XN000022-1986-07-30 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986

+ THE PRESENT BOARD CONSISTS OF SOME OF THE BEST BUSINESS LEADERS WITH TWO GOVERNMENT MEMBERS LOOKING AFTER TRANSPORT AND FINANCIAL POLICIES AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

+ IF ONE CANNOT TRUST THESE PUBLIC SPIRITED CITIZENS WITHOUT FINANCIAL INTEREST CONTRIBUTING THEIR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE TO PROVIDE GOOD SERVICE AT REASONABLE FARES, THEN PRESSURE GROUP MEMBERS OUTSIDE THE BOARD WILL NOT TRUST PRESSURE GROUP MEMBERS INSIDE THE BOARD,+ HE SAID.

HE CALLED ON PEOPLE TO LEAVE POLITICS ASIDE BEFORE ENTERING A BUSINESS BOARDROOM IF THEY WISHED THE CORPORATION NOT TO MAKE A LOSS AND HAVE TO RESORT TO INCREASING FARES OR DIP INTO PUBLIC COFFERS.

IN RESPONSE TO THE TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG DISTRICTS' PRESSURE GROUP DEMANDS FOR LARGE KCRC BOARD MEMBERSHIP

MR CHAN SAID: +THIS WOULD BE AN INSULT TO THE REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO IN THE URBAN COUNCIL, REGIONAL COUNCIL AND HEUNG YEE KUK.+

MR CHAN SAID THE PRESSURE GROUP HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT +MONOPOLY+ AND +HIGHER FARES+.

FIRSTLY, THE SO-CALLED +FRANCHISE INVOLVED NO PAYMENT OF ROYALTIES. MR CHAN SAID HE FAILED TO SEE WHERE THE WORD +MONOPOLY+ FITTED IN.

AS FOR FARES, IF THESE WERE ON AVERAGE COMPETITIVE WITH BUS FARES MR CHAN BELIEVED THAT PASSENGERS WOULD ENJOY THE ADDITIONAL COMFORT OF AIR CONDITIONING AND WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THE FARE STRUCTURE.

REFERRING TO THE SERVICE TO BE PROVIDED, HE SAID THAT FOR MANY YEARS THE KCRC HAD A GOOD TRACK-RECORD OF PROVIDING REASONABLE FARES AND EFFICIENT SERVICE.

HE REITERATED THAT A CONVENIENT TRANSPORT SYSTEM WOULD HELP TO OPEN UP THE WHOLE OF THE NORTHERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

LASTLY, HE SAID THE LIMITATION OF 20 YEARS ON THE TRANSIT SERVICE AREA WOULD MAKE THE LRT'S LATER EXTENSION MORE DIFFICULT TO FINANCE WITH FEWER YEARS IN WHICH TO RECOVER ITS CAPITAL SPENDING.

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