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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1987
UNDER THE SCHEME, AN ELIGIBLE PERSON WILL BE ISSUED WITH TAXI VOUCHERS AMOUNTING TO $55 PER MONTH. THE VOUCHERS WILL BE OF $5 $2 AND $1 DENOMINATIONS AND WILL BE VALID FOR SIX MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE.
A PERSON AGED 15 OR ABOVE AND WHO IS SUFFERING FROM A PERMANENT PHYSICAL DISABILITY WHICH CONFINES HIM OR HER TO
A WHEELCHAIR, WILL BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR THE SCHEME IF HIS OR HER MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME FALLS BELOW $5 400. APPLICANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE A STATUTORY DECLARATION OF THE MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME ON THE APPLICATION FORM.
DISABLED DRIVERS WHO CURRENTLY ENJOY EXEMPTIONS FROM THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX, CROSS-HAR BOUR TUNNEL TAX AND THE FEES FOR DRIVING LICENCES AND VEHICLE LICENCES WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEW SCHEME.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE INFORMED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO COLLECT THEIR VOUCHERS AND THEIR TVS CARDS, WHICH ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE. THE CARD, WHICH BEARS THE NAME, ID CARD NUMBER AND PHOTO OF THE USER, MUST BE PRODUCED WHEN THE VOUCHERS ARE USED IN PAYMENT OF TAXI FARES.
MR HO ADDED THAT TAXI DRIVERS CAN CASH THE VOUCHERS AT THE OFFICES OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT BY SHOWING THEIR TAXI DRIVING LICENCES.
SPEAKING ON THE BACKGROUND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TAXI VOUCHER SCHEME, MR HO SAID THAT THE IDEA OF THE SCHEME DERIVED ORIGINALLY FROM RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORWARD BY A WORKING PARTY APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER.
A WORKING GROUP, CHAIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION, FOLLOWED UP THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBSEQUENTLY AND MONITORED THEIR IMPLEMENTATIONS, HE ADDED.
MR HO EXPLAINED THAT THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF INTEGRATING THE DISABLED INTO THE COMMUNITY COULD BE HELPED BY INTRODUCING MEASURES TO FACILITATE THE MOBILITY OF DISABLED PERSONS AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONTINUOUSLY EXPLORING WAYS AND MEANS TO IMPROVE THE MOBILITY OF THE DISABLED.
+ THE TAXI VOUCHER SCHEME WAS JUST ONE OF THE NEW INITIATIVES+, HE SAID.
EMP HAS IS ING THAT THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF INTEGRATING THE DISABLED INTO THE COMMUNITY DEPENDED QUITE LARGELY ON THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT, MR HO SPECIFICALLY THANKED THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB FOR ITS GENEROUS DONATION OF $660 000 TOWARDS THE SCHEME AND THE TAXI TRADE FOR ITS SUPPORT OF THE SCHEME.
'THE APTLICATION