XN000022-1986-09-22 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1986

THE OPERATION OF RAILWAY AND FERRY FEEDER SERVICES WILL BE ENCOURAGED WHERE THESE ARE ECONOMICALLY USEFUL, AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE THROUGH CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE BUS, FERRY AND RAIL OPERATORS, HE ADDED.

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THERE SHOULD BE A RATIONALISATION OF HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY'S FRANCHISED FERRY SERVICES, PARTICULARLY TO REFLECT PATRONAGE DECLINES ON SOME OF ITS CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTES CAUSED BY INCREASED COMPETITION, AND THUS TO ENSURE THAT FARE LEVELS ON REMAINING CROSS-HARBOUR SERVICES AND THOSE TO THE OUTLYING ISLANDS CAN BE MAINTAINED AT A REASONABLE LEVEL.

MR LAN STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY HAD BEEN TO DO ITS BEST TO PROVIDE THE TRANSPORT TO MEET THE DEMAND AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE.

+ THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM SHOULD BE BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR BY PUBLIC CORPORATIONS WORKING ON COMMERCIAL LINES, WITH THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDING A STATUTORY FRAMEWORK REGULATION AND A DEGREE OF CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT MODES, HE SAID.

+ THE FUTURE EFFICIENCY OF TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG MUST LIE IN THE CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS SO AS TO MEET THE FULL RANGE OF DEMANDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

IT IS IN THIS DIRECTION THAT WE WILL CONTINUE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO MAINTAIN THE EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE SO NECESSARY TO THE MAINTENANCE OF POSPERITY IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO OBSERVE NUCLEAR CONFERENCE *****

A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL LEFT HONG KONG TONIGHT (MONDAY) TO ATTEND THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) GENERAL CONFERENCE IN VIENNA BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 24 AND 26.

PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY (ECONOMIC SERVICES), MRS EMMELINE MOK, WILL ATTEND THE SPECIAL SESSION, HELD AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL TO DISCUSS GENERAL QUESTIONS OF NUCLEAR SAFETY, AS AN OBSERVER ATTACHED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE CONFERENCE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN THE LIGHT OF THE GREAT INTEREST IN HONG KONG IN NUCLEAR SAFETY SINCE THE CHERNOBYL INCIDENT, AND OF THE IMPENDING CONTRACT SIGNING FOR THE DAYA BAY PROJECT, MRS MOK'S ATTENDANCE WILL PROVE USEFUL AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH CONTACTS WITH THE IAEA SECRETARIAT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT IAEA'S ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY MATTER.

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