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Complaints on overloading of passenger ferries
Following is a question by the Hon Zachary Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport, Mr Haider Barma, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
(b)
(c)
of the number of complaints received by the Government about overloading of passenger ferries plying between China and Hong Kong over the past three years;
whether there have been any passenger ferry companies prosecuted by the Government arising from such complaints; if so, will the Government provide a list showing the dates of such prosecutions, the names of the companies prosecuted and the penalties imposed; if not, why not; and
what measures will the Government adopt to prevent the overloading of passenger ferries plying between China and Hong Kong?
Reply:
Mr President,
(a)
(b)
We have received four complaints since January 1993.
Following a complaint received on 20 July 1993, the offending master of a ferry operated by China Merchant Development Co. Ltd. was prosecuted for carrying six passengers in excess of its permitted capacity of 100. He was fined $4000.
Following another complaint received on 4 February 1996, the master of a ferry operated by Chu Kong Shipping Co. Ltd. has been charged for carrying 21 passengers in excess of its permitted capacity of 354. Court proceedings are continuing.
Both these complaints were lodged by passengers on board by mobile telephone while the ferries were on their way to Hong Kong. As regards the two other complaints lodged, there was insufficient evidence to pursue them.
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