Under the ordinance, all Hong Kong seafarers currently registered under the Merchant Shipping (Recruiting of Seamen) Ordinance and those unregistered seafarers now being employed on coastal-going ships must be re-registered if they intend to continue serving in the seafaring profession.
They should apply to the Superintendent, Mercantile Marine Office, Marine Department, for registration between September 2, 1996, and September 1, 1997. If they are employed on foreign-going ships, they should apply within one month after being discharged from a ship returning to Hong Kong.
The spokesman stressed that the re-registration was a must to keep the seafarers in the profession.
He said: "Employers and families of Hong Kong seafarers are advised to inform Hong Kong seafarers of the changes if they are now serving on board foreign- going ships."
Further details concerning the re-registration are available at the Mercantile Marine Office of the Marine Department on 2852 3061 during office hours.
End
50,000th VM to return home voluntarily
The 50,000th Vietnamese voluntary returnee from Hong Kong will be departing for Hanoi tomorrow (Friday).
The Government is pleased to note that by then, over 50,000 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) from Hong Kong will have returned to Vietnam under the UNHCR's Voluntary Repatriation Programme since the programme started in March 1989.
A government spokesman today (Thursday) thanked UNHCR for successfully operating the Voluntary Repatriation Programme over the last seven years.
said.
"The programme is a key element in the resolution of the VM problem," he
The plane carrying the 50,000th voluntary returnee will be seen off tomorrow at the Hong Kong International Airport by the acting Chief of Mission of the UNHCR, Mr Nikola Mihajlovic, and Head of UNHCR's Durable Solution Section, Ms Preeta Law.