FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1986
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MOORING FEES REVISED
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NEW FEES FOR THE KEEPING OF PRIVATE MOORINGS AND FOR PLEASURE VESSEL LICENCES WERE ANNOUNCED IN TODAY'S (FRIDAY'S) GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE NEW FEES WERE BASICALLY THE SAME AS THOSE FIRST INTRODUCED IN JUNE LAST YEAR AND WHICH WERE REDUCED LAST MONTH FOLLOWING REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY SOLICITORS ACTING FOR THE HONG KONG YACHTING ASSOCIATION.
IN THE MEANTIME, NEW LEGISLATION CLARIFYING THE GOVERNMENT'S FEE SETTING POWERS HAS BEEN INTRODUCED. THIS LEGISLATION ENABLES FEES CHARGED TO THE PLEASURE BOATING COMMUNITY TO BE SET AT LEVELS WHICH RECOVER, BY MEANS OF FEES FOR VESSEL LICENCES AND FOR THE KEEPING OF PRIVATE MOORINGS IN PUBLIC WATERS, AN APPROPRIATE SHARE OF THE PUBLIC COST OF HONG KONG'S PORT AND SHIPPING SERVICES.
THE NEW FEES, TOGETHER WITH FEES CHARGED TO COMMERCIAL USERS OF THE PORT AND HONG KONG'S SHIPPING SERVICES WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1, 1986, AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE COST OF OPERATING THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.
THE NEW MOORING FEES ARE SCALED SO THAT HIGHER CHARGES WILL BE MADE FOR MOORINGS IN PRIME AREAS (FOR EXAMPLE IN THE CAUSEWAY BAY OR ABERDEEN TYPHOON SHELTERS) THAN FOR MOORINGS IN OUTLYING AREAS LIKE PORT SHELTER.
AS NOW, NO ANCHORAGE CHARGES WILL BE MADE FOR LICENSED VESSELS WHICH LIE AT ANCHOR AND NO LICENCE FEES WILL BE PAYABLE IN RESPECT OF CRAFT NOT CAPABLE OF BEING FITTED WITH ENGINES (FOR EXAMPLE DINGHIES OR WINDSURFERS AND SOME CATEGORIES OF RACING YACHT). AT THE REQUEST OF THE HONG KONG YACHTING ASSOCIATION. LICENCE FEES FOR TENDERS CARRIED ON BOARD +PARENT+ CRAFT WILL NOT BE LEVIED.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER REQUESTS HAD BEEN MADE BY THE HONG KONG YACHTING ASSOCIATION INCLUDING THE WIDENING OF THE FEE NET BY THE LICENSING OF CRAFT PRESENTLY NOT REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED (FOR EXAMPLE DINGHIES, CANOES AND WINDSURFERS).
THIS HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AND WHILE IT IS PROBABLY NOT PRACTICABLE TO INTRODUCE LICENSING FOR CRAFT SUCH AS WINDSURFERS AND CANOES, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO DEVISE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE YACHTING ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS CONCERNED, SOME EXTENSION OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED THAT EACH YACHTING CLUB SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO HAVE A FREE MOORING FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
IT IS ALSO INTENDED TO CARRY OUT A REVIEW OF ALL MARINE DEPARTMENT FEES AND CHARGES NEXT YEAR. THIS WILL INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VESSEL LICENCES AND MOORINGS. THIS REVIEW WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED INCLUDING THOSE REPRESENTING THE PLEASURE BOAT COMMUNITY.
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