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unlicensed canteens are still in operation there. It is quite evident that licensed canteens still fall short of demand. In the case of Kwun Tong, a solution to the meal problem must lie in the 'diversification of catering'.
Progress on the construction of and the number of stalls available at the cooked food centres in Kwun Tong was reported to the Council on 21 December 1982 by Mr. SHUM Choi-sang, Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee. The Cooked Food Centres at Tsun Yip Street and the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier Concourse are scheduled to be completed in October 1983, providing 85 stalls. Construction work for the Tung Yuen Street Cooked Food Centre will start in February 1983 and is due for completion in October in the same year, providing another 8 stalls. The Shui Wo Street Market will further provide an additional 20 stalls when it is completed in 1986. For the time being, the Kwun Tong District Board has agreed to slow down its action. Up to now, it has conducted six demolition exercises and pulled down 32 stalls. Another 52 stalls will soon be demolished. The Council also plans to allow the operation of 'mobile food vans' and has invited applications from experienced food caterers. A total of 663 applications were received before the deadline on 15 December 1982 and at a ballot held on 28 December 1982, six applicants were granted the right to run the business, subject to their meeting the requisite health, fire and transport requirements, and to the issue of the necessary licences. Business can only be conducted between 11.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. and the vehicles must leave the parking area before 3.00 p.m. As the 'mobile van' is a new attempt, the Council should, first of all, monitor its effects in Kwun Tong as well as any problems that may arise before it will decide whether such operation should be expanded to other districts or established as a kind of permanent food business. These are important questions and we must have the factual information before we can make the final decision. I hope the new measures will help to alleviate the meal problem of the workers in Kwun Tong.
With regard to the consultative procedures in the enactment of new regulations, in October 1982, the exporters and retail traders of edible oil and food complained of the proposed Public Health and Urban Services (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill which sought to control the quantity of aflatoxins and erucic acid in edible oil and food. The merchants felt aggrieved because the Urban Services Department had not consulted them and the ordinance would be so amended that the Director of Urban Services might make provisions by notice in the Gazette. In their opinion, the Director of Urban Services was invested with too much power. A two-hour meeting was subsequently arranged between the Urban Services Department and the food traders, at which, medical evidence, international standards, sources of Hong Kong's edible oil and food as well as ways of storage were discussed. Ideas were exchanged on the sampling and law enforcement by the Urban Services Department. It was only when the Department agreed to expand the spheres of consultations over proposed or amended legislations in future did the food traders withdraw their complaints. The Bill was passed eventually.
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The storm in the peanut oil drum brings forth the following three important questions:-
(A) Is consultation essential when international standards are applied?
In Hong Kong, regulations governing food hygiene and protection of public health are all based on the standards and principles set up by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Regulations and standards of control adopted in other countries are also taken into consideration. The regulations in connection with the control of the quantity of aflatoxin and erucic acid, for instance, are drafted with reference to those in force in China, America and Canada. Normally, similar regulations are enacted a few years later in Hong Kong than in those countries and in the European Economic Community countries. When such regulations, which are based on common international standards, are proposed in Hong Kong, there is sufficient medical evidence and information to support them (e.g. the presence of erucic acid in food should not exceed 5% of the fat content). These regulations are to prevent discrepant standards between imported and local food and the dumping to Hong Kong of products which fall short of the required standards in other countries.
In view of the aforesaid, the Urban Services Department first sought approval, in principle, from the food traders before applying the new controls, but on matters concerning which ingredients are to be put under control and their quantity, the Department has to follow international standards and prior consultation is not necessarily essential. Proper notification in the form of notices stating the ingredients and the quantity allowed will suffice. It thus gave rise to the first cause of complaint (that there is no prior consultation). To avoid discrepancies in opinions, the Urban Services Department will in future arrange more meetings to brief food traders on the international standards on which the laws of Hong Kong are based so that these merchants can have a better understanding of the new regulations.
(B) With whom should we consult?
Consultation proves difficult on account of the frequent changes of the representatives of food traders and committee members of various organizations. It is inevitable that duplication of discussions, new representatives refusing to accept agreements formerly reached, and accusation of lack of consultation with the new representatives would happen. I am pleased to learn that the food retailers and edible oil merchants have set up the Hong Kong Food Council as the representative body for systematic consultation with the Urban Services Department and the Chairman of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association has also agreed to arrange for representatives to speak for the food trade so that their true voice may be heard. I earnestly hope that the Hong Kong Food Council will perform its functions well and serve as a precedent.