XN000022-1975-07-30 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1975

HOWEVER, THEY HOPED THAT THE TEETH WERE NOT JUST FALSE TEETH AND THAT BEFORE LONG BUS OPERATORS AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH THE EFFICIENT SERVICE THEY HAD PATIENTLY WAITED FOR.

THEY NOTED THAT PROVISION HAD BEEN MADE IN THE BILL TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC THROUGH GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED DIRECTORS ON THE BOARDS OF THE BUS COMPANIES AND THE FACT THAT ALL FARES WOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL.

THEY WERE ALSO SATISFIED THAT THE COMPANIES' SHAREHOLDERS WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE A FAIR RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.

HOWEVER, THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN WANTED A FIRM ASSURANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WOULD HAVE THE WILL AND ENERGY TO USE · THE WIDE POWERS GIVEN IT AND, WHEN NECESSARY, IMPOSE ITS WISHES ON THE BUS COMPANIES IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT BETTER BUS SERVICES.

+IN GRANTING SUCH WIDE POWERS TO GOVERNMENT, IT SHOULD THEREFORE BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT ONCE THE NEW BUS FRANCHISES COME INTO FORCE, THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO ASSUME GREATER RESPONSIBILITY IN ENSURING THAT THE PUBLIC ARE GIVEN MUCH BETTER BUS SERVICES THAN THEY HAVE SO FAR BEEN GETTING, HE STRESSED.

IN REPLY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY SAID: +IN ITS FUTURE RELATIONS WITH THE BUS COMPANIES THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEITHER BE A 'PAPER TIGER' NOR WILL ITS TEETH BE FALSE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM, HE SAID, WAS TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY GETS THE BETTER BUS SERVICES IT REASONABLY EXPECTS AND HE AFFIRMED THAT THE GOVERNMENT FELT THAT IT HAD THE RESOURCES TO ENABLE IT TO SUCCEED IN ITS AIM.

THE PUBLIC OMNIBUS SERVICES BILL, WHICH WAS GAZETTED LAST DECEMBER, EMPOWERS THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL TO ISSUE FRANCHISES TO BUS COMPANIES FOR INITIAL PERIODS OF UP TO 10 YEARS.

THERE IS ALSO PROVISION FOR FRANCHISES EITHER TO BE EXTENDED FOR A FIXED PERIOD OF UP TO FIVE YEARS, OR FOR AN ARRANGEMENT WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE COMPANIES TO ROLL FORWARD THEIR 10-YEAR FRANCHISES AT TWO-YEARLY INTERVALS.

THIS ROLLING FRAHCNISE CONCEPT WOULD EXTEND THE FRANCHISE PERIOD, ON EACH OCCASION, FOR UP TO TWO YEARS, PROVIDED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY CONCERNED HAD BEEN SATISFACTORY.

THE PRESENT FRANCHISES OF KMB AND CMB ARE DUE TO EXPIRE ON SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR.

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