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174
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(6) MR. SOLOMON RAFEEKS asked the following question:
Members of the Shau Kei Wan Kaifong Association have complained to me that the Urban Services Department is not providing sufficient public latrines for the residents of the sixteen villages within the Shau Kei Wan Area; can the Chairman advise whether public latrine facilities are available for all sixteen villages, and whether he would be prepared to investigate what more should be done to improve these facilities to the satisfaction of the residents concerned?
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The "villages" referred to are mainly collections of squatter huts either on the hillsides by Shau Kei Wan or in Aldrich Bay.
Public latrine facilities in some form are available for the residents of all sixteen villages, eleven of which are situated within a short distance from one or more of the four large public latrines and bathhouses equipped with flushing water, these are sited as follows:
Holy Cross Path and Hoi Ning Street; these 2 each have 33 seats, 6 stall urinals and 25 showers; Nam On Street with 30 seats, a trough urinal and 22 showers; and Shau Kei Wan Main Street East which has 45 seats, a trough urinal and 33 showers.
Within the villages themselves there are 4 aqua privies with a total of 40 seats and a dry pail latrine with 8 seats. In addition 120 latrine pails and 56 collection buckets have been provided by the Department for communal use in these areas, and of course, a number of residents provide their own dry commodes which are regularly serviced by the conservancy staff.
In spite of this provision further investigation may reveal that even more facilities are required to improve matters and I will ensure that this takes place.
MR. RAFEEK:-Thank you Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Sir, though the question is not mine, I would like to ask a supplementary. I understand that these villages do have names.
Does the Department have the names of these villages? They are, I believe, more than just a mere collection of squatter huts.
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-Yes Sir, the department has got full details of these villages by name, the number of inhabitants of each, the distance each one is from a public latrine and the ones provided with latrines in addition to the public latrines.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Now Mr. Chairman, the penultimate paragraph of your reply says the villagers are provided with four aqua privies with 40 seats. Is that what all the villages are provided with, or is that what is within each village?
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-No Sir, this is within the confines of all the villages, not in each village.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Isn't the population of all these villages well over three thousand, Sir?
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-I cannot give exact figures on this, but the total population is, I think around 50,000.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-15,000 or 50,000.
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-between 50,000 and 60,000.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In that case, do you consider that four aqua privies with 40 seats and dry latrines with eight seats sufficient for 50,000 people?
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-As I tried to explain, Sir, these villages are very near the main part of Shau Kei Wan, and they are near these four large public latrines and bath houses.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, I merely asked that question because the representatives of these villages have said they are going to come to see some of the elected members after this council meeting is over, so we have to be prepared to satisfy them.
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-I hope you will, Sir. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, satisfy them in what respect? (Laughter). Mr. Chairman, are you going to reply to me?
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-I don't think so, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Shall I tell them that you expect to satisfy them through me? (Laughter).
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-You can show them my answer.
(7) MR. SOLOMON RAFEEK asked the following question:
Can the Chairman advise what are the plans of the Urban Services Department to provide more parks and playgrounds for the approximate 300,000 residents living in
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