Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Jan 20: The Seafarers Confederation of India (SCI) has once again requested the Member of Parliament, Bishnu Pada Ray to take the matter of engaging Merchant Navy Officers in ships of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, directly on direct contract.
In a letter addressed to the MP the General Secretary of Seafarers Confederation of India, Mr. Liju Thankachan added that in-house manning process will benefit the Island Seafarers, who are working hard on ships, to get the correct salaries fixed by the A&N Administration.
In his letter Mr. Liju Thankachan added that by realizing the problem being facing by local Merchant navy officers, the former Lt. Governor on 28 may 2014in the interest of local officers and to save huge public money being paid to Pvt. Manning agents for manning 17 Nos. ships of A&N Administration, had directed Directorate of shipping services(DSS) to set-up a separate cell to undertake the officers manning for Foreshore sector ships directly so that locally available merchant navy officers can be engaged on ships of Andaman Administration directly on direct contract basis between seafarers and DSS, removing intermediaries.
“But the concerned department did not take any step in this regard so far and now extended the contract period of present manning agent with the approval of new Lt Governor keeping him in dark. It is crystal clear that some officers of the concerned department want to support the present manning agent who somehow getting manning contract of 17 nos. ships of DSS from last more than 10 years,” he said.
