XN000022-1982-11-24 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1982,

1982

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CHANNEL FOR PUBLIC VIEWS ON UTILITIES SUGGESTED

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THE HON ANDREW SO CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A PROPER CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND CONSUMERS MAY, AFTER READING THE RECENTLY-PUBLISHED SCHEMES OF CONTROL CAREFULLY, VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AS TO HOW TO MONITOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES IN A BETTER WAY.

HE SAID THE UMELCO OFFICE WOULD WELCOME OPINIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ISSUE AND WOULD ACCORDINGLY REFLECT THEM TO THE AUTHOR ITIES CONCERNED.

+BUT I AM SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD WELCOME IT MORE IF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET UP A CHANNEL SOLELY FOR COLLECTING OPINIONS ON THE CONTROL SCHEMES, HE SAID.

MR SO MADE THE SUGGESTION WHEN MOVING A MOTION TO DEBATE THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES IN HONG KONG.

HE STRESSED THAT THE MOTION IS TO WELCOME THE GOVERNMENT'S RECENT PUBLICATION OF THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL, AND NOT THE CONTROL SCHEMES AS RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT+.

MR SO TEN OTHER UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION REGARDED THE PUBLICATION OF THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL AS A BREAK-THROUGH AND AN ACT IN DEFERENCE TO PUBLIC OPINION.

BUT HE EXPRESSED MISGIVINGS THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE IR PUBLICATION, THE TWO POWER COMPANIES SIMULTANEOUSLY ANNOUNCED INCREASES IN POWER CHARGES AS FROM JANUARY NEXT YEAR, THUS CAUSING PROTESTS FROM VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.

+1 AM WELL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT BEFORE APPROVING THE INCREASES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS STUDIED THE MATTER VERY CAREFULLY, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE BROADEST SENSE AND THE CURRENT AGREEMENTS.

→THE GOVERNMENT MUST ABIDE BY THE AGREEMENTS IN ORDER TO GAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND ABROAD; TO THIS I AM SURE WE ALL AGREE.

+NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TWO COMPANIES, REQUESTING THEM TO RE-CONSIDER THE INCREASES IN THE LIGHT OF THE PRESENT ECONOMIC SITUATION IN HONG KONG, THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORS, THE GENERAL LOWERING OF PROFITS AND THE NEWS OF LESS THAN TEN PER CENT SALARY-INCREASE FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE NEXT YEAR, + SAID MR SO.

HE HOPED THE POWER COMPANIES WOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO LOWER THE PROFITS TARGET SO THAT WITH CONCERTED EFFORT THE COMMUNITY MIGHT TIDE OVER THE PRESENT DIFFICULTIES.

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