Port Chaplain – Stella Maris
I have a list of complaints from seafarers and every time I ask, ‘Would you still continue to work?’, they say yes! Despite all the cases of delayed or non-payment of salary, and verbal or physical abuse, they continue working. The risk of losing employment is a major factor. As fishers in the Philippines, they would hardly earn about a month’s salary that they receive as seafarers. Some might have a chance of better employment back home, but they still continue working on ships. This situation really bothers me. Why do the fishers decide to continue working on the fishing and shipping vessels in spite of all the difficulties that they suffer onboard?