ON
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE DISQUALIFICATION OF DRIVING LICENCES IN RELATION TO OFFENCES UNDER THE BILL SHOULD BE LIMITED TO A DRIVER'S +TAXI-DRIVING+ AND NOT HIS DRIVING LICENCE,
MR. CHARLES YEUNG COULD SEE NO REASON WHY THE ISSUING OF NEW LICENCES AT NIL PREMIUM FOR NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS HAD TO BE WITHHELD ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SYSTEM HAD PROVED A SUCCESS.
HE BELIEVED THAT TO FACILITATE TRAVELLING CONVENIENCE, TAXI LICENCES SHOULD BE ISSUED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT AS A MEANS OF REVENUE PRODUCTION.
HE SUGGESTED THE GOVERNMENT COULD ENCOURAGE GOOD DISCIPLINE BY ALLOWING A TAXI DRIVER OF SAY, 10 YEARS' GOOD STANDING, TO OBTAIN A LICENCE FREE OF PREMIUM, PROVIDED THE TAXI WAS DRIVEN BY HIM ALONE.
BY LIMITING THE DRIVING OF THESE TAXIS TO THEIR OWNERS, THE OWNERS/DRIVERS WOULD CHOOSE THEIR TIME TO TAKE THEIR TAXIS OUT ON THE ROAD WHEN DEMAND WAS HIGHEST.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THE GOVERNMENT COULD PROVIDE MORE SELF-EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE SAY, OVER 50, AND TO SLIGHLY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE BY GIVING THEM TAXI LICENCES.
THEY WOULD TAKE TAXI-DRIVING AS THEIR LIFE-LONG OCCUPATION
AND WOULD CARRY IT OUT WITH DIGNITY AND INTEGRITY,
THE MEASURE WOULD NOT ONLY GIVE THEM FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY AS USEFUL AND SERVING MEMBERS, MR. YEUNG SAID.
IN REPLY, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SAID HE AGREED WITH THE HON. MISS LYDIA DUNN AND THE HON. S.L. CHEN IN THE IMPORTANCE THEY ATTACHED TO THE GOVERNMENT MONITORING ALL ASPECTS OF THE PACKAGE AFTER IT HAD BEEN
INTRODUCED TO ENSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE REVIEW OF ITS EFFECTS COULD BE CONDUCTED LATER IN THE YEAR AND THAT, IF NECESSARY, FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS COULD BE MADE.
+1 CAN ASSURE THEM THAT THE STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD USE, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, HAS ALREADY SET UP THE NECESSARY MACHINERY TO DO THIS AND THAT A SURVEY OF ALL MATTERS TO BE COVERED BY THE PACKAGE HAS BEEN CONDUCTED TO ESTABLISH A 'BEFORE' BASIS FOR COMPARISON.
+THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO NOW ESTABLISHED MORE FORMAL MACHINERY TO KEEP ITSELF IN TOUCH WITH ALL SECTIONS OF THE TAXI TRADE,+ MR. JONES SAID.
+THERE IS A WORKING PARTY ON TAXI OPERATIONS WHICH ENABLES THE STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THE TAXI DRIVERS' ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE ADDED.
/AS REGARDS...