TALKS
ALONG THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY
LECTURE
Along the Southern Boundary focuses on two specific years: 1979, when more than 68,700 people arrived at Hong Kong's sea border, and 1989, a time when all 13 Vietnamese boat people camps in Hong Kong were declared full. Les and his colleagues were directed to put all new arrivals on the remote island of Tai Ah Chau, which, at the outset, was devoid of facilities. Within a week they had more than 3,000 people to look after. As told in his new book 'Along the Southern Boundary: A Marine Police Officer's Frontline Account of the Vietnamese Boatpeople and their Arrival in Hong Kong, published by Blacksmith Books.'
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVALS
2020 and 2021
In conversation with RTHK's Annemarie Evans. Les Bird joined the Hong Kong Marine Police in 1976 during a period of rapid change in one of the British Empire’s few remaining colonies. He led his men in combat against the growing organised crime in the years leading up to the handover in 1997 and was one of the senior officers instrumental in dealing with highly sensitive issues.
TAI O VILLAGE AND TAI O POLICE STATION HISTORY
LECTURE
In the late 1970s Les Bird was the officer-in-charge of the western half of Lantau Island. He lived on the top floor of the remote Tai O Police Station. There was no road between Tai O and the remainder of the island, and the station’s one telephone line didn’t work if it was raining. Other than an Italian priest, Les was Tai O’s only foreign resident. In this lecture he talks about his work and his life in those times.
