESTIC DUTIES FOR A SPECIFIED EMPLOYER AS STIPULATED IN THEIR STANDARD CONTRACT.

ANY HELPER FOUND TAKING UP UNAPPROVED EMPLOYMENT IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION FOR BREACHING A CONDITION OF STAY UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.

EMPLOYERS WHO UNLAWFULLY DEPLOY FOREIGN DOMESTIC NON-DOMESTIC WORK ARE ALSO LIABLE TO PROSECUTION FOR ABETTING THE HELPERS TO BREACH THEIR CONDITIONS OF STAY.

IN BOTH CASES THE MAXIMUM PENALTY IS A FINE OF IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS.

HELPERS IN AIDING AND

$5,000 AND

IMMIGRATION DOMESTIC BREACHED

EMPLOYERS WITH PROVEN ADVERSE RECORDS WITH THE DEPARTMENT WILL NORMALLY BE DEBARRED FROM EMPLOYING FOREIGN HELPERS IN FUTURE WHEREAS FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS WHO HAVE THEIR CONDITIONS OF STAY MAY BE DEBARRED FROM WORKING IN HONG KONG UNLESS THERE ARE GENUINE MITIGATING GROUNDS.

MR CHAN SAID TO ENFORCE THESE REQUIREMENTS, THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT PAID SURPRISE VISITS TO BARS, SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS AND RAIDED VICE ESTABLISHMENTS JOINTLY WITH THE POLICE.

/ON THE