XN000022-1984-01-18 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984

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THE INCREASE IN TAX AND LICENCE FEES ONLY WORSENS THE SITUATION AND NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED, HE SAID.

HE SAID HE PERSONALLY BELIEVED THAT THE TWO BILLS WERE INTENDED AS A MEANS TO SOLVE THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM AND NOT TO INCREASE REVENUE.

+THE MORATORIUM ON FRESH LICENCES WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED UPON EARLIER WOULD MEAN A CONSIDERABLE LOSS AS FAR AS REVENUE IS CONCERNED, AND I WONDER IF THE TAX INCREASES PROPOSED BY THE BILLS COULD OFFSET SUCH A LOSS+ HE SAID.

+AS FOR THE QUESTION OF CONSULTATION, WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSULT THE PUBLIC ON BROAD PRINCIPLES BEFORE INTRODUCING A BILL, I AM SURE THAT THERE WILL BE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO CONDUCT PUBLIC CONSULTATION BEFORE THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF TAX INCREASE PROPOSED IS PUT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE ADDED.

HOWEVER, HE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THE GOVERNMENT'S ARGUMENT THAT TAXIS WERE NOT A MEANS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

+BY CHARGING TENS OR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR EACH TAXI LICENCE ISSUED, THE AUTHORITIES HAVE APPARENTLY MADE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN TAXIS AND PRIVATE CARS AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR DIFFERENCES.

+OTHERWISE, NO TAXI LICENCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND ALL PRIVATE CARS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO DO BUSINESS, HE SAID. HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE STILL MANY WAYS WHICH TAXIS COULD JUSTIFY THE IR WORTH AS A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

AS YET, THEY COULD NOT BE ENTIRELY REPLACED BY ANY OTHER MODE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HE SAID.

+THE GOVERNMENT MAY ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO USE HIGH-CAPACITY MODES OF TRANSPORT, BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO BE GIVEN A CHOICE, HE STRESSED. + IF THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THAT THERE ARE ALREADY TOO MANY TAXIS AND THAT THESE TAXIS ON THE ROAD ARE CAUSING TRAFFIC CONGESTION, THEN THE BEST DIRECT METHOD OF DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM IS TO STOP ISSUING MORE TAXI LICENCES, HE ADDED.

HE ALSO FELT THAT THE TAX INCREASES PROPOSED BY THE TWO BILLS WERE TOO LARGE.

BUT HE SAID THAT HE FOUND IT HARD TO SYMPATHISE WITH THE TAXI OPERATORS WHO USED THE IR CARS TO BLOCK THE ROADS.

+NO GOVERNMENT POLICY CAN BE ONE HUNDRED PER CENT SATISFACTORY TO ALL. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO VOICE OUR DISCONTENT, AND IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR TAXI OPERATORS TO GO ON STRIKE AND BLOCK THE ROADS, HE SAID.

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