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TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1984
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UMELCO RECEIVE VIEWS ON TAXI POLICY
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UMELCO DUTY ROSTER MEMBERS HON Q W LEE, HON WONG LAM AND HON J J SWAINE TODAY (TUESDAY) RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE TRAFFIC SERVICES EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION ON GOVERNMENT'S TAXI POLICY REVIEW,
AT THE MEETING, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION PRESENTED TO MEMBERS A PAPER CONTAINING THEIR VIEWS ON THE 1983 TAXI REVIEW REPORT.
IN ADDITION TO OUTLINING THE PRESENT SITUATION OF TAXI OPERATION, THEY ALSO MADE THREE SUGGESTIONS, NAMELY THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD FREEZE THE ISSUE OF TAXI LICENCES; GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT TREAT TAXIS LIKE PRIVATE CARS BECAUSE TAXI IS A MODE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD POSTPONE RAISING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX AND LICENCE FEE SO AS NOT TO INCREASE THE BURDEN OF TAXI OPERATORS.
MEMBERS PROMISED TO CONVEY THEIR VIEWS TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONSIDERATION.
WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY CLEANSING SCHEME
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ON WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY TODAY THE URBAN COUNCIL APPROVED A $865 000 PILOT SCHEME FOR THE PROVISION OF A PRIVATELY-OPERATED CLEANSING SERVICE FOR THE SHAU KEI WAN SQUATTER AREA.
+ IT IS A HAPPY COINCIDENCE THAT TODAY'S DECISION WAS MADE ON THIS IMPORTANT DAY, CHOSEN BY THE UNITED NATIONS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, SAID A COUNCIL SPOKESMAN.
+NO ORGANISATION IN HONG KONG IS MORE CONSCIOUS OF AND WORKING HARDER TO SOLVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN THE URBAN AREAS THAN THE COUNCIL, AND TODAY'S DECISION MARKS A FURTHER STEP BY THE COUNCIL TO BRING ABOUT AN IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AS FROM NEXT MONTH, A PRIVATE CLEANSING COMPANY WILL TAKE OVER THE CLEANSING SERVICES IN KAU FU, MA SHAN AND NAM ON FONG VILLAGES IN SHAU KEI WAN FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL, FOR A FOUR-MONTH TRIAL PERIOD.
THEREAFTER, THE SERVICE CONTRACT MAY BE EXTENDED FOR ONE YEAR FOLLOWED BY TWO FURTHER PERIODS OF ONE YEAR EACH, SUBJECT TO THE SCHEME PROVING WORTHWHILE.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN AIM OF THE EXERCISE IS TO UPGRADE STANDARDS IN CLEANSING SERVICES TO SQUATTER AREAS.
/+THE SHAU