MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.56 p.m.

The Minister of State for Communications (Dr Ang Kok Peng): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The amendments to be made to the Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 172 of the Revised Edition) are a result of the transfer of certain functions of the Marine Department to the Port of Singapore Authority. This Bill proposes the following main changes:

(i) the function of the Director of Marine in granting port clearance to vessels to be transferred to the Port Master (clauses 10 and 31);

(ii) the examination and issue of certificates of competency as steersman to be the responsibility of the PSA (clauses 4 to 8 and 14);

(iii) the PSA to have general supervision over all matters relating to wrecks in Singapore waters (clauses 15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24 and 25);

(iv) the PSA to have jurisdiction over the licensing of harbour craft which operate solely within port limits (clause 37); and

(v) the Port Master to be empowered to detain or refuse port clearance to any ship which has failed to comply with our maritime laws (clause 33).

The following other changes are also proposed:-

(a) the licensing of pilgrim brokers by the Deputy Commissioner of Police to be transferred to the Pilgrimage Office of the Ministry of Social Affairs (clauses 11, 12 and 13);

(b) the Director of Marine or the Port Master to be empowered to prohibit any vessel from entering Singapore waters if it is not in the Republic's interest for the vessel to enter (clause 28). The purpose is to ensure that ships especially tankers which have suffered casualty may not be allowed to come in if there is risk of massive oil pollution.

The Marine Department staff, who are required to be transferred to the service of the PSA as a result of this exercise, will be transferred on terms as near as may be to those they had enjoyed immediately prior to their transfer (clause 45).

I am confident that all these changes will enhance the efficiency of the Port. The streamlining of the functions of the Marine Department and the PSA will bring about better co-ordination which will result in a better service to our port users.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, if I remember correctly, in the Light Dues (Repeal) Bill where provision is made for the staff of the Marine Department to be transferred to the PSA, the Minister of State said that the transfer will be "on terms no less favourable than those enjoyed by them" in the previous department. But in this Bill, the phraseology is a little different. The Minister of State said that the transfer will be "on terms as near as may be." I think that is not good enough because when staff is transferred, it should be on terms no less favourable than what they enjoy in the Marine Department. They are not responsible for the transfer from the Marine Department to the PSA.

Dr Ang Kok Peng: Mr Speaker, Sir, the intention is that the transfer is to be carried out in such a way that the staff will enjoy the benefits no less favourable than what they are enjoying at the moment.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Dr Ang Kok Peng].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.