XN000022-1977-09-22 — Page 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1977

LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT TO HELP

FISHERMEN CLAIM COMPENSATION OVER OIL SPILLAGE

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SOK KWU WAN FISH FARMERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THEIR OWN LAWYERS TO PRESS COMPENSATION CLAIMS OVER THE OIL SPILLAGE FROM THE DANISH FREIGHTER +ADRIAN MAERSK+ WERE TODAY ADVISED TO APPROACH THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY.

THE DISTRICT OFFICER, ISLANDS, MR. VICTOR YUNG, TOLD THE FARMERS THAT THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT WOULD GIVE THEIR APPLICATIONS TOP PRIORITY.

+THE APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED AS SOON AS THE NECESSARY INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED TO ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO FORMULATE THEIR CLAIMS, MR. YUNG SAID.

IN THE MEANTIME THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY BEGAN HELPING THE FISH FARMERS AT SOK KWU WAN TO ASSESS THE IR LOSSES.

A TEAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT WAS AT SOK KWU WAN WEIGHING AND RECORDING FISH APPARENTLY KILLED BY THE SPILLAGE.

+THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL A COMPLETE RECORD OF THE AFFECTED STOCK IS OBTAINED, + MR. YUNG SAID.

+THE GOVERNMENT WILL REGISTER ALL CLAIMS MADE BY THE FISHERMEN,+

MR. YUNG SAID THAT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MAERSK LINE (HONG KONG) LTD. AT THE INVITATION OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE, WAS PRESENT AT TODAY'S RECORDING AND REGISTRATION EXERCISE.

TEAMS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WERE AT THE SCENE OF THE SPILLAGE TODAY TO CONTINUE THE MOPPING UP OPERATION TO CLEAR THE AREA OF THE OIL, MR. YUNG ADDED.

+THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS THE SPILLAGE CONTAINED AROUND THE TANKER, HE SAID. +THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT USED 100 FOAM SHEETS AROUND THE FORESHORES YESTERDAY TO SOAK UP THE SP ILLED OIL AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 700 SHEETS TO CONTINUE THE OPERATION.+

+THERE ARE MORE THAN 50 WORKERS FROM THE P.W.D. AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE WORKING FULL TIME ON THE CLEAN-UP AND WE WILL BE DOUBLING THE SIZE OF THIS TEAM TO GET THE JOB DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.+

MR. YUNG SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE ANY ESTIMATE

+ IT COULD BE SOME TIME OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE SPILLAGE. BEFORE ANY PROPER ASSESSMENT CAN BE MADE, + HE SAID.

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