XN000022-1994-11-30 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1994

RECOMMENDATIONS ON KWUN LUNG LAU INCIDENT

TO BE IMPLEMENTED RAPIDLY

THE GOVERNMENT WILL STUDY THE REPORT PREPARED

BY PROFESSOR

NORBERT MORGENSTERN ON THE KWUN LUNG LAU TRAGEDY AND WILL DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO IMPLEMENT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING то

DISTRICT, MR PATTEN

REPORTERS AFTER HIS VISIT TO THE KWUN TONG SAID THAT ONE REASON WHY THE GOVERNMENT MUST DO THAT WAS IN ORDER TO TRY TO ENSURE TRAGEDIES LIKE THAT NOT HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

"WE OWE IT NOT ONLY TO THOSE WHO SUFFERED IN THE TRAGEDY A FEW MONTHS AGO. WE ALSO OWE IT TO ALL THOSE WHO MAY BE WORRIED ABOUT SLOPES IN THEIR VICINITY OR NEIGHBOURHOOD AND WHEN IT RAINS HEAVILY

THEM, IN HONG KONG, START TO FEEL ANXIOUS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR HE ADDED.

F'OR

MR PATTEN SAID THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL TO PROFESSOR MORGENSTERN FOR THE WORK HE HAD DONE, HIS THOROUGHNESS AND FOR HIS SPEED IN COMPLETING THE REPORT.

T

VERY

IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT A REQUEST BY SOME LEGCO MEMBERS FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO RECEIVE ALL VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS REMAINING IN HONG KONG BY 1997, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I THINK IT'S UNHELPFUL FOR ANYONE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION ΤΟ VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS THEY WILL THAT IF THEY STAY IN HONG KONG, AT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, BE GIVEN RIGHT OF ABODE IN EUROPE OR NORTH

OR AUSTRALIA

ANYWHERE ELSE.

"THAT'S

AMERICA

OR

WE

OF

ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY WHICH IS THE LAST THING SHOULD WANT

RIGHT TO DO. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF PEOPLE GETTING ABODE ELSEWHERE IF THEY SIMPLY HANG ON IN THE CAMPS. WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. THERE IS NO REASON AT

WHY ALL

THEY

SHOULDN'T DO SO.

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AND INVESTORS

MR PATTEN SAID EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT VIETNAM QUITE PROPERLY AS THE NEXT TIGER ECONOMY IN ASIA. AND HONG KONG

BANKERS BUSINESSMEN,

WHERE WERE INVESTING HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN VIETNAM THE ECONOMY WAS STARTING TO PICK UP SPEED.

|

"So, THERE'S NO REASON AT ALL WHY VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS

"I

SHOULDN'T RETURN HOME, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

申中

BETTER

GOT A

MUCH COUNTRIES

WE'VE 44,000 OF THEM HAVE GONE BACK SINCE 1989.

OTHER RECORD OF RETURNING MIGRANTS THAN ANY OF THE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME OF ACTION AND I THINK THAT ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE THE REMAINING MIGRANTS RETURN HOME AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE GIVEN FALSE PROMISES EXPECTATIONS OF THINGS THAT SIMPLY AREN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

OR

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