XN000022-1975-03-19 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1975

MODIFICATIONS RECOMMENDED IN MACAU FERRY WHARF TAX

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UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED $5 PASSENGER TAX ON TRAVELLERS TO AND FROM MACAU, BUT RECOMMENDED A REDUCTION OF $3 IN THE CASE OF CHILDREN UNDER 12 YEARS AND FOR STEERAGE PASSENGERS.

THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG TOLD COUNCIL THAT THE UNOFFICIALS CONSIDERED A $2 TAX ON THESE TWO CLASSES OF PASSENGERS AN EQUITABLE ONE AND THE REDUCTION WOULD COST THE REVENUE ONLY $2.4 MILLION. IN FACT, HE DOUBTED THAT THE LOSS WOULD EVEN REACH THIS LEVEL SINCE THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS TO AND FROM MACAU WAS STEADILY RISING.

MORE PASSENGERS PASSED THROUGH THE MACAU FERRY TERMINAL THAN THROUGH KAI TAK AIRPORT, HE SAID, AND YET THE TERMINAL IS A BLIGHT AND ITS FACILITIES HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE AND INADEQUATE.+

DESPITE REPEATED EFFORTS, HE WENT ON, HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PERSUADE THE PUBLIC WORKS ŠUBCOMMITTEE TO GIVE ANY PRIORITY TO REBUILDING THE TERMINAL OUT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AND NEITHER HAD THE GOVERNMENT INDICATED WHETHER IT WAS PREPARED TO ACCEPT A REQUEST FROM A GROUP WITH LARGE INTERESTS IN MACAU TO DEVELOP A NEW AND MODERN MULTI-STOREY TERMINAL COMPLETE WITH PASSENGER FACILITIES.

THE GROUP'S PROPOSAL WAS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF MULTI- STOREYED DEVELOPMENT FOR JOINT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE USE AND THE TERMS PROPOSED WERE THAT THE GROUP SHOULD HAVE THE USE AND PROFITS DERIVED FROM THE LOWER FLOORS WHICH WOULD PROVIDE VARIOUS FACILITIES FOR PASSENGERS.

MR. CHEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THIS CONCEPT HAD ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED BY GOVERNMENT IN THREE OTHER FIELDS AND HE URGED THAT EARLY CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE GROUP'S PROPOSAL.

ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, MR. CHEUNG SAID THE UNOFFICIALS FELT THAT THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE APPOINTED NOW AND BEGIN WORK THIS YEAR INSTEAD OF THE NEXT.

*WITH THE DEFICITS THAT FACE US IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE CAN BROOK NO DELAY IN RAISING NEW REVENUE, AND RAISING IT AS EQUITABLY AS POSSIBLE, HE STRESSED. + IN OUR VIEW THIS TASK IS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.+

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