XN000022-1993-11-10 — Page 7

EXISTING CONCESSIONS

5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1993

AS

THE

THE

QUITE RIGHTLY POINTED OUT BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-HA, DEFINITION OF AGE DOES VARY BETWEEN COUNTRIES WITH SOCIETIES. INDEED AND OFTEN I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT MEN ARE DESCRIBED TO BE AS OLD AS THEY FEEL AND WOMEN ARE DESCRIBED TO BE AS OLD AS THEY LOOK. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT DEFINITION ALSO. SO A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHY SET THE CARD AT THE AGE OF 65. I THINK THAT'S VERY MUCH DEBATED HERE. THE ANSWER IS SELF-EVIDENT. PRESENT CONCESSIONARY SCHEMES PROVIDED BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND OTHER COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS ARE IN THE MAIN FOR PERSONS AGED 65 AND ABOVE. IF WE WERE TO ISSUE THE CARD TO PERSONS UNDER 65, IT WOULD NEITHER BE OF USE TO THE PROVIDERS NOR OF BENEFIT TO THE USERS. OUR CARD IS TO MEET THE PRESSING NEED OF ELDERLY PEOPLE FOR A PROOF OF AGE TO FACILITATE THEIR USE OF CONCESSIONS. FOR PRACTICAL REASONS, THE CARD SHOULD THEREFORE BE ISSUED TO PERSONS AGED 65 AND ABOVE. AGAIN, AS RIGHTLY POINTED OUT BY THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU, THE TRANSPORT CONCESSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE, PARTLY AS A RESULT OF THE WAIVER OF GOVERNMENT FEES AND RENTAL CHARGES, AND PARTLY BY THE OPERATORS AT A COST TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS. THE REVENUE FOREGONE BY GOVERNMENT ALONE IS SOME $65 MILLION A YEAR. I SHOULD STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT MANY PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS ARE NOT PREPARED TO LOWER THE AGE ELIGIBILITY TO 60. TO INSIST ON THIS WOULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPACT, I THINK, ON FARES FOR THE REST OF THE FEE-PAYING POPULATION. FURTHERMORE I DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO ISSUE A CARD FOR THOSE OF A LOWER AGE GROUP. I MUST REITERATE THAT SUCH A CARD WOULD HAVE NO PURPOSE WHEN IT WOULD NOT BE RECOGNISED BY THOSE WHO CONCESSIONS. AS THE HONOURABLE Y F HUI SAID, OUR ELDERLY PEOPLE WOULD END UP BEING ASKED TO SHOW THE HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD TO PROVE ELIGIBILITY, SURELY WE DON'T WANT THAT. THAT'S WE HAVE NO INTENTION EITHER TO ABANDON THE ISSUE OF THE CARD OR TO CARELESSLY LOWER THE ELIGIBILITY AGE BELOW 65. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE HONOURABLE ELSIE TU'S COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON THE CONCESSIONS AVAILABLE TO ELDERLY PEOPLE INITIATED BY MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

OFFER

WE APPRECIATE THAT THERE ARE CONCESSIONARY SCHEMES OFFERED PERSONS AGED BELOW 65. THIS IS WONDERFUL. THIS IS LAUDABLE. WE CONFIDENT THAT SUCH CONCESSIONARY SCHEMES WILL CONTINUE.

WE IN HONG KONG HAVE A VERY GOOD TIME-HONOURED TRADITION RESPECT AND CONCERN FOR ELDERLY PERSONS. LET US BUILD ON THIS. US MAKE IT BETTER.

TO ARE

OF

LET

-

0

—

/6