TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 40

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

L

2

pre- 1 July 1982: 1 :

US$1 :

HK$11.05 HK$5.266

post- 1 July 1982: £1 :

and US$):-

HK$10.63 US$1 : HK$6.340

To summarise the position (in sterling

(a)

from 1 December 1978 to 31 January 1983

US$

total HKG costs

30.2 m.

63.4 m.

total UNHCR costs

11.4 m.

23.9 m.

total Voluntary

4.1 m.

8.5 m.

agencies' costs

(b)

total cost per day of maintaining a VR in closed centres since 2 July 1982

6.1

10.3

(c)

Estimated annual cost of maintining the current VR population to HKG

10.7 m.

18.0 m.

(a)

Estimated annual cost if

17.9 m.

29.0 m.

all closed centres are full with 8,000 refugees

I think it is fair to conclude from these figures that the cost to Hong Kong has been significant. The main thrust of our plea with the resettlement countries must continue to be that, as we have already absorbed 14,000 from Vietnam into our own community (a creditable performance for our size), we can not be expected to be more than a place of first asylum. What these figures show is that even being just a place of first asylum is costly.

Among

others, I have sunt capits to The Embassy in Washington uunis fence

Yours sincere and.

جسم

(D.G. Jeaffre son) Secretary for Security

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