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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1990
TWO AMENDMENT BILLS INTRODUCED TO REMOVE LOOPHOLES
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TWO
AMENDMENT BILLS WHICH CONTAIN A MISCELLANY OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AIMED AT REMOVING THE LOOPHOLES AND ANOMALIES CURRENTLY EXISTING IN THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY) ORDINANCE AND THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL ORDINANCE WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
(SAFETY)
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING AMENDMENT BILL 1990, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON ANSON CHAN, SAID THE MORE IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS RELATED то THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA 1972.
THESE INCLUDED EXTENDING THE APPLICATION OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY) (DISTRESS SIGNALS AND PREVENTION OF COLLISIONS) REGULATIONS TO JUNKS AND TRAWLERS, AND TO LICENSED VESSELS WHILST OUTSIDE THE WATERS OF HONG KONG, AND INCREASING THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE REGULATIONS.
SHIPPING
"ANOTHER PROPOSAL IS TO ALLOW MORE FLEXIBILITY IN ADOPTING TECHNICAL STANDARDS UNDER THE SCHEDULES OF THE MERCHANT (SAFETY) REGULATIONS BY ALLOWING THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE TO PRESCRIBE SUCH STANDARDS, MRS CHAN SAID.
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MRS CHAN EXPLAINED THAT THE POWERS TO PRESCRIBE STANDARDS WERE CURRENTLY VESTED IN THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL.
TECHNICAL
"IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL MAY, IF HE THINKS FIT, DELEGATE SUCH POWERS TO THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE WHEN HE CONSIDERS THE ADOPTION OF FUTURE MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY) REGULATIONS," SHE SAID.
ΤΟ STREAMLINE OPERATIONS, MRS CHAN SAID IT WAS ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, RATHER THAN THE SECRETARY FOR RCONOMIC SERVICES, SHOULD BE GIVEN POWERS ΤΟ GRANT EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY) ORDINANCE AND ITS REGULATIONS.
"THESE EXEMPTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE GRANTED ON CONDITION THAT THE SAFETY OF THE SHIPS CONCERNED AND THE WELFARE OF THE CREW ON BOARD ARE NOT COMPROMISED," SHE SAID.
ON ANOTHER FRONT, MRS CHAN NOTED THAT EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT THE SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE FROM OVERSEAS MARITIME AUTHORITIES FREQUENTLY TOOK LONGER THAN THE CURRENT SIX-MONTH PERIOD WITHIN WHICH CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS MIGHT BE BROUGHT.
"THE ADMINISTRATION HAS THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT THE TIME LIMIT FOR
THE INITIATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR OFFENCES AGAINST THE TWO ORDINANCES SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO TWO YEARS FOR OFFENCES COMMITTED OUTSIDE HONG KONG, SHE SAID.
/OTHER MINOR..