MEMBERS of the public are being urged to ensure they adhere to and practise safety at all times while traveling this festive season.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) in a statement issued this afternoon says the call comes after its enforcement officers conducting boarding operations highlighted several issues during its festive season operation.
MSAF’s acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Philip Hill said a reoccurring problem is that individuals organising charted trips are not listing children between the ages of one and five on their passengers list, which is causing problems for enforcements officers during routine boarding checks.
“We are talking about safety and in any case there is an accident out at sea, children above the age of one are supposed to have their own life jackets, those below the age of one can be supported by an accompanying adult,” Capt Hill said.
“That is why members of the public are required to register any child above the age of 1 as a passenger, this is for safety reasons.”
Meanwhile members of the public are advised that any child above the age of one (1yr-old) is counted as a passenger and those below the age of one (1yr-old) are regarded as a minor, this as stipulated in the Maritime Transport Act 2013.
Therefore, any child above the age of one is required to be registered as a paying passenger.
MSAF enforcement officers on duty at Port Mua-i-Walu last night were left with no choice but to withhold clearance for a charted trip to proceed after members of the public wanting to board the vessel did not register children on the list submitted to key agencies.
MSAF will not hesitate to withhold clearance for any vessel that does not comply with the necessary requirements prior to departure as it will not risk endangering people’s lives during the journey.
