Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) (Fees) Regulation
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Gordon Siu, in the motion on the Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) (Fees) Regulation in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
First, I'd like to take up Mrs Chow's point that the Administration stands ready, stands ready, to come back and provide any justification, any fact, any figures needed with the hope that we will convince members that what we have proposed is fair and reasonable. If I may, Mr President, I just like to make a few points on the motion.
Firstly, the Motion proposes the repeal of several items of legislation where no increases are actually sought in the fees charged these items concern fees for miscellaneous services set under section 8 of the Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) (Fees) Regulation and fees payable in relation to crew accommodation under Part I of the Schedule to this regulation. These are existing fees, presently included in regulations made under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, and they are transferred to the new Seafarer's Ordinance. The Motion, in effect, asks Members to repeal fees which have already been agreed by this Council and which have been in force for some months. Moreover, all fee items under section 8 and Part I of the Schedule are paid by shipping companies in respect of services. The livelihood of seafarers are in no way affected.
Secondly, the Motion proposes the repeal of the great majority of fees to be set under the Seafarers' Ordinance and the Merchant Shipping Ordinance where fee increases are indeed proposed.
The consequence of this motion would be two-fold:
firstly, if Members were to vote today to repeal fees for miscellaneous services provided under the Seafarers' Ordinance, the Director of Marine would no longer have the ability to charge any fee for any such miscellaneous service under that Ordinance.