Colony seamen find
HONG KONG STANDARD
30.10.73
jobs hard to get
AKK • 21/2.
Desertion rate world's highest
a
HONGKONG, seafaring community since its inception as a Crown Colony and a n acknowledged recruiting centre for ships crews 15 losing out to newly emerging countries in Southeast Asia and the primary reason is the lack of discipline among Hongkong seamen.
For
new crews
seamen are
years foreign ships called in Hongkong to recruit and Hongkong known in every port throughout the world. But that situation has changed during the past six or seven years, and the main reason is that Hongkong seamen's desertion rate is higher than any other nation.
Since 1966, 7,540 Chinese seamen, recruited in Hongkong have jumped ship. And only 2,593 have been caught and returned to. the Colony for disciplinary action.
Seventeen countries' fleets employ Hongkong registered seamen on 1,418 ships with Britain as the largest employer.
But the countries of origin have nothing to do with where the seaman desert. The United States is the big favourite jumping off place with 6,412 deserters leaving their ships in American ports since 1966. Of these only 2,593 have been returned to Hongkong. Canada comes next on the list with 363 desertions of which 62 were returned.
Holland is third with 128 seamen jumping ship and 33 caught. Britain comes next on the list of jumping off places, although there is a considerable drop in numbers. In the last seven years 77 seamen have swallowed the anchor, of which only eight have been returned to Hongkong. Japan comes next with 67 desertions and 18 returns and then Germany with 40 and five returns.
Desertions in other countries reached an overall total of 353 with 54 people returned to the Colony.
As well as a bad reputation for desertion, Hongkong seamen are also high on the list of those lacking discipline.
During the past seven years there have been 3,196 disciplinary inquiries following which 42 seamen have been removed from the seaman's register after being convicted.
A further 2,636 were suspended for desertion and 329 for misconduct in one form or another.
Crimes for which seamen
before board
a
of
appear
inquiry include,
incompetence
fighting and
desertion,
assault,
and
insubordination, and the use of
drugs.
While desertion is well up the list as the most frequent crime, incompetence and insubordination comes second. Fighting is next with drug abuse last. During the past 12 months only five seamen have been investigated for using drugs.
While the number of desertions by Hongkong- registered seamen remains high it cannot very well face the competition it is getting from other Southeast A sian countries.
Last year 4,258 new men registered for jobs at sea. Of these only 1,628 got them.
Unless something is done quickly to rebuild Hongkong's reputation for competent seafaring crews there is a likelihood that the Colony shall be pushed out of the market.
A