Seafarers’ group calls for MARINA head’s resignation March 20, 2014 3:14pm 53 42 0 140 Pinoy seafarers condemn MARINA for alleged mismanagement Pinoy seafarers condemn MARINA for alleged mismanagement. Members of the United Filipino Seafarers union rally in front of the Maritime Industry Authority office in Manila on Wednesday, March 19, to protest the alleged mishandling of the Philippine shipping industry. The group also protested the plight of seafarers and the alleged overall mismanagement by administrator Maximo Mejia. Danny Pata A group of seafarers has appealed to President Benigno Aquino III to replace Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) head Maximo Mejia for alleged incompetence. In a statement Thursday, the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) also urged Mejia to resign for his agencys alleged failure to confront the problems hounding the seafaring industry. “Dapat mag-resign na si Admin. Maximo Mejia para maligtas ang industriya o para kay Pangulong Aquino palitan na ito dahil namamatay ang industriya sa pamumuno niya,” said UFS president Nelson Ramirez. To voice their “disgust,” the group rallied in front of the MARINA office in Manila last Tuesday. GMA News Online tried to reach Mejia for his comment, but was told by his office that he was in London. According to Mejias executive secretary, Engr. Ramon Hernandez, no official statement will be released until Mejias return to the Philippines. Bleak future In their statement, Ramirez said long lines, long processing times, and a sub-par replacement of an international standard foreshadows a “bleak future” for the shipping industry under Mejias administration. “The Filipino seafarers are disgusted... over the lack of foresight of MARINA to confront problems and provide solutions and worried that if such incompetence continues, we will end up with no jobs,” he said. UFS and MARINA butted heads earlier this month over the lack of SIRBs, or Seafarers Identification and Record Books (SIRB), which serves as a seafarers identification papers while serving on ships. According to UFSs latest statement, MARINAs temporary replacement, the Seafarers Identification Record Sheet (SIRS), will “embarrass” seafarers before foreign ports and immigration authorities. — Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:22:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015