10
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984
OPPOSITION FOLLOWED CAREFUL DEBATE
****
THE DECISION OF THE UNOFFICIALS TO OPPOSE THE BILLS WAS NOT A HASTY OR EMOTIONAL DECISION, BUT ONE THAT WAS TAKEN AFTER CAREFUL DEBATE, RECOGNISING THAT THE OVERALL INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE THE FOREMOST CONSIDERATION, THE HON PETER C. WONG SAID.
+ IT WAS AN INDEPENDENT DECISION TAKEN WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION BY THE ADMINISTRATION, HE ADDED.
HE NOTED THAT THE WHOLE INCIDENT WAS REGRETTABLE BUT HE FELT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT TO BLAME IT ON ONE PERSON.
+ IT WAS A GOVERNMENT DECISION AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS ACTION.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE TAXI DISPUTE SERVED AS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT HONG KONG WAS AS SUSCEPTIBLE AS EVER TO CIVIL DISTURBANCES.
+ IT BEHOVES THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE ITS MACHINERY TO GAUGE PUBLIC SENTIMENT AND REACTION, HE SAID.
+ IT IS TRUE THAT INDUSTRIAL ACTION WITHIN THE LAW IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IN ANY FREE SOCIETY.
+BUT IF HONG KONG IS TO MAINTAIN ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, CAUTION AND RESTRAINT MUST BE EXERCISED WHEN ANY ACTION TAKEN IS LIKELY TO AFFECT THE COMMUNITY AND MAY LEAD TO DISASTROUS AND UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES, HE ADDED.
HE GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF HOW THE 12-MEMBER TEAM OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HANDLED THE TAXI DISPUTE ON FRIDAY.
+OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAVE REVIEWED CAREFULLY THE RAP ID EVENTS THAT HAD OCCURRED - A POST-MORTEM OF AN UNPRECEDENTED EPISODE. I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THE TEAM HAD MADE THE CORRECT DECISION, HE SAID.
HE LISTED HIS FOLLOWING REASONS FOR OPPOSING THE BILLS:
*
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR THE TAXI INDUSTRY, WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE BY THE SUDDEN HEFTY INCREASES IN FÉES AND CHARGES.
* THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORTH FOR SUCH INCREASES WERE FAR FROM
CONVINCING.
*
IT APPEARS THAT CONSULTATION HAD NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.
* ON THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS CARRIED BY TAXIS, THE MTR AND
THE TWO BUS COMPANIES. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REFUTE THAT TAXIS WERE NOT PROVIDING A USEFUL PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE.
THE POINT