MONDAY, JULY 23, 1984
5
PUBLIC INTEREST GUIDES PLB CHOICES
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REFERRING TO THE RECENT PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR BY PLB OPERATORS IN THE SHA TAU KOK, LUK KENG AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES THAT THEY HAD BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN THE RECENT SELECTION OF NEW MAXICAB ROUTES AND THAT THEIR LIVELIHOOD IS BEING THREATENED, A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS:
+ IT HAS BEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO INTRODUCE MAXICAB SERVICES IN AREAS WHERE LOCAL DEMAND FOR SUCH SERVICES EXISTS AND TO INVITE PLB OPERATORS TO APPLY TO OPERATE SUCH SERVICES. IN LATE 1983, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED A NEED TO INTRODUCE TWO MAXICAB SERVICES IN THE SHA TAU KOK, LUK KENG AREAS. THEY ARE FROM LUK KENG TO FANLING LUEN WO HUI AND FROM SHA TAU KOK TO FANLING KCR STATION, THESE TWO SERVICES WERE PROPOSED IN RESPONSE TO LOCAL REQUESTS FOR A MORE REGULAR AND DEPENDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE TO BE PROVIDED FOR RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS. THE NORTH DISTRICT BOARD WAS CONSULTED IN ADVANCE IN DECEMBER 1983 AND GAVE FULL SUPPORT TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THESE TWO SERVICES.
+THE SELECTION OF OPERATORS FOR ANY NEW MAXICAB SERVICE IS BY OPEN SELECTION AND ALL EXISTING PLB OPERATORS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. IN APPLYING, PLB OPERATORS HAVE TO GIVE INFORMATION RELATING TO THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE PLB AND MAXICAB TRADE, THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THEY CAN SUPPLY, THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION AND OTHER SIMILAR, RELEVANT, INFORMATION. THESE APPLICATIONS ARE FIRST VETTED BY TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT STAFF AND ASSESSED ON A POINTS SYSTEM. THOSE OBTAINING HIGHER POINTS ARE THEN INVITED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE MAXICAB SELECTION BOARD.
+ THE BOARD IS CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT AND HAS AS MEMBERS, AN UNOFFICIAL OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM ICAC, CNTA, TRANSPORT BRANCH AND THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVİCES DEPARTMENT.
+THE BOARD IN MAKING ITS FINAL DECISION, TAKES ALL FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT THE BOARD HAS TO BEAR IN MIND IS WHETHER THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WILL BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING A DEPENDABLE AND ADEQUATE SERVICE TO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS.
+NO ONE SINGLE FACTOR IS, HOWEVER,
HOWEVER, GIVEN PRIORITY BY THE BOARD IN REACHING ITS DECISION. IN THE CASE OF THE SHA TAU KOK, LUK KENG SERVICES, THE BOARD,
THE BOARD, AFTER TAKING ALL FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT AND AFTER INTERVIEWING THE PETITIONERS AND OTHER APPLICANTS, DECIDED TO AWARD THE MAXICAB SERVICES TO APPLICANTS WHO HAD SCORED HIGHER POINTS THAN THE PETITIONERS.
/+THE DELIBERATIONS