WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1985
''ACQUISITION OF LAUNCHES AND THEIR EQUIPMENT IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE, BUT TO PRODUCE A LARGE NUMBER OF HIGHLY-TRAINED MARINE POLICE OFFICERS AT SHORT-NOTICE IS AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TASK,'
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAN THE LAUNCHES OF THE FLEET WERE NOT ONLY TRAINED AS POLICE OFFICERS TO THE SAME LEVEL AS THEIR LAND-BASED COUNTERPARTS, THEY MUST ALSO MASTER THE ARTS OF NAVIGATION, SEAMANSHIP, ENGINEERING, WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY, RADAR AND RADAR PROCEDURES, SHIP CONSTRUCTION, SHIP HUSBANDRY, SIGNALLING AND A HOST OF MARINE-RELATED ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS.
TODAY, THE MARINE POLICE FLEET CONSISTS OF TWO 111-FOOT COMMAND LAUNCHES, SEVEN 78-FOOT PATROL LAUNCHES, NINE 26-METRE PATROL BOATS, THREE 26-METRE FAST LOGISTIC CRAFT, FIFTEEN. 26.8-METRE FAST PATROL LAUNCHES AND MANY MINOR CRAFT, SOME OF WHICH CAN ATTAIN SPEEDS OF OVER 45 KNOTS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE TWO 70-FOOT PATROL LAUNCHES, WHICH ARE SOON TO BE DECOMMISSIONED, AND SEVEN 50-FOOT HARBOUR PATROL LAUNCHES, WHICH WILL BE REPLACED BY FASTER AND MORE MODERN CRAFT.
MR MACDONALD SAID THAT TENDERING WAS ALSO WELL IN HAND FOR THE ACQUISITION OF TWO 40-METRE COMMAND LAUNCHES WHICH WILL BE EQUIPPED AS SEARCH-AND-RESCUE VESSELS WITH AND ALL-WEATHER CAPABILITY AT EXTENDED RANGE.
''TO MAINTAIN THE SECURITY OF THE SEAWARD DEFENCE OF THE TERRITORY IS NOT ONLY DIFFICULT,'' HE POINTED OUT ''IT IS EXPENSIVE. NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS NEGLECTING THOSE DEFENCES, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF A SERVICE WHICH IS TRADITIONALLY LOW-PROFILE AND WHOSE MAIN AIM IS THE PREVENTION OF CRIME IN AN AREA ALMOST TOTALLY ALIEN TO THE LAYMAN, '
HE DESCRIBED THE MARINE POLICE AS A LARGE, WELL-TRAINED AND HIGHLY-DISCIPLINED FORCE WHICH CAN BE RAPIDLY MOBILISED AND RE-DEPLOYED IN AN EMERGENCY.
''IN THE LAST 144 YEARS, THE MARINE POLICE HAVE STOOD BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THOSE FORCES WHICH WOULD DISRUPT ITS SECURITY AND TRANQUILITY,'' HE SAID.
IT WAS THAT PEACE AND FREEDOM FROM INTERFERENCE WHICH HAD ALLOWED WHAT WAS ONCE LITTLE MORE THAN A COLLECTION OF FISHING VILLAGES, TO BECOME THE ECONOMIC GIANT OF TODAY. TRADE, THE VERY LIFEBLOOD OF HONG KONG, WAS POSSIBLE ONLY UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WITH A SECURE HARBOUR AND OPEN SEA LANES.
''THE EXPANSION AND MODERNISATION OF THE MARINE REGION, IF ALLOWED TO PROGRESS SATISFACTORILY, WILL PERMIT ACTIVE, POSITIVE POLICING, RATHER THAN A PASSIVE, REACTIVE ROLE,' MR MACDONALD SAID.
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