THE Marine Department allowed troubled casino ship the Delfin Star to set sail last night despite having doubts that two Burmese engineers on board were properly qualified.
The Bahamanian-registered passenger vessel was detained at Ocean Terminal on Tuesday night when checks with the Burmese Government revealed that certificates carried by two engineers were invalid.
However, the Burmese Consulate in Hong Kong entered the dispute yesterday afternoon and claimed the certificates of engineers Khin Maung Htay and Muang Than Aung were valid.
The Marine Department then said it had no choice but to honour the authorisation given by the consulate and allow the ship to leave with 78 Hong Kong passengers on board.
'Although we are still doubtful about the certificates of these officers, we will honour the words of [Burmese] Consul-General Hong Kong,' said Marine Department senior surveyor Chick King-fai in a fax to the ship's managers MSL Shipmanagement.
But he said he would again contact the Burmese Government to 'clarify the different information provided by them'.
