XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

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MOVE TO STOP SPEEDBOATS CARRYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

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A BILL WHICH SEEKS TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF VESSELS REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981, IF PASSED, WILL ALSO ENABLE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO RESTRICT THE USE OF UNLICENSED MOTORISED PLEASURE CRAFT, INCLUDING THOSE EASILY REMOVED FROM THE WATER AND TRANSPORTED OR STORED ON LAND.

IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAD PARTICULARS OF SOME 6 000 PLEASURE CRAFT AND THEIR OWNERS ON THE IR FILES. MANY OF THESE WERE OUT OF DATE.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THERE WERE BELIEVED TO BE ANOTHER 3 000 PLEASURE VESSELS WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN LICENSED.

+THIS SITUATION HAS ARISEN MOSTLY DUE TO IGNORANCE AND FORGETFULNESS BUT ALSO DUE TO THE INADEQUACY OF THE SANCTIONS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE LICENSING PROVISIONS IN THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (PLEASURE VESSELS) REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL ORDINANCE, + HE SAID.

+ IN OUR SITUATION THIS IS UNSATISFACTORY AND UNACCEPTABLE ESPECIALLY AS SOME PLEASURE VESSELS, ESPECIALLY SPEEDBOATS, HAVE BEEN AND ARE BEING USED TO BRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA AND MACAU.✦

MR DAVIES SAID THE SECURITY FORCES HAD HAD SOME NOTABLE SUCCESS IN ARRESTING VESSELS INVOLVED IN THIS TRADE. SINCE THE ACTIVITY STARTED, 79 SPEEDBOATS HAVE BEEN DETAINED IN SECURITY FORCE OPERATIONS, 24 CASES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS AND 250 PERSONS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

+HOWEVER ON OCCASIONS, THESE VESSELS HAVE EVADED ARREST OR HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AFTER DETECTION. IN SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THE OWNERS BECAUSE THE VESSELS HAVE NOT BEEN LICENSED.+

AS PART OF ITS CONTINUING OPERATIONS TO PREVENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE STEPS TO PUT AN END TO THIS TRAFFIC, MR DAVIES SAID.

/HE ALSO