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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1985
AT PRESENT, ONLY THE HONG KONG SEA SCHOOL (PRE-SEA) IN LITTLE SAI WAN AND THE SEAMEN'S TRAINING TEMPORARY CENTRE (IN-SERVICE) IN STANLEY PROVIDE FULL TIME TRAINING WITH ADEQUATE FACILITIES.
THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC PROVIDES THE ONLY FACILITIES IN HONG KONG FOR TRAINING OFFICERS AND IS ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF TRAINING OFFICERS THAT THE INDUSTRY REQUIRES.
HOWEVER, SOME ASPECTS OF OFFICER TRAINING, SUCH AS FIRE-FIGHTING TRAINING ARE NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN THE POLYTECHNIC.
IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE PERMANENT TRAINING CENTRE WILL NOT BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE 1987, THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT THE TASK OF PROVIDING TRAINING TO POTENTIAL NEW RATINGS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE INTERIM BY THE SEAMEN'S TRAINING TEMPORARY CENTRE.
THIS WILL MEET THE TRAINING NEEDS IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRED
FOR 1985 AND 1986 WITHOUT A FURTHER BACKLOG DEVELOPING.
IN THE REPORT, THE TRAINING BOARD SAYS THAT THE DEMAND FOR PROPERLY TRAINED AND CERTIFICATED SEAFARING PERSONNEL WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION'S CONVENTION OF STANDARDS OF TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCHKEEPING FOR SEAFARERS 1978, WHICH LAYS DOWN TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION CRITERIA FOR WATCHKEEPING OFFICERS AND RATINGS, APPLIES TO HONG KONG WITH EFFECT FROM NOVEMBER 3 LAST YEAR.
+ IN ORDER THAT HONG KONG CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY ITS PRESENT STATUS AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING CENTRES OF SHIP OPERATION ACTIVITY, OF WHICH THE SUPPLY OF TRAINED SEAMEN IS AN INTEGRAL PART, A NUMBER OF OBLIGATIONS ENTAILING MINIMUM STANDARDS LAID DOWN IN INTERNATIONAL MARITIME AGREEMENTS, MUST BE MET BY HONG KONG, THE TRAINING BOARD SAYS.
THIS MEANS THAT PERMANENT TRAINING FACILITIES MUST BE PROVIDED IN HONG KONG TO TRAIN SEAFARERS.
THE REPORT SAYS THAT THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE HONG KONG SEAFARERS, THAT IS, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AT SEA OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, HAS DECLINED FROM 44 534 IN 1979 TO 16 681 IN 1984.
OVER THE SAME PERIOD THE NUMBER OF POSTS OCCUPIED BY HONG KONG SEAFARERS PER SHIP ALSO DROPPED FROM 15.8 PER SHIP TO 13.3 PER SHIP.
+THIS IS DUE TO EXISTING SHIPS BEING REPLACED BY MODERN SHIPS THAT HAVE AUTOMATION AND OTHER LABOUR SAVING ARRANGEMENTS INCORPORATED, THE REPORT EXPLAINS.
THE 1984 MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT ON THE MERCHANT NAVY PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $16.50 A COPY.
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