TNAG-2591-FCO40-3779-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 34

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TALKING POINTS

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24 April 1992

TALKING POINTS issues on Fridays and records public views and reactions on current talking points collected from a small number of respondents in both urban and New Territories regions by City and New Territories Administration liaison staff over the week. As TALKING POINTS is not based upon a large representative cross-section of public opinion, indications in it should be treated with caution and should not be quoted authoritatively without first checking their reliability with the City and New Territories Administration.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AT TIN SHUI WAI

Respondents found it hard to believe that the police could tolerate the existence of so many illegal immigrants hiding out at Tin Shui Wai. Many of them questioned why the police had delayed action even when the incident had been widely reported. Some suspected that the police had long been aware of the presence of the illegal immigrants but might not have had sufficient resources to deal with them. A number of respondents found the police excuse that media presence had hampered its operation to be unacceptable. Some respondents pointed out that the police's tolerant attitude would attract still more illegal immigrants from mainland China, thus affecting Hong Kong's law and order. There was general concern that the problem of illegal immigrants was worsening and many respondents urged the stepping up of border patrol measures in order to render access into Hong Kong less easy.

2.

Some respondents suspected that the illegal immigrants found in Tin Shui Wai might only be the tip of the iceberg. They believed that many more were spread and hiding all over the territory. Some respondents from the Islands District were worried that with the commencement of the Airport Core Projects, many illegal immigrants would be attracted to Lantau, and would cause nuisance to residents nearby. They suggested that contractors found to be employing illegal immigrants should be heavily penalised. While some respondents felt sympathy for the illegal immigrants who were having to live in appalling conditions in Tin Shui Wai, they were also concerned that their plight would turn the latter to crime.

APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW GOVERNOR

3.

Many respondents did not savour the notion that the Governorship of Hong Kong was being offered as a "consolation prize" to defeated UK politicians by the Prime Minister. Although some said that to them, it would not matter much who would suceed Lord Wilson, they did not however wish the new Governor to be someone with little knowledge of both China and Hong Kong, and who would only view the Governorship of Hong Kong as a second best alternative to a seat in the UK Parliament. They pointed out the present development was further proof that Hong Kong was not a priority issue on the UK agenda. Some respondents were disappointed that the decision on the Governor would be purely politically motivated, without due regard to what would be in Hong Kong's best interest.

C.N.T.A. 8 (Rev.)

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