By JULIA DAIA BORE
THE PNG Maritime Workers Union has called on the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to immediately remove Hamish Sharp as chairman of the National Maritime & Safety Authority (NMSA).
The union has also demanded the removal of the Registration of Pacific Registry of Ships (PRS), ensure the Lae Express owned by Mr Sharp’s company Bismarck Shipping be immediately registered in PNG, and that there is a representative of seafarers on the NMSA board.
The union leaders last Friday threatened to mobilise its 2,000 members to take industrial action if the Government failed to act on its grievances.
John Mahuk, the interim chairman of the PNG Maritime & Transport Workers Union said there was something fishy when the Lae Express, owned by Mr Sharp and his Bismarck Shipping company is plying the PNG waters when it flying the Tongan flag, where it was registered.
He said this was because the ship was manned by PNG workers and there was a possibility of the owner applying the Tongan by-laws which would mean lower wages and terms and conditions for the ship’s Papua New Guinean seafarers.
He said if the PNG workers on the Lae Express chose to dispute their wages or terms and conditions, it would not legally stick as the ship is registered under Tongan laws and PNG laws does not apply.
He said PNG awards demanded superior and higher wages for its workers compared to the smaller Pacific islands countries.
On its grievance over PRS, the union is claiming that PRS is duplicating the role and functions of the Department of Transport.
“There is already a National Maritime Safety office within the Department of Transport, whose functions are to see to the registering of ships,” Mr Mahuk said.
He said if the Prime Minister was being “misled to buy shares in PRS, it is disgraceful of his advisers,” he said.
Mr Mahuk said the union was against Mr Sharp heading the NMSA because as the owner of the Bismarck Shipping, he would have a conflict of interest as chairman of NMSA.
“He therefore must not hold the chairmanship of the NMSA,” Mr Mahuk said.