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Following is a transcript of the Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao's meet-the-media session today (May 13):

Reporter : About the taxi trade requests for the reduction of fare...?

Dr Liao : The Transport Department had a meeting with the trade yesterday. Unfortunately, they didn't have a consensus on whether they should have a fare reduction. So they'd asked the Transport Department to carry out an opinion survey. We will do that as soon as we can. And then after they've reached an agreement, then we will process it. As I was saying, before it was always an application for increase and that took a bit of argument for four to six months during which period we need to go to the Transport Advisory Committee, the LegCo Panel and also the ExCo. But for this time I think we will speed up the whole process. I don't think there will be much argument once the trade agrees.

Reporter : Will the government propose any measure to help the taxi trade?

Dr Liao : We have already done a lot for the taxi trade. Recently, we have relaxed the restriction zone so that they can have a convenient stop all over the city. And then we have a concessionary rate for parking space. The licence fees had also been removed.

Reporter : ...(inaudible)?

Dr Liao : It is a commercial decision. They have to figure out the price elasticity and decide whether that will be good for the trade.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

End/Tuesday, May 13, 2003

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