WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
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MTRC LOAN REPAYMENT GUARANTEED
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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE TO THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION TO COVER THE REPAYMENT OF A $22 MILLION LOAN,
THE SUM BORROWED UNDER THIS GUARANTEE WILL BE USED TO FINANCE AN ISLAND LINE CONTRACT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS OF THE KORNHILL DEVELOPMENT.
THIS BRINGS THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL GUARANTEE COMMITMENT TO THE MTR CORPORATION TO $7 890 MILLION.
PHONE NETWORK SERVICE CHARGES APPROVED
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A MOTION TO INCLUDE THE AGREED CHARGES ON INTERCONNECTION OF VALUE-ADDED SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE TELEPHONE ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MOVING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS EXPLAINED THAT SUCH SERVICES ARE VIEWDATA, FACSIMILE AND ELECTRONIC AND VOICE MAIL-BOXES, WHICH A SUBSCRIBER TO THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK PROVIDES TO A THIRD PARTY AT A PROFIT.
THE PROPOSED CHARGES OF $60 A MONTH FOR AN INTERCONNECTION LINE, AND SEVEN CENTS A MINUTE FOR USE OF THAT LINE WERE THE SAME AS THE EXISTING CHARGES FOR INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THE TELEPHONE NETWORK AND PUBLIC MOBILE RADIOTELEPHONE, HE SAID.
THE CHARGES WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR, THE SAME DATE AS OTHER REVISED TARIFFS.
MR JACOBS ALSO RECALLED THAT THE COUNCIL HAD RESOLVED ON JULY 24 TO AMEND THE SCHEDULE TO THE ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE MAXIMUM CHARGES THAT MIGHT BE LEVIED BY THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY.
AT THE TIME THAT RESOLUTION WAS MADE, NEGOTIATIONS WERE STILL UNDER WAY WITH THE TELEPHONE COMPANY CONCERNING THE CHARGES TO BE LEVIED FOR THE INTERCONNECTION OF VALUE-ADDED SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK, HE SAID.
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