XN000022-1990-11-12 — Page 3

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1990

GOVT STATEMENT ON VBP JUDGEMENT

AT THE SUPREME COURT TODAY

(MONDAY) JUDGEMENT WAS GIVEN IN FAVOUR OF A GROUP OF 111 VIETNAMESE IN THEIR CLAIM THAT THEY HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY DETAINED UNDER SECTION 13D(1) OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL STUDY THE DECISION VERY CLOSELY AND WILL CONSIDER WHETHER TO APPEAL.

THESE PEOPLE WILL BE EXAMINED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE AND WILL BE DETAINED PENDING THAT EXAMINATION. AS IT APPEARS THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO LAND IN HONG KONG, IT IS LIKELY THAT THEY WILL THEN BE DETAINED PENDING THEIR REMOVAL FROM HONG KONG.

STATEMENT ON MARINE DEPT'S DECISION CONCERNING SURVEYS OF SHIPS

ENQUIRIES,

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT CLARIFIES THAT THERE IS INDEED A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE SHIP SURVEYOR GRADE AND THEIR STAFF ASSOCIATION, ON THE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION TO FURTHER DELEGATE SURVEYS OF SHIPS JOINING THE NEW AUTONOMUS HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER WHICH WILL BE OPENED FOR BUSINESS ON DECEMBER MARINE OFFICERS ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE.

3 THIS YEAR,

AT THE MOMENT, MOST OF THE SURVEYS WHICH ARE ASSESSMENTS OF THE FITNESS OF A SHIP FOR REGISTRATION ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER ARE ALREADY DONE BY RECOGNISED PROFESSIONAL SURVEY AUTHORITIES WHICH ARE KNOWN AS CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES.

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION IN RESPONSE ΤΟ HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS' REQUEST IS TO ALLOW AUTHORISED CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES IN ADDITION TO THE DEPARTMENT TO UNDERTAKE THE FOLLOWING SURVEYS:

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

TELECOMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, AND

CREW ACCOMMODATION

IN OTHER WORDS, MARINE DEPARTMENT SURVEYORS WOULD NOT AS A RULE CONDUCT THESE SURVEYS BUT WOULD CARRY OUT A THOROUGH AUDIT INSPECTION OF ALL THE SURVEYS INCLUDING THE

CONDUCTED BY THE CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES.

ABOVE

/THIS IS