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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
On Hong Kong Island, the implementation of policy is undertaken by the Hawker Liaison Unit and the Hawker Control Force. In exercises or "operations" which involve many hawkers and where there is an indication that there may be resistance or breach of the peace, the Police also take part. Police presence in these operations is a very important factor which helps to ensure that the exercise is carried out smoothly. Staff of the Resettlement Department also participate from time to time to demolish illegal structures used for domestic purposes. In Kowloon, where all Hawker Control Force units have been withdrawn since last November, the police work in conjunction with the Hawker Liaison Unit in all important operations.
I should stress that all hawker operations are very carefully planned and discussed beforehand at a meeting of District Hawker Consultative Committee, in which all Government departments involved take part.
The City District Officers and their staff very often render valuable assistance in dealing with hawker delegations and the negotiations which often accompany major operations. As far as the Urban Council is concerned, the Hawker Policy Select Committee has specifically taken the line that the Department should be given a free hand to carry out all the necessary hawker operations without interference from individual Councillors.
MR. FORSGATE:- Mr. Chairman, one supplementary only. As it is apparent that the recent clearances have the support of the general public, could Mr. LOBO advise how Members of this Council could best assist the implementation of the policy agreed in his committee?
MR. LOBO:- Well, I may first start by saying that all operations are difficult, and all Members of this Council should support the Department whole-heartedly. No individual cases, in my opinion, should be the cause of delay in any operation. I feel the Department needs support and the sooner the Members of this Council realize this the better it is for all the operations to be carried out smoothly.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, in cases where the hawkers have a genuine grievance and they make a suggestion, they are willing to move but they want to have some certain conditions, is there any reason why they should not, if time permits, appeal?
CHAIRMAN:- Not at all, appeal is the normal way of things in this Council, Mrs. ELLIOTT. But we cannot allow operations to be interfered with by either individual approaches or in some cases collective approaches.
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MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, am I right in saying we have an Appeals Committee?
CHAIRMAN: No, Mrs. ELLIOTT, not for this year.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- We don't have an Hawker Appeals Committee?
CHAIRMAN:- No.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- I have been meeting on it several times. Why do we have it if there isn't such a thing?
CHAIRMAN:- That is a sub-committee still in force to deal with what remains from last year.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, when I said Committee, you surely understood I meant committee of any kind, sub-committee is surely committee?
CHAIRMAN:- It is still not constituted for this year's operations.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, has the sub-committee met or not this year? I have been at it several times, I know.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, a personal statement as Chairman of that sub-committee, it is certainly in force as a sub-committee and it has certainly had things referred to it this year and it is not only in force to consider matters pending from last year.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, can you explain to this Council why you have refused to allow cases to go to sub-committee?
CHAIRMAN:- I have never refused any appeal whatever.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, this is untrue. Will you please refer to your letters to me in which you have refused to refer cases to the sub-committee even when there was plenty of time, three months in which to do it? Can you deny it?
CHAIRMAN: I have explained I have not refused any appeal whatever. I have refused appeals to stop operations but I have never refused any appeal to go to any committee.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, would you like me to show you a letter (I am sorry I didn't know it was coming up today), would you like me to show you a letter in which you have refused to allow a case to go before the Appeals Committee when you had three months in which to allow it to do so?
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