Good Scheme Loses Lustre Because of Government Inefficiency
政府蹉跎細節欠奉 自駕遊好事變壞事
文章日期:2012年4月20日

雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】PUBLIC opposition to the cross-boundary private cars ad hoc quota trial scheme is mounting, the main reason being that no details have been published since the HKSAR government announced the drift of the scheme last year.

英語

近日社會對自駕遊的負面情緒不斷升溫,主因是特區政府去年公布政策大方向後,細節一直欠奉。

普通話

It is more than a decade since Hong Kong's restoration to China, and with the steady increase in the flow of people and cargo between Hong Kong and the mainland, Hong Kong's integration with the mainland is already an irreversible trend. Arrangements for private cars to travel under prescribed conditions between the two places should therefore be devised and implemented.

英語

回歸10多年,香港與大陸的人流、貨流持續增加,港陸融合已成不可逆轉的大趨勢,讓兩地私家車有節制下互通,是值得研究和推行的。

普通話

As the current application procedures for a license to drive in both Hong Kong and mainland China are very complicated, most private car owners in Hong Kong who would like to travel to the Pearl Delta region cannot drive in their own cars. Therefore, as long as mainland cars are not to come to Hong Kong, Hong Kong people under normal circumstances are not likely to be much opposed to an arrangement that allows Hong Kong cars into Guangdong. However, the cross-boundary private cars quota scheme about to be launched has run up against strong opposition, partly as a result of the escalating conflict caused by the Individual Visit Scheme and the "mainland pregnant women" problem.

英語

但現時中港車牌照申請繁複,一般擁有私家車的港人欲駕車到珠三角旅遊也無法成行,因此,開放港人跨境到廣東省自駕遊,既可滿足港人需求,亦不涉及內地私家車來港,港人理應不會反對。只是,近日「雙非孕婦」及自由行所引發的矛盾不斷激化,令到快將上馬的自駕遊也引來極大反對聲音。

普通話

Many Hong Kong people fear that the implementation of the scheme would result in a large number of mainland cars coming to Hong Kong, just as the Individual Visit Scheme has led to a huge influx of individual visitors. It is feared that Hong Kong's road network would not be able to cope with the increased volume of traffic, that left-hand drive cars from the mainland could not comply with Hong Kong's traffic regulations, that the low-quality petrol they use would exacerbate air pollution problems, and that a mainland driver might even evade responsibility by returning to the mainland after causing a traffic accident. These are fears that the government must consider and address openly.

英語

不少港人質疑,開放自駕遊會導致大量內地車如自由行般湧港,迫爆道路;內地左軚車亦難以適應香港交通規例,內地劣質汽油更會令空氣污染惡化,甚至質疑內地司機會否在車禍後一走了之等等。這些擔憂都是值得政府關注和回應的。

普通話

Under an agreement concluded between Guangdong and Hong Kong in August last year, Hong Kong private car owners may apply for ad hoc quotas that will allow their cars to travel in 21 cities in Guangdong. However, details about the number of ad hoc quotas, the application criteria, and whether instruction classes will have to be attended are still to be worked out. As a result of the recent conflict between mainlanders and Hong Kong people, the HKSAR government is faced with questions about the details, and unable to give a clear reply it can only stress that the first phase of the trial scheme does not allow mainland cars to enter Hong Kong. This serves to make people more anxious about the scheme.

英語

粵港雙方早於去年8月簽訂協議,今年3月起香港私家車可申請在廣東省21個城市自駕遊,但有關申請門檻、配額、事前是否需要參加課程等細節仍待商討,一直沒有公布。近期內地人與港人矛盾爆發,不少人因而追問自駕遊的細節,但特區政府卻支吾以對,面對質疑時只能推說目前首階段不會容許內地車來港,其他細節一概欠奉。結果加深部分人對自駕遊的憂慮。

普通話

Today some people go so far as to set themselves against the first phase of the scheme, which only allows Hong Kong cars to enter Guangdong. But as no mainland cars are coming to Hong Kong and there can be no threat to Hong Kong's road safety, we believe the opposition will die down when the scheme is implemented and its actual benefits perceived. The first phase of the scheme therefore need not be postponed. As for the ad hoc quotas allowing mainland private cars to enter Hong Kong, every regulation must be worked out carefully to ensure, for instance, that the problems of traffic congestion and air pollution will not get worse, and car drivers involved in traffic accidents can be traced effectively. The public must also be consulted to reduce their anxiety.

英語

如今雖然有部分人連香港車北上也反對,但由於不涉及內地車來港,更不涉及香港的道路安全問題,因此相信隨着政策實施後為港人北上帶來的實質好處浮現後,社會的反對聲音應會消退。因此,第一階段容許香港私家車北上的計劃,毋須押後,但必須從長計議內地私家車來港的具體安排,例如列出各種可行的監管方案,包括如何確保不會加劇交通擠塞、不會令香港空氣污染惡化、如何追蹤涉及交通事故的司機等,並須諮詢公眾,以釋除公眾疑慮。

普通話

The way a policy is received is often decided by the way it is formulated. If the formulation process is a black-box operation and nothing is announced till the last minute, the policy not only won't benefit from the wisdom of the public, but is also more likely to meet with public opposition. The government should learn from the controversy arising from the first phase of the scheme, and must not repeat its mistake.

英語

政策制訂的過程,往往決定了政策制訂的結果。若制訂過程黑箱作業,「臨門一腳」才匆匆公布,不但未能集思廣益,更徒增遭公眾反對的風險;政府應認真檢討今次處理自駕遊的教訓,勿再重蹈覆轍。

普通話

明報社評2012.02.13

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr Danny Chan

Lecturer, Hong Kong Community College, PolyU

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=782

焦妮娜

香港專上學院講師

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=1484

Powered by and