SEAFARERS' WELFARE BOARD BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

11.38 a.m.

The Minister for Commerce and Industry (Mr J. M. Jumabhoy): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

In October 1953 at the Asian Maritime Conference held at Nuwara Eliya in Ceylon, a resolution was adopted calling upon all Asian governments, in consultation with shipowners and seafarers, to set up welfare boards for their seamen. In Singapore up to the present moment, Sir, there is no Port Welfare Committee as such and the Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund Committee, which has been established under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, has been trying to perform that function as best it could. There are, Sir, about 8,000 inhabitants of Singapore who work on board ships and it was therefore clearly desirable that a body be constituted which would look after the welfare of seamen in a positive manner and on which the seamen themselves would be represented. My predecessor, Sir, the Member for Cairnhill, therefore, having regard to this desirability and also the resolution passed at the Nuwara Eliya Conference, appointed a committee in September 1955 to consider the setting up of an organisation for port welfare work in Singapore, and the Bill that is now before hon. Members embodies the recommendations made in the Report of that Committee. I wish to convey my thanks to that Committee, Sir.

It is now proposed that this Board should administer the Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund, but the Government has also seen to it that the proposals would not interfere with the considerable autonomy of existing organisations which, in most cases, are supported by voluntary contributions. One aspect, however, Sir, which I wish to emphasise in this legislation is that the Board is being empowered to assist in activities directed at providing training facilities for seafarers or persons intending to become seafarers. I am sure this will be welcomed by hon. Members.

Though the Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund Committee has up to a certain extent been able to perform the function of co-ordinating the activities of various bodies engaged in welfare work, yet there are certain shortcomings which it is desired to remedy through this Bill. In brief, these shortcomings are that the title of the Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund Committee does not convey much to the ordinary seafarer and, as such, it is something which is remote to him. The constitution of the Mercantile Marine Fund Committee does not provide for representation of seafarers whose welfare was the concern of the Committee. This is a glaring defect and not in accordance with democratic principles. Also the Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund Committee would not of its own accord go out of its way to cover the exploration of new fields of seafarers' welfare and the creation of means to meet such new requirements. Thus this Committee performs its functions in a negative way. The proposed Board would be able to perform its functions in a more positive manner.

Sir, this is a relatively simple Bill and therefore it does not call for comment clause by clause; but I would like to draw the attention of hon. Members particularly to two clauses.

Clause 3, the title of "the Seafarers' Welfare Board" is an apt one in that it establishes beyond doubt that the work of the Board will be confined to seafarers and not to port workers generally.

Clause 4 (1) provides for the membership of the Board. It provides for four Government members, four representatives of shipowners' associations, and four seafarers' representatives. It also provides for four members of religious organisations, as opposed to one in the present Singapore Mercantile Marine Fund Committee, and it is hoped that by this provision various religious groups may be able to appoint representatives on the Board, so that the religious requirements of seafarers may be catered for more efficiently. An unofficial ladies' organisation called the Singapore Seafarers Entertainment Committee has up to now been performing valuable work among seafarers, and it is felt that it would be advantageous to include two ladies with experience of this type of welfare work amongst the members of the Board, and therefore there is provision for the inclusion of two ladies to be members of this Board.

Sir, I am sure the House will welcome this Bill which sets up the proper machinery for the welfare of seafarers in Singapore. Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

11.44 a.m.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, in welcoming this Bill, which seems to me to be realistic and practical, I only want to make one point. In clause 4 (1) (d) is stated "the Board shall consist of four persons representing seafarers." The definition of "seafarer" at the top of page 2 means "a master, officer, seaman or apprentice who is ordinarily employed on board local trade, home trade or foreign trade ships...". May I suggest to the Minister that it might be reasonable that, of those four persons representing seafarers, two should be selected from the master/ officer group and two from the seaman or apprentice group, so that all interests can be represented on the Board?

11.45 a.m.

Mr Marshall: If it please you, Mr Speaker, Sir, I am happy to support this measure which seeks to co-ordinate the somewhat sectional approach to the welfare of seafarers in the past. There is considerable room, Sir, for assisting our seafarers and I am particularly happy to note clause 6 (a) (ii) which gives the Board powers to provide for training facilities for those who desire to be seafarers and for seafarers themselves.

I am also happy to note the provision for four persons representing seafarers on this Board. I have no doubt whatsoever that the Minister, in making the appointments, will consult the relevant trade unions, both of masters and officers and of seamen, before making the appointments.

This measure is late, Sir, but I am glad to see that it has finally arrived before this House. I do hope and I do believe that an organisation of this nature will not only be able to coordinate the activities now in existence, but will also be able to infuse a new spirit in the approach to the seafarers' problem and that we will have in that field that necessary element of anxious search for opportunities to raise their educational and their economic level. I do congratulate the Government on bringing this Bill before the House.

11.47 a.m.

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy rose -

Mr Speaker: Mr Minister, in reply?

Mr J. M. Jumabhoy: Yes, Sir. I will take into consideration the point raised by the Member for Tanglin which is also endorsed by the Member for Cairnhill, and I will consult the respective trade unions when representations are made; but I do not promise that I will have the ratio of two in the officer category and two in the seaman category.

Sir, I also wish to reciprocate the congratulations given by the Member for Cairnhill in that he was primarily responsible for setting up that committee, and I think he should get a share of the credit which Government will get out of this measure.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time.