XN000022-1994-01-10 — Page 7

MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1994

"THE

JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAS AGREED THAT THOSE ELIGIBLE UNDER OR BASIC LAW ARTICLE 24(2)(3) ARE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE EITHER A FATHER

OF MOTHER BEING PERMANENT RESIDENT OF HONG KONG AT THE TIME A BIRTH, HE SAID.

rr

THEIR

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO STRESSED THAT THERE WAS NO RELAXATION IN HONG KONG'S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION POLICY.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE AND WILL STILL BE REPATRIATED REGARDLESS OF THEIR CONNECTIONS WITH HONG KONG.

STATEMENT ON BUS FARE INCREASE APPLICATIONS

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED THAT CHINA MOTOR BUS (CMB) SUBMITTED ON JANUARY 4 AN APPLICATION FOR FARE INCREASE BY A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF 19.1 PER CENT.

HE EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT BOTH KOWLOON MOTOR BUS AND CMB HAD APPLIED FOR A FARE INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE PROJECTED INFLATION RATE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID AS WITH ANY FARE INCREASE APPLICATION, THE PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED RATES OF INCREASE BRING SOUGHT BY THE TWO COMPANIES WAS WELL UNDERSTOOD.

HE EMPHASISED THAT INCREASES HAD TO BE FULLY JUSTIFIED AND WOULD ONLY BE APPROVED IF THE EVENTUAL LEVEL OF INCREASE WOULD BE LIMITED ΤΟ COVER UNAVOIDABLE EXPENSES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS.

"THE GOVERNMENT WILL EXAMINE THE APPLICATIONS CAREFULLY IN LIGHT OF RISE IN THE TWO COMPANIES' OPERATING EXPENSES, SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, INFLATION RATE AND PUBLIC ACCEPTABILITY.

THE

"WE WILL ALSO BRIEF THE TRANSPORT PANEL OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND SEEK THE ADVICE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEFORE RECOMMENDATION IS MADE TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL,' THE SPOKESMAN

14

SAID.

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