XN000022-1992-11-25 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1992

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

MR LEUNG SAID IN DETERMINING THE FARES OF SERVICES, THE GOVERNMENT NORMALLY ALLOWED THE OPERATING COMPANIES TO RECOVER COSTS AND EARN A REASONABLE PROFIT, TAKING FACTORS INCLUDING SERVICE QUALITY, COMMITMENT TO FURTHER CHANGES IN OPERATING COSTS AND MARKET ENVIRONMENT, AFFORDABILITY AND OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.

INTO ACCOUNT

INVESTMENTS,

PASSENGER

THE NEED TO

"THE OBJECTIVE IS TO BALANCE, ON THE ONE HAND, KEEP FARES AT ACCEPTABLE LEVELS, AND ON THE OTHER, A REASONABLE INCENTIVE FOR CONTINUED INVESTMENTS, WITHOUT WHICH PUBLIC DEMAND FOR BETTER SERVICES COULD NOT BE MET, HE SAID.

**

MR LEUNG SAID THE SPECIAL TERMS IN CMB'S NEW FRANCHISE ALSO PROVIDED FOR WIDER EXPOSURE BY THE COMPANY TO MARKET FORCES, MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT MONITORING OF ITS OPERATION ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC FOR ITS SERVICES THROUGH ESTABLISMENT OF PASSENGER LIAISON GROUPS.

AND GREATER THE MANDATORY

USERS' COMMITTEES TO HAVE MONITORING AND ADVISORY ROLES

"USERS' COMMITTEES" AS PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR EACH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT AS AND WHEN THE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPS ITS PERFORMANCE PLEDGE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LI WAH-MING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR WIGGHAM SAID DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS, INCLUDING ACCOUNTABILITY, WOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR EACH USERS' COMMITTEE IN THE LIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE PLEDGES.

"IN GENERAL THE COMMITTEES WILL REVIEW THE OUTCOME OF DEPARTMENT'S MONITORING OF PERFORMANCE PLEDGES: CONSIDER REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENTS ON THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC IN RELATION TO THE SERVICES COVERED BY A PLEDGE; AND ADVISE AS THEY CONSIDER APPROPRIATE ON MATTERS COVERED BY A PLEDGE, HE SAID.

THESE COMMITTEES WOULD COMPRISE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH OR RELY ON THE SERVICES SUBJECT TO A PLEDGE.

IT IS PLANNED THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC SHOULD JOIN IN THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGE PROGRAMME OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO YEARS, MR WIGGHAM ADDED.

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