Re: Miss Christine Vertucci, Co-Director, Asian Monitor Resource Center,
2 Man Wan Road 17-C, Kowloon
Subject:
Refusal of extension of Employment Visa.
Kee 30
Sir Murray MacLehose
Governor
Governor's House
Jan. 27, 1982
Hong Kong
Dear Sir:
I was puzzled to learn that Immigration Department has refused to extend Miss Vertucci's emploument visa. Admittedly, the Hong Kong authorities have a sovereign right in this matter, but summary expulsion and the label "persona non grata" should be based on sufficient cause lest the equally sovereign right of the individual to her good name be infringed upon.
I have known Miss Vertucci for some 12 years, as a student of our University and through her years at our College of Law. I can attest to her integrity, intelligence and especially to her devotion to justice. This same devotion may have prompted her to active advocacy of the Yaumatei boat Deople and participation in the Kwua Tong Inquiry Service. As an "outsider" these activities may have understandably embarrassed some few in government who consider her concern inappropriate. If, despite her outsider status, these matters did indeed show a lack of proper attention on the part of government, then perhaps her advocacy was not unreasonable although, persumably, intolerable in a "guest".
Knowing Miss Vertucci, I find it unthinkable that she should be considered, in any fashion, a threat to the Crown Colony. She has spent four hard-working years in Hong Kong, and it is disturbing to see her summarily uprotted from her work at the Resource Center with no reason given. The decision was withheld until the last hour of the last day before her visa was to expire. This was also the last working day before the Chinese New Year, and thus she had no time for recourse in the decision. Hardly my sense of the British sense of fair play.
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As a visitor to Hong Kong over the years since 1950, I have high regard for all government has done for its people in housing, health care, employment and amazing growth. I would like to retain this sense of government concern for all, including its foreign residents. I should be most grateful if you would look into the case of Miss Vertucci and come to know her as do I and many of my confreres at the University. That should surely end the present unhappy impasse.
Sincerely Yours,
Prof. A. Stemmarn
Prof. A Stevenson
University of San Francisco World English Center
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