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THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1981
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS BILL IS TO PROVIDE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF VESSELS WHICH ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE ORDINANCE TO BE LICENSED AND IN PARTICULAR, TO ENABLE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO RESTRICT THE USE OF UNLICENSED MOTORISED PLEASURE CRAFT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID LARGE NUMBERS OF PLEASURE CRAFT WERE CURRENTLY UNLICENSED, DUE LARGELY TO THE INADEQUACY OF THE EXISTING SANCTIONS FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE LICENSING REGULATIONS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THIS WAS AN UNSATISFACTORY AND UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT SOME PLEASURE VESSELS WERE KNOWN TO BE USED TO BRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA AND MACAU.
+ALTHOUGH THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE HAD SOME NOTABLE SUCCESSES IN INTERCEPTING AND ARRESTING SUCH VESSELS, OTHER VESSELS HAVE ON OCCASIONS EVADED ARREST OR HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AFTER DETECTION,
+ IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT IN SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS TO IDENTIFY THE OWNERS, WHEN, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, THE CRAFT HAVE NOT BEEN LICENSED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+AS PART OF ITS CONTINUING CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE STEPS TO PUT AN END TO THIS TRAFFIC, HE ADDED.
SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS APART, THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS IT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT ALL PLEASURE CRAFT SHOULD BE LICENSED, SINCE A PRE-CONDITION FOR THE ISSUE OF LICENCES IS THAT ALL VESSEL OWNERS SHOULD HOLD THIRD PARTY INSURANCE. AT PRESENT, A VICTIM INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN UNLICENSED PLEASURE CRAFT MAY NOT RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
INSURANCE COVERAGE.
THE LEGISLATION IS ALSO DESIGNED TO ASSIST IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE SPEED LIMITS RECENTLY INTRODUCED IN CERTAIN WATERS OF HONG KONG IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY AFLOAT.
IN SOME FLAGRANT VIOLATIONS OF THESE LIMITS, THE OFFENDING PLEASURE BOATS COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT LICENSED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
A FURTHER PROVISION IN THE BILL WOULD ENABLE REGULATIONS TO BE MADE FOR THE SEIZURE AND IMPOUNDING OF ANY UNLICENSED VESSEL, WHETHER IT IS IN OR OUT OF THE WATER FROM THE TIME THAT IT IS FIRST LAUNCHED.
THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WHICH MAY BE IMPOSED UPON THE MASTER AND OWNER OF AN UNLICENSED VESSEL FROM $5 000 TO $20 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FOR THE TIME BEING, IT WAS THE INTENTION THAT THESE ADDITIONAL POWERS WOULD BE USED ONLY IN RESPECT OF PLEASURE VESSELS.
/PROVIDED THAT