TNAG-2308-FCO40-3345-Future-of-Hong-Kong-shipping-register-1991 — Page 220

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Clearly defined powers should be given to the Board such as, inter alia, power to hold inquiries into the shipping industry, to call witnesses, to review the decision to deal with an officer's certificate and to recommend policy directions to Government.

J

The Government should not be represented on the Board with the exception, perhaps, of a Legal Department representative who should attend Board Meetings solely in an advisory capacity. The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong Association of Banks should also be excluded as they are considered to be sufficiently represented in the membership of the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association. The other proposed bodies should be kept. In addition, since these bodies are interest groups having sectional and sometimes conflicting interests, a balance should be provided by the inclusion of representatives from the well-established, world-wide professional bodies such as the Nautical Institute, the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and the Institute of Marine Engineers. A wide, non-sectional experience can thus be brought to bear on deliberations of the Board. Furthermore, the Branch should include a representative from the PRC. There should also be included representatives from the officers' and ratings' training facilities (since Nautical Training and Certification will perforce be an important part of any shipping policy).

The main Shipping Advisory Board should be kept small in the interests of efficient operation. It should be supported by a number of small, expert committees, each concerned with its specific area of expertise and each permitted to co-opt ad hoc members from outside the Board if additional expertise is required.

The Chairman should be neither from Government nor from any interest groups especially not from representatives of shipowners. The Chairman should be someone of the stature of Mr. H.M.G. Forsgate, J.P., C.B.E., who has proven experience in this type of statutory corporation and who is at the same time a qualified Master-Mariner. (NI)

Classification societies should be represented on the

Board. (BV)

There should be social welfare representative on the Board to look after the welfare of seafarers. (MSAS)