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THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1987
GATHERING THAT IN MID
HE TOLD THE
1985, A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT WAS ISSUED SEEKING VIEWS FROM THE INDUSTRY, EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT ON HOW A FUTURE REGISTER MIGHT BE DEVELOPED.
PROFESSIONAL
THE DOCUMENT LED TO CONSIDERABLE COMMENT, FROM SHIPOWNERS TO SHIP MANAGERS, AND FROM
INSTITUTES TO LABOUR ORGANISATIONS, HE ADDED.
AGREEMENT WAS REACHED BETWFEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS AT A MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HELD IN LONDON IN JULY 1986 ON THE PRINCIPLES WHICH WOULD UNDERLINE THE NEW SHIPPING REGISTER.
"A STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES TO BE ADOPTED FOR THE NEW SHIPPING REGISTER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 1986," SAID
MR HIGGINSON.
THE QUESTION OF THE FLAG WAS ONE OF THE KEY PRINCIPLES IN THE STATEMENT. HE NOTED THAT REGISTRATION OF A SHIP ENTITLED THAT SHIP ΤΟ FLY THE NATIONAL FLAG OF THE PLACE OF REGISTRY WHICH, IN TURN, ESTABLISHED THE NATIONALITY OF THE SHIP.
"THE FLAG STATE SIGNIFIES THE AUTHORITY WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXERCISING JURISDICTION AND CONTROL OVER THAT SHIP.
·
THE STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES ALSO SET OUT SOME FUNDAMENTALS WHICH WOULD UNDERPIN THE OPERATION OF THE NEW REGISTER. "HIGH STANDARDS OF MARINE SAFETY WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED AND EQUIPMENT TO BE USED ON BOARD SHIPS REGISTERED IN HONG KONG WILL BE UP TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED STANDARDS, HE SAID.
+
ON THE QUESTION OF MANNING, MR HIGGINSON NOTED THAT THE PRINCIPLES PROVIDED THAT ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT ON SHIPS WOULD BE DETERMINED SOLELY BY REFERENCE TO PROFESSIONAL OR TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS.
"IN OTHER WORDS, NO NATIONALITY CRITERIA WILL BE EITHER OFFICERS OR CREWS ON SHIPS ON THE NEW REGISTER.'
REQUIRED FOR
INSISTING ON
MR HIGGINSON THEN OUTLINED THE REASONS FOR NOT ANY LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENT ON RESIDENTIAL LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE CREW ON HONG KONG SHIPS;
FIRST, TO DO SO WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE OBJECTIVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AS LITTLE CHANGE AS POSSIBLE;
UNNECESSARY
SECONDLY LEGISLATIVE COMPULSION WAS THOUGHT TO BE
+ AS NEARLY HALF THE POSTS AVAILABLE ON ALL HONG KONG VESSELS HAD BEEN FILLED BY HONG KONG SEAMEN AND FOR OCEAN-GOING SHIPS THE PROPORTION WAS ABOUT A THIRD); AND
/THIRDLY, THE