TNAG-1374-FCO40-1820-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 120

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

MR RENTON ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN PROVIDING THE VARIOUS FACILITIES FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

+I AM PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY THE EMPHASIS ON TRAINING FOR THE ADULTS, THE PLAY GROUP FOR THE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE EDUCATION FOR THE OTHER CHILDREN THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE WELL ORGANISED,+ MR RENTON SAID.

+AND IN THAT CONTEXT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HOW IMPRESSED I AM BY THE EFFORTS BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND BY THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES LIKE THE SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND WHO ARE HERE AT THE BOWRING CAMP TO DO ALL THEY CAN TO MAKE LIFE OF THE REFUGEES BETTER, HE ADDED.

+I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON, GIVEN THE SAD CIRCUMSTANCES OF REFUGEES, I AM IMPRESSED BY WHAT I HAVE SEEN.

+AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO DIMINISH SOME OF THIS PROBLEM THAT HONG KONG HAS BRAVELY TAKEN ON ITSELF,+ HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION WHETHER HONG KONG SHOULD ABOLISH THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR RENTON SAID BOTH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND BRITAIN WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY ABOLISHED.

+BUT ONE HAS TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS, OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT EXIST AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT EXIST IN HONG KONG. AND I THINK GIVEN THOSE IT IS NOT VERY REALISTIC AT THE MOMENT TO ASSUME THAT THE CLOSED CAMPS WILL BE ABOLISHED,+ HE SAID.

+I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THERE SHOULD BE AS MUCH EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING WITHIN THE CLOSED CAMPS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE REFUGEES INSIDE WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY GET RESETTLEMENT,+ MR RENTON SAID.

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