XN000022-1995-04-03 — Page 9

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VMs transfer to facilitate camp closure

Vietnamese migrants (VMs) living in Section 8 of Whitehead Detention Centre will soon be transferred to High Island Detention Centre (North) to enable the closure of this section of Whitehead, a Government spokesman announced today (Monday).

The spokesman explained that the Government constantly reviewed its camp closure programme to ensure the most cost-effective use of limited resources and that with this transfer, the Government would be able to consolidate the VM population in fewer camps.

"The 1,100 VMs in Section 8 will be counselled to cooperate with the camp management and will be transferred when they come forward. Independent monitors will observe the counselling," the spokesman added.

End/Monday, April 3, 1995

Tai Lam Country Park extension

The Tai Lam Country Park in northwest New Territories has been extended by 40 hectares following approval by the Governor-in-Council of the replacement map for the country park.

A spokesman for the Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) said the extension included four hectares of woodland at Ma On Kong and another 38 hectares of rehabilitated borrow area at Tai Tong.

He said the extension at Ma On Kong would make up for the loss of two hectares of country park land needed to be excised from the park to enable the construction of the Route 3 project.

The spokesman pointed out that the excised area had been revised from 1.8 hectares to two hectares following slight modification of the road alignment in response to an objection raised. But he stressed that this would not have major environmental implications since the area affected was mainly grassland with sparse shrubs and few trees.