WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984
23
ROLE OF TAXIS IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT STRESSED
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THE HON MRS PAULINE NG SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT AGREE WITH THE OBSERVATION THAT TAXIS WERE A FORM OF PERSONALISED TRANSPORT AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS PRIVATE CARS AND NOT AS A MEANS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY PROVED THAT TAXIS HAD BECOME A DAILY MEANS OF TRANSPORT FOR PEOPLE.
+WE TAKE TAXIS WHENEVER WE WANT TO GO TO PLACES NOT SERVED BY BUS AND MINIBUS.
→ IF WE WANT TO SEND AN AILING FAMILY MEMBER TO THE HOSPITAL OR ARE IN A HURRY TO ATTEND URGENT MATTERS, OR WHEN WE ARE GOING OUT WITH OLD PEOPLE OR YOUNG CHILDREN WHICH MAKES BOARDING A CROWDED BUS DIFFICULT, TAXIS BECOME THE NECESSARY MEANS OF TRANSPORT, SHE SAID.
SHE SAID SHE DOUBTED WHETHER THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND TAXI OPERATORS' UNIONS HAD BEEN CONSULTED.
IF THEY HAD BEEN CONSULTED, THE TAXI STRIKE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED, SHE SAID.
SHE FELT THAT THIS REFLECTED A NEED FOR A REVIEW OF THE PROCESS AND DEPTH OF CONSULTATIONS+.
SHE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD IN FUTURE SOUND OUT PUBLIC OPINION SUFFICIENTLY, TO AVOID COMMITTING THE SAME MISTAKE.
HARDSHIP ON TAXI OPERATORS STRESSED
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A MORE IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF TAXI OPERATORS AND MORE DETAILED INFORMATION FROM THOSE IN THE BUSINESS WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE GOVERNMENT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IR PROBLEMS, THE HON PETER POON SAID.
NOTING THAT THE TAXI TRADE WAS COMPLEX AND FRAGMENTED, HE SAID THE STATISTICS AND EVIDENCE COLLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT NOT BE TOTALLY CORRECT,
MR POON SAID THAT THE REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS STRESSED THAT OF THE PROPOSED 17 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE TAXI FARE, 7.5 PER CENT WOULD NOT COVER THE ADDITIONAL LEVIES WHICH THE BILLS SOUGHT TO IMPOSE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ONE OF THE MAIN CONSIDERATIONS OF IMPOSING A NEW TAX IS AFFORDABILITY, HE SAID.
/-FROM