WV church aids

refugee,

family

in reuntfication

A WEST Vancouver church has tried for two years to reunite a Laotian refugee with his family.

St. David's United Church will have its answer in August when immigration authorities visit the family of seven in a Bangkok refugee camp.

But Hew Gwynne, of the church’s Mission and Outreach Committee, said he’s concerned with a recent report that the United Nations High Commis- sion on Refugees plans to object to the church’s application if it is approved.

LAOTIAN REFUGEE Souriya Thiphavong...wants to be reunited with his family, still in a Bangkok camp.

_ St. David’s, with support from West Vancouver United Church, is trying to sponsor the family of Souriya Thiphavong. The 24- year-old was sponsored by the

church in 1983, and now works’

ata Burnaby plastics firm. Thiphavong escaped from Laos to a Bangkok refugee camp, where his four brothers, sister, sister-in-law and . two-year-old niece remain. (His parents and

four other relatives _are still in

Laos.)

Gwynne believes the ‘UN commission, established in the *70s to oversee the resettlement of :refugees, is opposed to the application because others in the camp: have been. Waiting Jonger for resettlement.:;

“Why would. they turn down _two. financially-sound, establish- ed churches as sponsors?’’ asked Gwynne. !‘The only grounds we

can see is they “feel this family is”

less in need than other families. But we have good reason to resettle them and that is to reunite them with their family.

“Souriya has been sending money over every month to peo- ple in the camp. We feel part of the reason. for his being turned down is they have had a little bit miore money in the camp and look. affluent, but he’s living closer to the bone here.’’

Gwynne said Thiphavong is an

Weather:

Sunday, cloudy with sunny periods, Chance of rain. Highs near 12°C. Monday and Tuesday, mostly cloudy with showers.

exceptional individual, who after reaching safety risked his own life to return to Laos to save the pregnant wife of a friend.

He said Thiphavong swam across Mekong River, which divides Thailand and Laos, and risked being shot at by Commu- nist border patrols in order to guide the woman out of the country.

The church’s first application request was denied by Canadian immigration authorities in Bangkok, who claimed the family is not likely to become self-sup-

Porting inCanada. . «

They were-told the case’ would be reviewed with immigration authorities visiting the camp in August... ;

“We're a bit puzzled,” Said Gwynne.

“Our past ‘record shows everyone we’ve brought so far is doing well.”

Since 1979 St. David’s Church has sponsored 16 Southeast Asian refugees: Gwynne noted that most of these families, who arrived with few possessions, now own their own homes and businesses.

“The Laotians and the Viet- namese have been very keen to become independent quickly. It wasn’t a case of people trying to get a free ride,’’ he said.

“‘Souriya’s relatives are young. The ones who can work, | feel confident within the. one-year sponsorship they would be able

‘to get jobs.”

-Gwynne. said he met with Capilano MP Mary Collins to ask if she could help with the church’s application. She learned that August would be the earliest the family could be interviewed by immigration authorities.

Collins’ assistant. Valerie York said the Thiphavong family has only been at the camp for two years compared to some families who have been there as long as six years.

She confirmed the UN stated it will register its objection to

authorities if St. David’s applica-'

tion is approved.

Canada’s Secretary of State for Immigration Gerry Weiner is scheduled to visit Vancouver April 21. Gwynne said he has asked Collins to arrange a meeting for himself and Weiner to discuss the church’s applica- tion.

INDEX

Business Classified Ads Doug Collins . Comies Editorial Page Fashion

Bob Hunter Lifestyles Mailbox

fa taining only one lot could be pur-, |

- Sunday, Aprit 19, 1987 -

DAMAGES TO VAN

Man found guilty of Shaw TV mischief

A $500 fine was imposed on a 26-year-old Burnaby man Tuesday in North Vancouver provincial court after he was found guilty of mischief in connection with a Sept. 16 disturbance that occurred during a four-month strike at North Vancouver’s Shaw Cable.

Barry Johnson was also ordered to pay $384.96 in restitution to the cable television company for dam- ages done to an unmarked 1984 company van during the incident.

In addition to having two tires slashed, the van was sprayed with fish fertilizer and covered with branches that were stuck in various vehicle openings.

Before passing sentence, Judge J.K. Shaw said the incident was a Serious one.

Johnson is an International

By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reporter

Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) member, but was not employed by Shaw’s North Van- couver office.

Shaw’s 13 IBEW were locked out July 14, 1986 after the union refused to accept a new contract from Lower Mainland cable com- panies that it claimed was imposed on the IBEW.

North Shore News

Over the ensuing four months a number of interruptions to North Shore cable service occurred from what Shaw management claimed were deliberately slashed cables and other acts of vandalism.

The IBEW denied any responsi- bility for any of those service in- terruptions,

Shaw’s labor dispute was settled Nov. 24 after tentative agreement was reached between the company and union on a new four-year con- tract.

Shaw manager Jarmo Koskinen said Wednesday the conviction “closes the book on the labor dispute. And we are pleased that it is over. I think the fine will help deter future acts of this kind.*’

NEWS photo Mike Waketiold

SINGING It’s a Smail World are these ‘youngsters’ from Bonnie Bairns Day Care. The childrens delighted their family and friends during a recent concert at the centre. ~

Developers, wv sued

TWO VANCOUVER real estate development companies and the District of West Vancouver are among defendants

being sued by the strata corporation of a 32-unit luxury

West Vancouver condominium for what the corporation claims were: misleading marketing tactics and substandard materials and workmanship used in promotion and con-

struction of the condominium.

In a revised statement of claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court Feb. 20, the residents of Waterford House, 1972 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver, represented by the strata corporation, state that developers Esteem Investments Ltd., Polygon Properties Ltd. and architects Romses Kwan & Associates directed the design and construction of the development that is alleged to contain deficien- cies ranging from leaky exterior walls to insufficient drainage.

The District of West Vancouver is named as having failed to exer- cise reasonable care in approving and issuing development permits for the building.

The strata corporation launched the law suit in November 1986 fol- lowing complaints from its membership that numerous design and building deficiencies existed in the Waterford House con- dominium units, which sold for between $295,000 and $400,000.

In addition to the alleged defects in the building, the strata corpora- tion claims Waterford House sales representative Jacqueline Askew misled prospective buyers by main-

By TIMOTHY RENSHAW chased by any one buyer and each lot would be owner-occupied.

In contravention of those stipu- lations, Polygon, the plaintiffs claim, sold Esteem Investments, the property’s original owners, eight of the strata lots on July 26, 1985.

Included in the 16 Waterford House building defects specified in the suit were exterior wall and windows that leak; insufficient drainage in balconies; incomplete landscaping; inadequate heating and sub-standard thermostats; and a concrete entrance driveway that is flaked and chipped. The square footages of the completed Water- ford House units were different, according to the claim, from those originally advertised.

The plaintiffs charge further that the defendants neglected to prepare proper plans, neglected to ensure the development was con- structed in a workmanlike manner with proper materials and ne- glected to construct a development

from defects.

The owners purchased the strata units from Polygon between July 2, 1985 and July 10, 1986.

In its defence, Polygon denies that Waterford House has any of the structural or building deficien- cies named and further states that any such defects were being repaired though the company had no obligation to do so.

Lawyers for Polygon claim that any deviation in unit square footage from that represented in the original prospectus was up- dated and appeared in an updated prospectus,

Any. design defects and subse- quent faulty construction are the result of faulty plans prepared by Romses Kwan, according to Poly- gon’s defence.

Disclosure of the lots sold to Esteem, according to Polygon defence, appeared in the Water- ford House prospectus.

Both Esteem and Romses Kwan deny all allegations made by the Waterford House strata council in its suit.

Other defendants named in the suit are Polygon directors Werner Karl Paulus, Michael James Au- dain, John: Kenneth Bull, lawyer John Third and real estate agent Jacqueline Askew.

The plaintiffs are claiming unspecified damages, interest and costs resulting from the building defects and the subsequent loss of Waterford House’s market value.