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As regards part (b) of the Honourable Member's question, during the period from November 1990 to November 1994, the Registrar referred a total of 123 reports about suspected unlicensed travel agents to the police. 63 of these cases were found to be unsubstantiated. The police brought action against the remaining cases which resulted in 43 successful convictions. There are 17 cases outstanding.
Regarding part (c) of the Honourable Member's question, the Travel Agents Ordinance does not prohibit organisations or societies from organising package group tours without paying the Council levy or issuing stamped receipts to participants in such tours. However, if an organisation or a society carries on business as a travel agent and obtains for another person carriage on a journey or accommodation at a place outside Hong Kong, it has to apply for a licence from the Registrar. Licensed travel agents are liable to pay the Fund and Council levies in accordance with the provisions of the Travel Agents Ordinance. Failure to pay the levies will be an offence punishable by fines and may lead to the suspension or revocation of licence.
End/Wednesday, December 14, 1994
Light Rail Transit services
Following is a question by the Hon Zachary Wong Wai-yin and a reply by the Secretary for Transport, Mr Haider Barma, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question: As the population of the western part of New Territories has increased drastically to 700,000 following the successive completion of various public and private housing estates in Tin Shui Wai, the services provided by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) in the district are no longer able to cope with the demand. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) what measures are in place to resolve the problem of inadequate LRT
services (especially during rush hours);
(b) whether the Government will ask the Kowloon- Canton Railway Corporation to purchase additional LRT trains immediately to improve the services; if so, when the purchase will be effected; if not, what the reasons are; and