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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986
+PASSENGER SAFETY MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ALLOWING SAMPAN OPERATORS TO EARN MORE MONEY, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN WAS COMMENTING ON PRESS REPORTS THAT SAMP AN OPERATORS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT WHAT THEY CLAIMED TO BE +LATEST RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR OPERATIONS+ WHICH TOOK EFFECT FROM SATURDAY.
HE SAID THESE SAMPANS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO CARRY PASSENGERS OUTSIDE TYPHOON SHELTERS. + IT IS DANGEROUS TO ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE OUTSIDE THE LIMITS.+
ADDITIONALLY, THE OPERATORS WERE NOT QUALIFIED TO OPERATE OUTSIDE SPECIFIC RESTRICTED AREAS SUCH AS TYPHOON SHELTERS AND SUCH ACTIONS WERE DANGEROUS. TWO RECENT FATAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVED UNDER-QUALIFIED OPERATORS.
+THE SAMPAN WHICH RECENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE CHINESE PASSENGER SHIP NEAR LEI-U-MUN WITH THE LOSS OF TWO CHILDREN WAS OPERATED BY A PERSON WHO WAS ONLY QUALIFIED TO OPERATE WITHIN A TYPHOON SHELTER.
+SIMILARLY A SMALL FISHING VESSEL CAPSIZED IN AUGUST NEAR TAP MUN WITH LOSS OF LIFE. THE OPERATOR WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO OPERATE IN THAT AREA BUT WAS RESTRICTED TO AN AREA NEAR TAI PO,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE REFUTED A SUGGESTION THAT THE REGULATIONS WOULD DEPRIVE PEOPLE OF A CONVENIENT TRANSPORT BETWEEN THE SHORE AND OTHER VESSELS.
THESE PEOPLE, SUCH AS CREWMEN AND EMPLOYERS OF BARGES, COULD AND SHOULD TAKE OTHER FORMS OF SEA TRANSPORT, WHEN TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF TYPHOON SHELTERS THEY SHOULD USE PROPERLY LICENSED PASSENGER CARRYING LAUNCHES WHICH ARE READILY AVAILABLE.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT IF SAMPAN OPERATORS WANTED TO CARRY PASSENGERS OUTSIDE THE TYPHOON SHELTER, THEY WOULD HAVE TO UPGRADE THEIR SAFETY STANDARD AND MEET THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (LAUNCHES AND FERRY VESSELS) REGULATIONS.
PASSENGER CARRYING SAMPANS LICENSED UNDER THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (MISCELLANEOUS CRAFT) REGULATIONS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE BANNED FROM WATERS OUTSIDE THE TYPHOON SHELTERS AND OUTSIDE MINOR PORTS,
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