5
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1988
"LIKE THE CURRENTLY APPLIED SO-CALLED HONG KONG AVIATION POLICY OF ONE AIRLINE PER ROUTE, THIS MISCALCULATION AS TO THE FUTURE GROWTH OF AIR SERVICES, AND THE ARBITRARY AND UNWARRANTED CURTAILMENT OF DOMESTIC COMPETITION, DESPITE THE MANDATE OF EXISTING LEGISLATION, ALL PREVIOUS PRECEDENT AND THE RAPIDLY CHANGING INTERNATIONAL SCENE, WILL PROBABLY COST HONG KONG DEARLY IN MISSED OPPORTUNITIES IN THE YEARS TO COME, HE SAID.
ON THE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE BANK AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES LICENCE FEES BY EIGHT PER CENT, DR SOHMEN SAID THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD OFFERED NO JUSTIFICATION AT ALL FOR THE NEED TO IMPOSE THESE HIGHER FEES.
DR SOHMEN ALSO QUERIED WHY, CONTRARY TO THE PRACTICE SINCE THE TIME OF THE PASSAGE OF THE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION TAX BILL IN 1965 UNTIL LAST YEAR, WHEN THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION RECEIVED THE RECEIPTS FROM THE SPECIAL LEVY ON HOTEL ACCOMMODATION, IT WOULD IN FUTURE ONLY BE GIVEN AN AMOUNT DEEMED REQUIRED FOR ITS ACTIVITIES ONLY AFTER THE GOVERNMENT HAD VETTED AND APPROVED ITS BUDGET.
AND
HE NOTED THAT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE 1965 BILL WAS ΤΟ RAISE THE FUNDS REQUIRED BY THE HKTA BY A SPECIAL TAX RAISED THROUGH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. NOW IF THE LEVY TODAY RAISED GENERATED MORE REVENUE THAN THE HKTA REQUIRED, SHOULD NOT THE SOLUTION BE A REDUCTION IN THE TAX? HE ASKED.
TURNING TO ARTS, DR SOHMEN BELIEVED THAT AS A COMMUNITY HONG KONG SHOULD BE WELL ABLE TO AFFORD AT LEAST A PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, A CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLE, AND ONE OR MORE PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANIES WHICH HAD A FIRM BASIS OF PUBLIC SUBVENTION ΤΟ AVOID LETTING THEM SKIRT THE EDGE OF BANKRUPTCY YEAR AFTER YEAR.
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LACK OF ACTION IN IMPROVING QUALITY OF EDUCATION
THE GOVERNMENT WAS ACCUSED OF DRAGGING ITS FEET IN UPGRADING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS BY THE HON SELINA CHOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE, MRS CHOW SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD SIDE-STEPPED A NUMBER OF MEASURES NECESSARY BRINGING ABOUT A DISTINCT IMPROVEMENT.
THESE MEASURES INCLUDED THE POLICY OF WHOLE-DAY SCHOOL AND IMPROVEMENT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS FROM WHICH THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO BUY FORM 1 3 PLACES.
FOR
THE
WOULD
/MRS CHOW