Examination for licence

(1) The Pilotage Committee shall examine candidates to be licensed as pilots and on being satisfied as to a candidate’s general fitness and competency, including physical fitness to act as a pilot may, on behalf of the Authority, issue to him a licence to act as such, and such licence may contain such conditions as the Pilotage Committee may think fit. (2) Subject to this Part, every pilot who immediately prior to the coming into operation of this Part is performing the duties of a pilot, shall be deemed to be qualified as a pilot and the Pilotage Committee shall, on behalf of the Authority, issue to every such pilot a licence to act as a pilot subject to such conditions as the Pilotage Committee may impose. (3) Every pilot shall, whenever the Pilotage Committee considers that owing to changed conditions or for whatever other sufficient reason the further testing of the knowledge, efficiency or physical fitness of any such pilot is necessary, present himself for further examination, and shall in every such case first deposit with the Pilotage Committee his licence issued by the Pilotage Committee on behalf of the Authority, which may be returned or cancelled by the said Committee on behalf of the Authority, as the result of such test or examination determines. (4) The Authority shall not continue to employ as a pilot any pilot whose licence to act as such is cancelled as the result 41 of any test or examination carried out or held under the provisions of subsection (3) of this section. (5) Any licence issued under this section shall cease to be valid upon the cancellation of the said licence by the (6) No person who has not been granted a licence or whose licence has been cancelled by the Authority may continue to act as a pilot. Any person who does so commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction to six months imprisonment and a fine of one thousand dollars. (7) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent any person from rendering assistance to a vessel in distress or in circumstances making it necessary for the master to avail himself of the best assistance which can be found at the time until duly relieved by a qualified pilot.