TNAG-1821-FCO40-2584-Emigration-from-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 77

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MDHIAN 4875

AN AVERAGE OF 20,000 PEOPLE EMIGRATED EACH YEAR. PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO ASK WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ABOUT THE SITUATION. I SHALL BEGIN BY STRESSING WHAT WE WILL NOT

DO.

THERE IS NO QUESTION OF INTEREFERING IN ANY WAY WITH THE FREEDOM OF PEOPLE TO TRAVEL AND SETTLE ELSEWHERE. THIS FREEDOM IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT. ITS CONTINUATION AFTER 1997 IS ALSO GUARANTEED IN THE JOINT

DELCARATION.

113.

THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS OBTAIN AS MUCH PRACTICAL INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING, THEIR

-

PROFESSIONAL

REASONS FOR DOING SO, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE MUST TRY TO ENSURE THAT OUR EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT FLOW OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO FILL THE GAPS.

PEOPLE TO RETURN.

ATTACHED TO

114. THE TASK FORCE HAS NOW BEEN STRENGTHENED AND ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE EXPANED. ITS FIRST PRIORITY WILL BE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND REFINE OUR SYSTEM FOR GATHERING INFORMATION. AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST WORK OUT OPTIONS FOR REDUCING THE IMPACT OF EMIGRATION ON OUR ECONOMY. I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED INCREASED MANPOWER TRAINING. WE ARE ALSO TAKING STEPS TO FIND OUT WHETHER THERE ARE THINGS TO BE DONE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOVED ABROAD REMAIN STRONGLY HONG KONG AND OUR UNIQUE WAY OF LIFE. NO WONDER. TEPID BY COMPARISON. BUT ARE THERE ANY OBSTACLES TO THEIR COMING BACK WHICH COULD BE REMOVED? FOR A START, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE NEED FOR MORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS WHICH WOULD CATER SPECIFICALLY FOR CHILDREN WHO RETURN FROM OVERSEAS WITH THEIR PARENTS. SUCH SCHOOLS WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE STARTED THEIR EDUCATION ABROAD TO CONTINUE IT IN HONG KONG.

OTHER PLACES SEEM

115. WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING AT HOW TO IMPROVE CONTACT WITH HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOVED OVERSEAS AND WHO MAY BE THINKING OF RETURNING TO THE TERRITORY. THE GOVERNMENT ALREADY MAINTAINS A NUMBER OF OVERSEAS OFFICES WHOSE PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO REPRESENT OUR COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG. THEY ALSO HAVE AN INFORMATION AND LIAISON ROLE IN PRESENTING HONG KONG AS A RELIABLE TRADING PARTNER WITH A SECURE FUTURE, AND A WORTHWHILE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. SHOULD THEY HAVE MORE OF A LIAISON ROLE? HOW DO WE LET FORMER RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE CONTINUED ATTRACTIONS OF LIVING IN THE TERRITORY? THESE ARE SOME

OF THE QUESTIONS WE WILL BE ADDRESSING.

116.

EMIGRATION IS NOT A SHORT TERM PHENOMENON. IT IS LIKELY TO

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