XN000022-1982-12-08 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1982

ARGUING THAT THE CHINESE TRANSLATION OF THE TERM WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT RECKLESS+ MEANT IN THE NEW BILL, HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK FOR A BETTER TRANSLATION SO AS TO EASE THE MINDS OF DRIVERS IN GENERAL.

MR WONG ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER GIVING A DEFINITION OF RECKLESS DRIVING EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE A LONG ONE.

HE DISMISSED THE FEAR OF THE PUBLIC THAT THE BILL WOULD GIVE THE POLICE GREATER POWER.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE HEAVIER PENALTIES IMPOSED, HE ADDED, ABUSE OF POWER ON THE PART OF THE POLICE WOULD HAVE A MUCH GREATER INFLUENCE ON THE DRIVERS THAN BEFORE.

+NOWADAYS, THE POLICE FORCE IS BETTER DISCIPLINED BUT STILL MANY POLICEMEN ARE INEXPERIENCED.

+THE POSSIBILITY OF ABUSING POWER KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY THEREFORE EXISTS.

+THOUGH IN THE EARLY DAYS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW LAW, THE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT ASK THE POLICE TO DECIDE IF A PERSON IS GUILTY OF 'RECKLESS DRIVING', THE SUBJECT WILL STILL CAUSE GREAT CONCERN,+ MR WONG SAID,

MR F.K. HU WELCOMED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL AND THE SEVEN SETS OF RELATED REGULATIONS WHICH HE FELT WOULD FORM AN UPDATED STRUCTURE OF LEGISLATION TO DEAL WITH THE PRESENT COMPLICATED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS.

REFERRING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINED EFFORT TO REGULATE +PAK PAIS+, HE STRESSED THAT THERE MUST BE PROPER CONTROL OF ILLEGAL PAK PAI OPERATIONS WITH EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS SUCH AS THOSE OUTLINED IN THE BILL.

BUT HE CONSIDERED THAT LICENCES OF THOSE VEHICLES USED FOR PAK PAI OPERATIONS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT RATHER THAN BY THE TRANSPORT TRIBUNAL.

HE SAID AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON THIS POINT AND AN AMENDMENT TO THIS EFFECT WOULD BE PROPOSED IN THE COMMITTEE STAGE.

MR HU NOTED THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE SUSPENSION OF A LICENCE ON FIRST OFFENCE AS THERE COULD BE MANY CASES OF DRIVERS SOLICITING CAR-HIRE FOR REWARD WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE OWNER.

+HOWEVER, WE ACCEPT THE EXPLANATION THAT THE TRANSPORT TRIBUNAL HAS THE POWER TO QUASH THE CONVICTION ON APPEAL AND THAT THE VEHICLE LICENCE WOULD NOT BE SUSPENDED UNTIL THE APPEAL IS HEARD, HE SAID.

AS ILLEGAL PAK PAI OPERATIONS ARE POSING A SERIOUS PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO LOGICALLY DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF HIRE CAR PERMITS TO BE ISSUED IN EACH AREA BEARING IN MIND PASSENGER DEMANDS, AVAILABILITY AND FREQUENCIES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND TAXI SERVICE.

/IT WAS