XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS APART, IT WAS VERY MUCH IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT ALL PLEASURE CRAFT SHOULD BE LICENSED, SINCE A PRE-CONDITION FOR THE ISSUE OF LICENCE WAS THAT VESSEL OWNERS SHOULD HOLD THIRD PARTY INSURANCE.

THE PROPOSALS IN THE BILL ARE ALSO DESIGNED TO ASSIST IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF SPEED LIMITS RECENTLY INTRODUCED IN CERTAIN WATERS IN HONG KONG.

+ IN SOME FLAGRANT VIOLATIONS OF THESE LIMITS, THE OFFENDING PLEASURE BOATS HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN LICENSED, MR DAVIES SAID.

TO THIS END, THE BILL WILL ENABLE REGULATIONS TO BE MADE FOR THE SEIZURE AND IMPOUNDING OF ANY UNLICENSED VESSELS, BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE WATERS OF HONG KONG FROM THE TIME THAT THEY ARE FIRST LAUNCHED.

IT WILL ALSO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WHICH MAY BE IMPOSED UPON THE MASTER AND OWNER OF AN UNLICENSED VESSEL TO A FINE OF $20 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR,

TO ASSIST IN THE FINDING AND REMOVAL OF UNLICENSED PLEASURE VESSELS OUT OF WATER, THE BILL INCLUDES NEW POWERS TO ENTER PREMISES, BUT SETS LIMITS ON THE EXERCISE OF THESE POWERS.

MR DAVIES SAID IT WAS PROPOSED THAT DOMESTIC PREMISES SHOULD ONLY BE ENTERED BY DAY AND WITH A WARRANT, AND THAT NON DOMESTIC PREMISES SHOULD BE ENTERED BY DAY WITHOUT A WARRANT AND BY NIGHT WITH WARRANT.

+I REALISE THAT SOME OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED IN THESE AMENDMENTS WILL BE REGARDED BY SOME AS BURDENSOME AND A BIT INCONVENIENT BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY REPRESENT THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TO COUNTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE HIGH-SPEED MOTOR BOAT INTO THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TRADE, HE SAID.

+ I HOPE THEREFORE THAT THE BOATING AND SAILING COMMUNITY WILL RESPOND TO THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS RESPONSIBILITY AND IN THIS WAY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE SECURITY OF HONG KONG.+

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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