WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
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+THIS BILL INCORPORATES NECESSARY DETAILS, MOSTLY IN THE CODE OF PRACTICE, TO ENSURE PROPER STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE AND EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS SAFEGUARDS AGAINST CORRUPTION AND MALPRACTICE, HE SAID.
HE CONCEDED THERE WAS NO PROVISION IN THE BILL FOR APPEALS BY AN AGGRIEVED CAR OWNER AGAINST THE RESULT OF AN EXAMINATION AT A CAR TESTING CENTRE, BUT THERE WAS PROVISION IN THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR CAR OWNERS TO APPEAL TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AGAINST A DECISION OF A CAR TESTING CENTRE NOT TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF ROADWORTHINESS.
DETAILED PROCEDURE WOULD HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED TO AVOID THIS RIGHT BEING ABUSED, HE SAID.
MR HU ALSO SAID UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE SATISFIED THAT SUCH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE WOULD PROVIDE A PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC SOLUTION TO AN AGGRIEVED CAR OWNER.
POINTING OUT THAT THERE WERE NEARLY 52 000 PRIVATE CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD AND SOME MIGHT REQUIRE RE-EXAMINATION, HE PREDICTED THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL INSPECTIONS IN THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE CLOSE TO 60 000.
HE URGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE THAT PRIVATE SECTOR GARAGES APPROVED UNDER THE SCHEME HAD ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO HANDLE THIS VOLUME OF INSPECTION.
+ IN CASE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO HANDLE ALL THE INSPECTIONS, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SUGGEST THAT THE SCHEME BE IMPLEMENTED STEP-BY-STEP REQUIRING THE EXAMINATION OF THE OLDER CARS FIRST, SAY THOSE OVER 10 YEARS OLD, AND THEN GRADUALLY REDUCING THE AGE LIMIT,+ HE SAID.
ALSO SPEAKING ON THE BILL, THE HON ANDREW SO. IN ABSTAINING FROM VOTING, SAID THE PRIVATE CAR INSPECTION SCHEME WAS BOUND TO BE FULL OF ABUSES.
HE SAID HE ABSTAINED FROM VOTING BECAUSE THE BILL DID NOT PROVIDE FOR APPEALS BY AGGRIEVED CAR OWNERS AND ALTHOUGH THE CODE OF PRACTICE DID HAVE SUCH PROVISIONS, INCONVENIENCE TO CAR OWNERS COULD NOT BE AVOIDED.
HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT SET HIS MIND AT EASE ALTHOUGH MR HU, THE CONVENER OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE BILL, HAD EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE EXPLANATION GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
MR SO SAID THAT HONG KONG WAS ONLY A SMALL PLACE AND THE MILEAGE COVERED BY VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE TOO GREAT.
+GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE PERFORMANCE OF PRIVATE CARS WHICH ARE MORE THAN SIX YEARS OLD IS STILL VERY GOOD.
HE EXPRESSED