XN000022-1984-01-18 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984

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HAVE FAITH IN UMELCO, PEOPLE URGED

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IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE FAITH IN UMELCO, THEY MUST ALLOW ITS MEMBERS TO DO THE IR JOB IN GOOD TIME, DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE TWO BILLS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SHE ADDED: IF WE WANT HONG KONG TO ENJOY PROSPERITY AND STABILITY, WE MUST PLAY OUR PART AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.+

DR IP SAID SHE OPPOSED BOTH BILLS WITHOUT AMENDMENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

FIRSTLY, ONE BILL IMPOSES AN UNFAIR INCREASE IN THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX FOR THOSE 873 TAXIS TENDERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS TAX SCHEDULE WHICH HAVE YET TO BE REGISTERED,

SECONDLY. THE INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL LICENCE FEE FOR TAXIS

IS TOO HIGH, TOO SUDDEN AND WRONGLY TIMED+, AND

LASTLY, MANY POINTS IN THE BILLS NEEDED TO BE QUESTIONED.

SUGGESTING ALTERNATIVE WAYS FOR REVENUE PROTECTION, SHE SAID ONE WAY MIGHT BE BY SPECIFYING THE RETROACTIVE DATE AS THE DATE OF THE FIRST READING OF A BILL.

TWO OTHER BILLS HAD RECENTLY BEEN DEEMED TO BE EFFECTIVE ON A DATE PRECEDING THE FINAL READING, SHE RECALLED.

THE SUBSEQUENT COLLECTION OF HIGHER CHARGES WAS A TECHNICAL PROBLEM WHICH A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT COULD MANAGE, SHE SAID.

PROPOSED INCREASES FELT TOO HIGH'

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THE RATES OF INCREASES PROPOSED IN THE PACKAGE WERE TOO HIGH FOR THE CURRENT TAXI TRADE, AND INADEQUATE CONSIDERATION HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE HARDSHIP ON INDIVIDUAL TAXI OWNERS, DRIVERS AND THOSE TENDERERS WHO HAD NOT YET PURCHASED THEIR TAXIS, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID.

+THE BILLS ARE PARTICULARLY UNFAIR TO ALL OF THE 873 SUCCESSFUL TENDERERS FROM THE PREVIOUS TENDER EXERCISE BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT ANTICIPATED THE ADDITIONAL COST OF $32 200 FOR PURCHASING A NEW TAXI WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THE IR TENDERS, HE SAID.

AS FOR THE ARGUMENT OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT THAT TAXIS SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE PRIVATE CARS AND NOT PUBLIC TRANSPORT, MR CHAN FOUND THIS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT AS STATISTICS SHOWED THAT IN SEPTEMBER 1983 TAX IS CARRIED ALMOST AS MANY PASSENGERS AS THE MTR.

HE HOPED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE TAXI TRADE AND SOUND OUT THOSE WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSALS BEFORE COMING UP WITH A MORE ACCEPTABLE POLICY NEXT TIME.

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