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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1975.
MACAU FERRY TERMINAL PASSENGER CHARGE REVISED
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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT, WITH EFFECT FROM FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 26) THE PRESENT EMBARKATION AND DIS- EMBARKATION FEES WHICH WERE INCREASED AS PART OF THE 1975 BUDGET WOULD BE REDUCED BY 20 PER CENT AND CONSOLIDATED INTO A SINGLE EMBARKATION FEE.
EXPLAINING THE REDUCTION IN THE FEES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FEWER PASSENGERS HAD BEEN TRAVELLING TO MACAU SINCE SEPTEMBER 1974, AND THIS DECLINE COINCIDED WITH THE ECONOMIC RECESSION IN HONG KONG.
MACAU IS ALSO GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT PHASE ECONOMICALLY, AND AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO REDUCE THE FEES CHARGED.
AT THE SAME TIME THE OPPORTUNITY WAS BEING TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT A SUGGESTION FROM THE FERRY COMPANIES THAT, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, ONE EMBARKATION FEE SHOULD BE PAYABLE IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN SEPARATE FEES ON EMBARKATION AND DISEMDARKATION.
THE SPOKESMAN CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT THE EFFECT OF BOTH. THE REDUCTION IN FEES AND THE NEW SYSTEM OF PAYMENT WOULD BE THAT ON TICKETS COSTING MORE THAN $12 SINGLE (OR $24 RETURN) THERE WOULD BE AN EMBARKATION FEE OF $8- AND ON TICKETS COSTING $12 OR LESS SINGLE ($24 OR LESS RETURN) THE FEE WOULD BE $3.20.
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