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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1987
+ IN FACT, SOME MINOR ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE AS RECENTLY AS LAST YEAR, AND THE SCHEME WILL AGAIN BE REVIEWED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN 1988, + HE SAID.
EXPLAINING WHY FARE INCREASES WERE NECESSARY FROM TIME TO TIME, MR LAN SAID FARES WERE SET AT A LEVEL WHICH WOULD GENERATE SUFFICIENT INCOME OVERALL TO COVER OPERATING COSTS AND A REASONABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
HE SAID FACTORS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT INCLUDED CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, OPERATING COSTS INCLUDING WAGES, GENERAL INFLATION, EXCHANGE AND INTEREST RATES, LEVELS OF SERVICE AND OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS DECLINES IN PATRONAGE RESULTING IN AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN REVENUE.
*WHERE TOTAL COSTS EXCEED TOTAL REVENUE AS A RESULT OF ALL OR ANY OF THESE FACTORS, FARES NEED TO BE INCREASED SIMPLY TO MAINTAIN EXISTING STANDARDS AND LEVELS OF SERVICE, HE SAID,
MR LAN ADDED THAT IT WAS UNREALISTIC TO THINK IN TERMS OF FREEZING FARES UNLESS PEOPLE WERE PREPARED TO ACCEPT A DETERIORATION IN THE STANDARDS OF SERVICE PROVIDED OR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE WAS WILLING TO SUBSIDISE THE BUS OPERATORS OR SEE THE NATIONALISATION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
WITHOUT ARGUING THE MERITS AND DEMERITS OF NATIONAL ISATION, MR LAN SAID THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHEREBY PUBLIC TRANSPORT WAS PROVIDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, OR BY PRIVATE CORPORATIONS WORKING ON COMMERCIAL LINES, HAD SERVED THE PUBLIC WELL.
+1 BELIEVE THIS HAS PROVED ITSELF TO BE THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, 1.E. THE PASSENGER, RATHER THAN TO THE TAXPAYER IN GENERAL THROUGH DIRECT SUBSIDY, HE SAID.
GRANTS APPROVED FOR SPORTS PROJECTS *****
THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT HAS APPROVED GRANTS TOTALLING ABOUT $1.05 MILLION FOR 24 CAPITAL PROJECTS UNDER THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION IN THE 1986-87 FINANCIAL YEAR.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COUNCIL SAID THAT SINCE 1981 AN ALLOCATION HAD BEEN SET ASIDE EACH YEAR FROM THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION IN AID OF CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR RECREATIONAL, SPORTING, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
/SO FAR, *******