WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985
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HK REGISTER OF SHIPPING PROPOSALS SUPPORTED
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THERE HAS BEEN ALMOST UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE AND AUTONOMOUS HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING,
THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT DISAGREEMENT BY A CROSS-SECTION OF THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND INTERESTED BODIES ON MAJOR ISSUES SET OUT IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
ALL THE COMMENTS RECEIVED WOULD BE CONSOLIDATED, WEIGHED AND EXAMINED CRITICALLY AND SYMPATHETICALLY AND FURTHER CONSULTATION WITH ORGANISATIONS MIGHT BE NECESSARY, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GERRY HIGGINSON, TOLD THE INSTITUTE OF SEATRANSPORT DURING A LUNCHEON TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
→THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG PROVIDES SPECIFICALLY THAT AFTER 1997, THE NEW HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL BE AUTHORISED BY THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A SHIPPING REGISTER AND ISSUE RELATED CERTIFICATES UNDER ITS OWN LEGISLATION IN THE NAME OF HONG KONG, CHINA'+, MR HIGGINSON SAID.
+ACCORDINGLY, TO GIVE CONFIDENCE TO THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE AND AUTONOMOUS HONG KONG REGISTER AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, AND CERTAINLY WELL BEFORE 1997, ME
THE NEW REGISTER WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG, HE STRESSED, AND IT WAS THUS IMPERATIVE THAT IT SHOULD BE A SUCCESS AND THE RIGHT FRAMEWORK SHOULD BE OBTAINED AT THE START.
REFERRING TO THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT AS A SPECIALISED 'GREEN PAPER', HE SAID THAT IT ALSO CALLED FOR SUGGESTIONS ON THE SETTING UP OF A SHIPPING ADVISORY BOARD TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON BROAD POLICY FOR THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT AND GOOD MANAGEMENT OF THE HONG KONG SHIPPING INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROPOSED REGISTER.
HE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN AGREEMENT FROM ALL SIDES THAT SOME SUCH BODY WAS ESSENTIAL. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY ORGANISATION COULD – AND HAD - ARGUED A CASE FOR ITS OWN REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD.
1: THE LIGHT OF COMMENTS RECEIVED, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TASKED ITSELF TO CONSIDER FURTHER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION, AND IN PARTICULAR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.
/ON THE