UNDER the British Nationality Selection Scheme (BNSS) Hong Kong British citizens may apply for passports under four categories. The most logical one for the 25 elderly wives and widows of ex-PoWs to apply for theirs is under the Sensitive Service Category, which states unequivocally that ''the Governor may recommend for services rendered to the crown''. There are still 3,850 vacancies in this category. However, I regret to say that, so far as I can ascertain, all the earlier applications of the wives and widows of ex-servicemen were rejected ''en bloc'' by the Secretary for Security, acting on behalf of the BNSS. On this controversial issue that tireless campaigner, Jack Edwards, raised a pertinent point: ''What higher form of service is there than to die for the Crown, be tortured, be wounded, suffer torture, privation, etc, as a PoW for nearly four years?'' I make no apologies for reiterating that had Britain, over the years, not progressively and high-handedly down-graded the Hong Kong British passport to achieve, at the time, certain political objectives, the 25 wives and widows of ex-PoWs would not be inthe sorry quandary they are in today, of having to go cap in hand and abjectly beg for those elusive passports; bearing in mind that once the Hong Kong British passport was no different from its UK counterpart. These elderly and vulnerable women cannot understand why, on the one hand, Britain so gleefully granted 36,840 passports to heads of households, waiving the three-year residency rule, while, on the other hand it insisted that the 25 elderly and infirm wives and widows of ex-PoWs complied with a man-made harsh residency requirement. This is a case of double standards. In his policy speech of October 6 before Legco, the Governor Chris Patten rekindled the dying embers of hope in the hearts of 25 wives and widows by declaring (a) that it was proper that Legco ensured the anxieties of these elderly people should not be forgotten and (b) by pledging that he would continue to press the British Government for a better deal for the womenfolk of the war veterans with the Prime Minister. Sadly, those promises have, so far, not been fulfilled. Mr Patten will be in London this month for two days to discuss with the Prime Minister how best to resume the current stalled talks between Britain and Beijing on the future political development of Hong Kong. May I respectfully suggest that he makes another strong appeal to his personal friend, the Prime Minister, for those vital passports to be granted to the 25 wives and widows of ex-PoWs before it is too late. LUIGI RIBEIRO Kowloon
