WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1987
19
HE SAID THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP CHANGED THEIR VIEWS RESULTING IN AN EVEN VOTE AFTER CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND MORE FIGURES WERE RELEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENABLE THE AD HOC GROUP TO UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE PROBLEMS.
HE SAID THE MATTER WAS THEREFORE REPORTED BACK TO THE FULL LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING WITH ALL THE PROS AND CONS LISTED.
*THE RESULT WAS A MAJORITY VOTE FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE SCHEME AND SUPPORT FOR THE BILL, + MR CHAN SAID.
ALSO SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD UNDERTAKE TO MONITOR CLOSELY THE RESULT OF THE NEXT GENERAL REVALUATION IN 1988 AND TO REINTRODUCE SUITABLE RELIEF MEASURES WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED.
MR CHENG SAID HE SUPPORTED IN PRINCIPLE THAT GENERAL REVALUATIONS, IF REQUIRED, SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT REGULAR INTERVALS SO THAT THE RATES PAYABLE REFLECTED ACCURATELY THE RENTAL VALUE OF PROPERTIES AND THAT RATEPAYERS WOULD NOT BE SHOCKED BY DRAMATIC THOUGH INFREQUENT INCREASES.
HE RECALLED THAT THE PRESENT SCHEME WAS NOT THE ONLY RATES RELIEF MEASURE IN THE HISTORY OF THE TERRITORY AS A SIMILAR SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN 1977 FOR A SIMILAR PURPOSE AND EXPIRED AFTER TWO YEARS EXCEPT IN RESPECT OF PRE-WAR RENT-CONTROLLED PREMISES.
HE SAID THIS WAS A RECORD SHOWING THAT SOME FORM OF RATES RELIEF WAS BROUGHT IN WHEN THE RATEABLE VALUES HAD SUBSTANTIALLY GONE UP AND REMOVED WHEN ITS EFFECT WAS SPENT.
MR CHENG SAID HE WAS INITIALLY ATTRACTED TO THE SUGGESTION THAT THE BILL SHOULD BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR SUSPENSION, RATHER THAN ABOLITION OF THE RATES RELIEF SCHEME OF 1984.
HOWEVER, HE SAID HE WAS LATER PERSUADED THAT THE APPARENT ADVANTAGE OF THE SUSPENSION METHOD WAS IN FACT ILLUSORY AS REINTRODUCTION OF THE SCHEME AT A FUTURE DATE WOULD IN ANY EVENT REQUIRE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEN PREVAILING.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUSPENSION METHOD WOULD COMPLICATE RATHER THAN SIMPLIFY THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS OF REINTRODUCING THE SCHEME.
+ IT IS THEREFORE, IN MY VIEW, PREFERABLE TO REPEAL SECTION 19 NOW, WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING FRESH PROVISIONS TAILORED TO MEET ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS, SHOULD THE NEED ARISE IN FUTURE, HE SAID.
WINDING UP