XN000022-1990-11-28 — Page 24

23

THE

URGING PARTICIPANTS OF THE 1990 SEATRADE HONG KONG CONFERENCE TO VISIT THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S STAND IN THE EXHIBITION HALL OF HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, MRS CHAN POINTED OUT

THOUGH EVEN THE REGISTER WAS NOT ESTABLISHED TO RAISE REVENUE, GOVERNMENT EXPECTED IT TO BE SELF-FINANCING.

IN

THAT THE

"WE WILL ALSO SHORTLY BE INTRODUCING EXEMPTION FROM PROFITS TAX SHIPS RESPECT OF GOODS UPLIFTED IN HONG KONG BY OCEAN-GOING REGISTERED ON THE NEW REGISTER, AND FROM THE CHARTER HIRE OF GOING SHIPS, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE SHIPS ARE REGISTERED IN KONG.

OCEAN- HONG

"THIS EXEMPTION IS AN EXCEPTIONAL ARRANGEMENT WHICH WILL GIVE A KONG FURTHER BOOST TO THE NEW REGISTER AND THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF HONG GENERALLY AS A SHIPPING CENTRE,' SHE SAID.

**

CHAN

GROWING

ON THE SUPPLY OF AND DEMAND FOR QUALIFIED SEAFARERS, MRS

A SAID: "AS RECENT FORECASTS INDICATE THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT SHORTAGE OF SEAFARERS WORLDWIDE, HONG KONG WILL NOT BE IMMUNE.

"SO IN PARALLEL

NEW WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF REGISTER, WE ARE REMOVING THE NATIONALITY RESTRICTIONS ON THE

SENIOR

SHIPOWNERS AND

OFFICERS OF HONG KONG SHIPS TO ALLOW

SHE ADDED. FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR CHOICE OF QUALIFIED SEAFARERS,

THE

SHIPPING MASTER GREATER

COULD TO AND

AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING WHAT IT IMPROVE THE EXISTING FACILITIES FOR THE TRAINING OF BOTH OFFICERS RATINGS, MRS CHAN SAID.

"THE

WHICH

NAUTICAL

RANGE THE HIGHEST SCIENCE

FROM

INSTITUTIONS CONCERNED OFFER COURSES BASIC TRAINING IN SHIPBOARD SAFETY AND SEA SURVIVAL TO PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS IN MARINE ENGINEERING,

AND RADIO-COMMUNICATIONS.

"THE CURRICULA FOR THE PROFESSIONAL COURSES HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, MODERNISED AND RE-ARRANGED TO ALIGN THEM WITH THE LATEST INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE NECESSARY EXAMINATIONS HAS BEEN IMPROVED," SHE SAID.

ON THE LOCALISATION OF MERCHANT SHIPPING LEGISLATION, SAID HONG KONG WAS MAKING STEADY PROGRESS.

AS

MRS CHAN

SHIPPING

BUT, THAT OUR

BRITISH "AT THE MOMENT HONG KONG RELIES HEAVILY ON LEGISLATION. THIS HAS STOOD US IN GOOD STEAD FOR OVER A CENTURY

WITH THE SHIPPING REGISTER, WE MUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS SO ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS CAN MAKE THE TRANSITION IN 1997.

"HONG KONG NEEDS ITS OWN FRAMEWORK OF MERCHANT LEGISLATION. WE THEREFORE BEGAN SOME YEARS AGO THE JOB OF THE VAST AMOUNT OF BRITISH LEGISLATION COVERING SAFETY STANDARDS, CREW AND CONTROL, WELFARE, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, POLLUTION PREVENTION CARRIAGE OF GOODS AND NUMEROUS OTHER TECHNICAL SUBJECTS.

SHIPPING LOCALISING

WITH THE "THIS EXERCISE IS BEING UNDERTAKEN IN CONSULTATION

LAWS GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. SOME LOCALISED

FORTHCOMING," SHE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENACTED AND MANY OTHERS WILL BE SAID.

/24