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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
NEW SHIPPING LEGISLATION APPROVED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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THREE BILLS WERE PASSED INTO LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO COMBAT THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO PERSONS COMING TO HONG KONG FROM VIETNAM.
THEY WERE THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE PORT CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL AND THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL.
THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL AIMS AT DISCOURAGING SHIPS PARTICIPATING IN THE UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF PASSENGERS TO HONG KONG AND TO TAKE ADDITIONAL LEGAL POWERS TO ACT AGAINST OWNERS, MASTERS AND SHIPS INVOLVED SHOULD THIS HAPPEN.
THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL MAKES IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON WHO, WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE, DISABLES ABANDONS, SCUTTLES OR BEACHES ANY VESSEL WITHIN HONG KONG WATERS, AND IS PUNISHABLE WITH A PENALTY OF $200,000 AND FOUR YEARS IMPRISONMENT.
THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL IS DESIGNED TO REMOVE THE TWO MONTHS LIMIT IN WHICH A PERSON FROM VIETNAM WHO WAS REFUSED PERMISSION TO LAND IN HONG KONG MIGHT BE REMOVED BY IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON. SIR JACK CATER SAID: +WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM OF BOAT REFUGEES' FROM INDO-CHINA SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A HUMANE AND ORDERLY FASHION= WE BELIEVE THAT STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE NEXT SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE IS MOST LIKELY TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE PORT IS OVER-WHELMED BY AN INTOLERABLE NUMBER OF GENUINE SURVIVORS OF SHIPWRECKS.+
SIR JACK SAID THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER BOATS LIKE THE +HUEY FONG+ NOW ON THE HIGH SEAS, AND IT HAS BEEN ARGUED, ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS, THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PERMIT ALL THESE VESSELS WITH THE UNFORTUNATE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD TO LAND HERE SO THAT ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR THEM TO BE RESETTLED IN OTHER PLACES.
HE NOTED THAT THE HUMANE STANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE ALWAYS ADOPTED TOWARDS REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS IS SECOND TO NONE IN THE WORLD. AND WE ARE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF OUR RECORD IN DEALING WITH ALL THESE REFUGEES, NOT LEAST THOSE FROM VIETNAM,
+OUR EFFORTS ARE IN MARKED CONTRAST TO THE LACK OF INTEREST TAKEN IN THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES BY SOME OTHER COUNTRIES, FAR BETTER ABLE TO ABSORB PEOPLE THAN THIS CROWDED LITTLE TERRITORY OF OURS, HE SAID.
HE POINTED