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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986
AT JUNE 30 THIS YEAR, THERE WERE 1 056 GREEN MINIBUSES IN OPERATION ON 137 APPROVED ROUTES, HE SAID.
+ DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY TWO INCIDENTS OF A GREEN MINIBUS SERVİCE BEING DISRUPTED AS A RESULT OF EXPIRED VEHICLE OR SERVICE LICENCES, HE NOTED.
+ THE UNDERLYING CAUSE IN BOTH CASES WAS AN INTERNAL PARTNERSHIP DISPUTE AMONG THE OPERATORS CONCERNED. THE INCIDENTS WERE BOTH SHORT IN DURATION HAVING BEEN RESOLVED WITHIN A DAY EACH AND DISRUPTION IN SERVICE WAS THEREFORE LIMITED.+
THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD NORMALLY REMIND A GREEN MINIBUS OPERATOR TO RENEW HIS PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE WELL BEFORE ITS EXPIRY DATE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OPERATOR TO ENSURE TIMELY RENEWAL OF HIS LICENCE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT ADDED.
NEGLIGENT OFFICERS FACE PUNISHMENT
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A CIVIL SERVANT WHOSE NEGLIGENCE HAD CAUSED FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT EITHER BE SURCHARGED OR SUBJECTED TO DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AND PUNISHMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LAU WONG-FAT, SIR DAVID SAID IF THE NEGLIGENCE CONSTITUTED A PRIME FACIE CASE OF MISCONDUCT, DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THE OFFICER.
+ IF MISCONDUCT IS PROVED, THE OFFICER WILL BE PUNISHED WHICH WILL USUALLY INCLUDE A FINE, A DEFERMENT OF AN INCREMENT OR A STOPPAGE OF INCREMENT TO REFLECT GOVERNMENT'S LOSS, HE ADDED.
+ IF THE OFFICER'S NEGLIGENCE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MISCONDUCT, HE MAY BE SURCHARGED BY GOVERNMENT TO RECOVER THE VALUE OF THE LOSS TO GOVERNMENT.+
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT IN THE PAST THREE FINANCIAL YEARS, THERE WERE NINE DISCIPLINARY CASES OF MISCONDUCT DE ALT WITH BY THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH INVOLVING FINANCIAL LOSSES TO GOVERNMENT.
IN FIVE OF THESE, THE OFFICERS WERE FOUND GUILTY OF MISCONDUCT AND PUNISHED.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, FIVE OFFICERS WERE SURCHARGED FOR FINANCIAL LOSSES SUFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE.
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