TNAG-0358-FCO40-394-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 109

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WOULD ASSUME THAT BOTH GOVERNMENTS MUST TAKE THE FIRST

STEPS TO PROVIDE A STATUTORY EASIS. GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO

TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN ALLOCATING THE MANPOWER REQUIRED TO

IMPLEMENT THE RULES, AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS WILL CERTAINLY

BE SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN WHAT IS PRESENTLY AVAILABLE

TO SERVE BASICALLY ONLY HONG KONG'S PORT NEEDS, THE FUNDS

TO COVER THE COST OF THIS ADDITIONAL FORCE OF TECHNICAL AND

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFS WILL NECESSARILY HAVE TO COME PARTLY

FROM THE REVENUE OF A FEE STRUCTURE THAT WILL NEED REVISION

FROM THE PRESENT LOW LEVELS, GOVERNMENT WILL PROBABLY

ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR IN CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE INDUSTRY

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A WIDER RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN

HONG KONG NOW, WHILE WE ARE PROUD OF OUR COLLEGES AND UNI-

VERSITIES, HONG KONG DOES HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE NUMBER

OF GRADUATES IN THE ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES THAN GRADUATES

OF LOCAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH TEACH ESSENTIALLY APPLIED TECHNICAL

SKILLS, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND THE EMERGING POLYTECHNIC

MUST BE MENTIONED, BUT THEY ALONE ARE PROBABLY INADEQUATE

IN THE LONG RUN TO SATISFY THE INDUSTRY'S HUNGER FOR WELL-

TRAINED NAVIGATORS, ENGINEERS AND SKILLED SAILORS, HONG KONG

ALSO SEEMS TO LACK SUFFICIENT FACILITIES FOR CONCENTRATED

COMMERCIAL STUDIES AT THE UNDER -GRADUATE AND GRADUATE

LEVELS, AND STUDIES ABROAD ARE NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER.

I

BELIEVE THE CREATION OF A "HONG KONG FLEET" WOULD BE A GREAT

INCENTIVE ALSO IN THIS RESPECT, AND PERHAPS MAKE A CAREER AT

SEA AGAIN A DESIRABLE GOAL FOR MORE YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT ONLY

BECAUSE OF PECUNIARY GAINS BUT BECAUSE THE SOPHISTICATION

OF ADVANCED TECHNICAL SYSTEMS ABOARD MODERN SHIPS, AND THE

INTRICATE PROBLEMS OF MODERN MANAGEMENT ARE NOT ONLY FULLY