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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986
SHA TIN-ME ISHA FERRY TERMINAL UNDER-UTILISED
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THE UTILISATION RATE OF THE SHA TIN-MEISHA FERRY TERMINAL HAS SO FAR NOT COME UP TO EXPECTATION AND THE FACILITIES ARE AT PRESENT UNDER-UTILISED, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON IAN MACPHERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW WONG, MR MACPHERSON SAID THE PROVISION OF THE SERVICE WAS, HOWEVER, PART OF THE 1982 AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO WITH THE SHENZHEN MUNICIPALITY TO FACILITATE CROSS-BORDER COMMUNICATION.
HE SAID THE MONTHLY AVERAGE OF PASSENGERS USING THE SHA TIN- MEISHA FERRY TERMINAL SINCE IT HAD COME INTO OPERATION IN AUGUST 1984 HAD BEEN 2 100 AND 2 230 IN 1984 AND 85 RESPECTIVELY, NOTING THAT THE SERVICE WAS NOT OPERATED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
ON STEPS TO SPEED UP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEISHA RESORT AREA, MR MACPHERSON SAID DEVELOPMENTS IN SHENZHEN WERE A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
+HOWEVER IT IS KNOWN THAT A 300-ROOM HOTEL IN XIAO MEISHA WAS DUE TO OPEN TOWARDS THE END OF 1985, A HOTEL IN DA MEISHA IS BEING REDEVELOPED, AND PLANS FOR A SECOND HOTEL THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, WITH CONSTRUCTION STARTING THIS YEAR,+ HE ADDED.
AS REGARDS THE UTILISATION OF THE TERMINAL FACILITIES BY TOLO HARBOUR AND TAP MUN FERRY SERVICES, MR MACPHERSON SAID IT WAS SOMETHING WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED IF SATISFACTORY WAYS COULD BE FOUND TO SEPARATE PASSENGERS USING EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SERVICES.
+ INTERNAL FERRY SERVICES AT PRESENT USE THE TWO FERRY PIERS AT NEARBY MA LIU SHUI WHICH, ALTHOUGH ADEQUATE IN TERMS OF CAPACITY, ARE SOMEWHAT INCONVENIENTLY LOCATED, HE SAID.
REQUEST MADE FOR EARLY RETURN OF BOAT BRIDES
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE A FORMAL REQUEST TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, ARGUING STRONGLY FOR PRIORITY TO BE GIVEN TO APPLICATIONS FROM THE BOAT BRIDES FOR ONE-WAY EXIT PERMITS TO RETURN TO HONG KONG, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MARIA TAM. MR THOMAS SAID THAT AS PROMISED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY ON JULY 10 LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT MADE THE REQUEST VIA THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY FOLLOWING THE VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE OF THE BOAT BRIDES.
/+WE ARE
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