ENG-1992 — Page 444

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

During the year, 72 206 live births and 30 528 deaths were registered, compared with 70 135 and 28 685 respectively in 1991. The figures, when adjusted for under-registration, gave a natural increase in population for 1992 of about 40 600 (0.7 per cent).

A birth which has not been registered within one year may be post-registered with the consent of the Registrar of Births and Deaths and on payment of a fee of $120. During the year, 430 births were post-registered in this manner.

Birth registration services in the urban districts are provided by two main registries, one on Hong Kong Island and one in Kowloon. There are also five birth registries in the rural areas. In the outlying areas and islands, births are normally registered at rural committee offices by visiting district registrars. Visiting services are also provided to register the births of babies born in detention centres to Vietnamese illegal immigrants (1 697 in 1992).

There are two death registries, one on Hong Kong Island and one in Kowloon. Deaths in the rural areas are registered at local police stations except in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung where deaths are registered in a death registry. Apart from registration of deaths, the death registries issued 1 388 removal permits in 1992 for the purpose of removing bodies for burial outside Hong Kong.

Establishment and Recruitment

At year end, the department had an establishment of 3 498 disciplined staff, 20 (0.6 per cent) less than in 1991. The number of civilian staff was 2072. During the year, 114 immigration assistants were recruited.

Staff Training

The department provides training for both new and serving officers. Recruits undergo a 12-week induction training which covers law, immigration policies and procedures, foot-drill, physical training, swimming, first-aid and practical attachments. As part of the career development programme, in-service and specialised training is also provided within the department and in outside organisations.

During the year, 112 recruits completed their induction training. A further 3 283 serving officers received various types of job-related, management, development and other aspects of continuation training. Of these, some 13 officers were selected for overseas attachment and training in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Netherlands, France, and Germany.

Vietnamese Migrants

The year saw a major breakthrough for Hong Kong on the Vietnamese migrant problem. Only 12 Vietnamese migrants arrived in 1992, whereas over 16 000 were either settled overseas or repatriated to Vietnam. The corresponding figures for 1991 were 20 200 and 14 200.

In 1989, the international community endorsed a Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) for dealing with the Indo-Chinese refugee problem. While the CPA provides that Vietnamese migrants who are classified as refugees under the terms of the 1951 United Nations Convention and 1967 Protocol are eligible for resettlement, it also states that those who are determined not to be refugees should return to Vietnam. The full implementation of the CPA was finally made possible for Hong Kong with the signing of a Statement of

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