XN000022-1983-04-12 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 1983 -

A LICENCE WILL BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN OCCUPANT OF A DWELLING VESSEL AND IT WILL NOT BE TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT IN THE DEATH OF THE LICENSEE, THE TRANSFEREE MUST BE THE NEXT-OF-KIN OR, IN THE CASE OF MORE THAN ONE FAMILY LIVING ON BOARD, A NOMINATED OCCUPANT WHO HAS BEEN LIVING ON THE BOAT SINCE THE TIME THAT THE LICENCE WAS FIRST ISSUED. NO FEE WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE ISSUE OF LICENCES.

THE REGULATIONS WILL EMPOWER THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE TO SEIZE, DETAIN OR ORDER THE REMOVAL OF AN UNLICENSED VESSEL FROM A CONTROLLED AREA. THE DIRECTOR WILL ALSO HAVE THE POWER TO EVICT ANY PERSON ON BOARD AND TO SELL THE VESSEL. PAYING THE PROCEEDS TO THE OWNER, OR TO DISPOSE OF IT IF THERE ARE NO BUYERS.

+THE FORFEITURE OF BOATS IS ESSENTIAL TO AVOID A PERPETUATION OF THE PRESENT PROBLEMS POSED BY DWELLING VESSELS,+ MR DAVY EXPLAINED. THEREFORE IT IS NECESSARY FOR MEASURES TO BE TAKEN AGAINST THE SUPPLY OF UNSEAWORTHY VESSELS FOR DWELLING PURPOSES AND THE RECYCLING OF SEIZED VESSELS WHICH HAVE BEEN SOLD.+

THE NEW LEGISLATION DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY CHANGE IN THE PRESENT POLICY FOR REHOUSING BOAT DWELLERS ON LAND.

IN ORDER TO RELIEVE THE HARDSHIP OF THOSE WHO ARE RENDERED GENUINELY HOMELESS AS A RESULT OF THEIR DWELLING VESSEL BEING FORFEITED, PEOPLE EVICTED UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WILL BE OFFERED TRANSIT ACCOMMODATION INITIALLY BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY THEY WILL BE PROVIDED WITH TEMPORARY HOUSING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE CONTROL MEASURES WILL BE INTRODUCED INITIALLY AT THE YAU MA TEI, TSING YI, CHEUNG CHAU AND TUEN MUN SHELTERS.

MR DAVY SAID LOCAL PUBLICITY WOULD BE MOUNTED TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE.

THE OCCUPANTS AND OWNER OF EACH DWELLING VESSEL INSIDE THE DESIGNATED AREAS WILL BE GIVEN A LETTER EXPLAINING THE DETAILS OF THE CONTROL SCHEME AND SETTING OUT THE PROCEDURES BY WHICH THEY MAY APPLY FOR A LICENCE. APPLICANTS WILL BE INTERVIEWED IN DUE COURSE IN ORDER TO RECORD DETAILS OF THE VESSELS AND PARTICULARS OF THE OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS. UPON COMPLETION OF THE INTERVIEWS AND THE ALLOCATION OF DESIGNATED MOORING PLACES, LICENCES WILL BE ISSUED AND LICENCE NUMBERS WILL BE PAINTED ON THE VESSELS BY OFFICERS OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WILL MAINTAIN A PATROLLING PRESENCE IN THE FOUR TYPHOON SHELTERS ON A PERMANENT BASIS. THE CONTROLS WILL BE EXTENDED TO OTHER AREAS AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE OBTAINED.

THE BOUNDARIES OF PRESCRIBED AREAS AND AREAS CLOSED TO UNLICENSED DWELLING VESSELS WILL BE DELINEATED ON PLANS DEPOSITED IN THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS AND THESE WILL BE OPEN FOR INSPECTION. ALSO COPIES OF THESE PLANS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE NEAREST MARINE DEPARTMENT STATION.

/MH DAVY