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TUESDAY, JULY 22, 1975
+THE WORLD-WIDE RECESSION IS ALSO PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DWINDLING NUMBER OF JODS BECAUSE OF A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF NEW SHIPS BEING DELIVERED AND AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SHIPS, ESPECIALLY TANKERS, BEING LAID UP, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH HONG KONG SEAMEN ENJOY MUCH HIGHER WAGES AND BETTER CONDITIONS THAN THOSE FROM OTHER SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES APART FROM JAPAN, THEY ARE STILL COMPETITIVE BECAUSE OF THE SUPERIOR BASIC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED BY THE S.R.O. BEFORE REGISTRATION TAKES PLACE.
HE NOTED THAT THERE ARE AT PRESENT EIGHT SEA TRAINING SCHOOLS PROVIDING VARIOUS COURSES FOR SEAMEN AND CADET OFFICERS AND THEY TURN OUT 130 WELL QUALIFIED GRADUATES EVERY MONTH.
ALL THESE COURSES HAVE BEEN SCRUTINISED AND APPROVED BY THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING AUTHORITY AND THE QUALITY OF THE GRADUATES IS COMPARABLE TO THOSE FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY, HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT STORIES ABOUT HONG KONG SEAMEN HAVING POOR DISCIPLINE HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED.
+THIS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE FACT THAT ONLY 64 SEAMEN, FOUND GUILTY OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT OR REPEATED DESERTIONS, HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE REGISTRY OF SEAMEN SINCE 1968,+ HE SAÍD. +THIS IS A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE WHEN SEEN AGAINST THE TOTAL OF 86,296 SEAMEN REGISTERED.*
+AN ADLE SEAMAN CAN EARN UP TO $1,300 A MONTH, HE SAID. +ON TOP OF THAT, HE IS ENTITLED TO STANDBY PAY, OVERTIME PAY, LEAVE PAY, FREE MÉDICAL ATTENTION, FOOD ALLOWANCES AND SOMETIMES A BONUS ON COMPLETION OF A TERM OF SERVICE.+
A TOTAL OF 31,317 JOBS ON BOARD VARIOUS SHIPS HAVE BEEN FILLED BY LOCAL SEAMEN THROUGH THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING OFFICE DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.
THE INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATION SECTION OF THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING OFFICE EXAMINES THE ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT USED BY SHIPPING COMPANIES AND ENSURES THAT THE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OFFERED TO SEAMEN ARE ACCEPTABLE TO THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING AUTHORITY.
LABOUR DISPUTES INVOLVING SEAMEN AND THEIR EMPLOYERS HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS UNIT OF THE CREWS DIVISION WHERE SUCH DISPUTES CAN BE TAKEN TO BE SETTLED BY ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATORY MEANS.
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