FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 1989
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"GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG KONG'S BILATERAL TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES, AND THE GROWING TRADE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SPAIN AND BELGIUM, IT IS DESIRABLE THAT THESE COUNTRIES HAVE APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATION IN THE BANKING SECTOR OF HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
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THE GRANTING OF THE LICENCES BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LICENSED BANKS TO 168, OF WHICH 136 ARE INCORPORATED OUTSIDE HONG KONG.
A TOTAL OF 11 BANKING LICENCES HAVE BEEN GRANTED SO FAR
THIS
YEAR.
SHIPPING PILOT'S LICENCE SUSPENDED
A HONG KONG SHIPPING PILOT HAS HAD HIS LICENCE SUSPENDED FOF SIX MONTHS AFTER BEING FOUND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROUNDING OF A MOTOR TANKER IN HONG KONG WATERS LAST YEAR.
THE SUSPENSION TOOK EFFECT FROM JUNE 15 THIS YEAR.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THE SUSPENSION OF THE LICENCE OF MR TONY CHIN WAI-CHUNG WAS RECOMMENDED BY A BOARD OF INVESTIGATION AND WAS ACCEPTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, THE PILOTAGE AUTHORITY.
THE BOARD OF INVESTIGATION, AFTER A FIVE-DAY HEARING BETWEEN MARCH 8 AND 15, FOUND THAT THE PILOT FAILED IN OR NEGLECTED WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE HIS DUTIES AS A PILOT IN THAT HE NEGLIGENTLY NAVIGATED THE MOTOR TANKER "EUPLECTA", CAUSING IT TO GROUND ON THE FURY ROCKS (NORTHWEST OF SUNG KONG ISLAND) ABOUT 11.25 PM ON MARCH 31 LAST YEAR.
THE TANKER, WITH MORE THAN 6,000 TONNES OF GAS WAS BEING NAVIGATED BY THE PILOT FROM JUNK BAY TO AP THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
OIL ON BOARD, LEI CHAU WHEN
PRELIMINARY
THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR DERICK HALL, ORDERED A INQUIRY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND LATER, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE INQUIRY OFFICER, ORDERED A BOARD OF INVESTIGATION UNDER THE PILOTAGE ORDINANCE TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ACCIDENT.
THE BOARD OF INVESTIGATION WAS CHAIRED BY HE WAS ASSISTED BY TWO MASTER MARINERS, CAPTAIN CAPTAIN SO YUET-HANG.
JUDGE LEONARD, AND CRAIG ALEXANDER AND
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