WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
MR. WU SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE PUBLIC OBJECTED STRONGLY TO THE STEEP INCREASE PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT WHILE OWNERS AND DRIVERS FELT THE HIGH INCREASES WOULD AFFECT BUSINESS.
HE BELIEVED HIS PROPOSAL WAS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE AND POINTED OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE INCREASE UNDER HIS PROPOSAL COULD BE RAISED IF FOUND INADEQUATE IN THE REVIEW IN NINE MONTHS' TIME, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED STEEPER INCREASE WOULD BE IRREVERSIBLE.
HE ALSO DREW THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION TO THE EFFECT OF ITS PROPOSED STEEP INCREASE ON THE PRESENT HIGHLY INFLATIONARY TREND WHICH MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN ABSTAINED FROM VOTING ON THE BILL. HE SAID HE DID NOT OPPOSE THE STIFFER SANCTIONS BUT WAS NOT ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH THE PROPOSED NEW FARE STRUCTURE FOR URBAN TAXIS, AND THE REVISED TENDER SYSTEM.
HE SAID THE INCREASE FOR THE FIRST MILE AND FOR WAITING TIME WAS REASONABLE BUT THE INCREASE FROM 20 CENTS TO 50 CENTS FOR EACH ONE-FIFTH MILE AFTER THE FIRST MILE WAS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH OF A DAILY FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.
A MODERATE INCREASE, FROM 20 CENTS TO 30 CENTS WOULD ALSO BE AGREEABLE TO TAXI DRIVERS WORRYING THAT THE PROPOSED 100 PER CENT INCREASE ON THE AVERAGE FARE WOULD DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE IR INCOME FOR MANY MONTHS TO COME.
HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY TAXIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LUXURY AND PUT OUT OF REACH OF MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES, WHO USED TAXIS BECAUSE THERE WAS A SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF BUSES AND NO MINI-BUSES WENT TO THEIR DESTINATIONS.
AS TO THE NEW TENDERING SYSTEM, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID IT WOULD DETER SPECULATORS WHO GAMBLED WITH A SMALL SUM BUT IN THE PROCESS WOULD PERMIT ONLY INDIVIDUALS OR SYNDICATES WITH MORE CASH RESOURCES TO TAKE OVER AND DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING BUT ON A LARGER AND MORE ORGANISED SCALE.
IT WOULD BE A HEALTHIER TREND FOR THE TAXI TRADE IF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WERE TO ENCOURAGE MORE NEW TAXIS TO BE OWNER-DRIVEN, EVEN IF IT MEANT A REDUCTION IN THE TENDER PRICES, HE SAID.
FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, INDIVIDUALS COULD BE ALLOWED TO TENDER BUT THE IR PARTICIPATION COULD BE RESTRICTED TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDERS OF A TAXI DRIVING LICENCE FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TWO OR THREE YEARS, WITH THE DEPOSIT RAISED FROM $2,500 TO $5,000,
MR. S.1. CHEN
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