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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1978
MTR COMPENSATION FURTHER IMPROVED TO OVERCOME HARDSHIP
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THE GOVERNMENT, TO HELP EASE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP CAUSED TO SHOP OPERATORS AND OTHER BUSINESSES BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, HAS INTRODUCED A NEW COMPENSATION SCHEME TO OFFSET BUSINESS LOSSES.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THIS WOULD ALLOW BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OR TEMPORARY ALTERATION OF A STREET TO MAKE PERIODIC OR STAGED CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION ON AN EX-GRATIA BASIS WHILE WORK IS IN PROGRESS,
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE NEW ARRANGEMENT WAS BEING INTRODUCED BECAUSE THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE ONLY ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO MAKE ONE CLAIM FOR LOSSES AND PREVENTS THEM FROM MAKING CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ESTIMATED FUTURE LOSSES.
+DESPITE THE INTRODUCTION OF AN ADVANCE COMPENSATION SCHEME IN 1976, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT A FURTHER SCHEME IS REQUIRED TO ENABLE SHOP OPERATORS SUFFERING HARDSHIP TO MAKE PERIODIC CLAIMS, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENT APPLIES ONLY TO PECUNIARY LOSSES AS SET OUT IN ITEM FOUR OF PART I OF THE FIRST SCHEDULE OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE AND THAT ALL PAYMENTS WOULD BE EX-GRATIA BECAUSE THEY FELL OUTSIDE THE TERMS OF THE ORDINANCE.
BUSINESSES WISHING TO MAKE CLAIMS FOR PERIODIC PAYMENTS SHOULD SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
INFORMATION SUPPORTING EACH CLAIM SHOULD BE THE SAME AS
THAT SET OUT IN SECTION 21(1) OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CLAIMS WOULD NORMALLY ONLY BE ACCEPTED FROM BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION WORK FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS.
HOWEVER, CLAIMS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED, AT THE GOVERNMENT'S DISCRETION, IF THEY WERE MADE FOR A SHORTER PERIOD WHICH ENDED A FINANCIAL YEAR AND WHICH WERE SUPPORTED BY ACCOUNTS MADE UP TO THAT DATE.
COMPENSATION PAID UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ASSESSING ANY FUTURE STATUTORY CLAIM AND CLAIMANTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SIGN AN UNDETAK ING AUTHORISING A DEDUCTION OF ANY EX-GRATIA PAYMENT.
BUSINESS OPERATORS REQUIRING FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENT SHOULD CONTACT THE NEAREST CITY DISTRICT OFFICE OR IN THE CASE OF TSUEN WAN, THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICE.