XN000022-1996-05-20 — Page 6

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"We hope the reform, apart from improving productivity, will also remove the known undesirable practices that associated with the existing first-come-first-served basis," said Mr Tang. "We have no hidden agenda," he stressed.

PCWAS when first introduced in 1975 were intended to give the public land base areas to work their cargo without interference from illegal element and road congestion.

Due to heavy capital investment and the need to man them, users of PCWAS have to pay a fee. The present level is $60 per day for an eight-metre space of waterfront.

"Some people exploit the low fee structure and the first-come-first-served basis to their advantage, thus the genuine operators are often paying far more on the secondary market," Mr Tang said. "A legal right to a berth granted under the tender system will remove any need to pay secondary market costs.

"We agreed with the operators that these berthing spaces should be leased out to the genuine users on a more permanent basis rather them on a daily basis.

"We propose a tender system to let the operators bid for what they believe is the right price for a berth. That is open and fair."

The Marine Department will inform the Economic Services and Transport panels of the Legislative Council on Wednesday (May 22) of its progress in carrying out the reform. The operators will also argue their case in the same forum. There are press reports that some operators will block the harbour with their barges if the legislators do not side with them.

Mr Tang urged the operators to refrain from taking such action as it would serve no one's interest, particularly the port as a whole on which everyone was replying on.

He said: "If they do choose to block the harbour, they must inform us as early as possible but at least seven days in advance of the protest as required by the law.

"We need to inform other port users in particular the shipping companies and ferry operators well in advance.