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It is to the advantage of the public generally that the Council takes as effective action as possible against illegal hawking. If this is not done, hawker activities could, in a short time, bring the normal business of our city to a standstill.
(Mr. CHAN Chi-kwan left at this point—4.30 p.m.)
8. MR. TONG KAM-BIU asked the following question (in Cantonese): Swimmers and picnickers after their visiting or campings on beaches often leave behind large quantities of refuse. What does the Council propose to do to deal with the situation.
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English): This question concerns swimmers and picnickers who often leave behind large quantities of refuse on beaches and asks what the Council proposes to do to deal with the situation.
The problem of littering on beaches has been with us for a long time as during summer the urban beaches, particularly Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, Stanley Main and Shek O are heavily patronized by swimmers and picnickers. The concentration is particularly acute at weekends and public holidays in July and August. These visitors leave behind them large amounts of refuse, some properly deposited in litter bins, some carelessly discarded. Added to this, sea-borne refuse is brought into shore when the combination of wind and tide makes it happen. The Council and the Department are well aware of the situation and strenuous efforts are taken to tackle the problem. These efforts include:
(a) Manpower and equipment
In view of the popularity of the four beaches I have already mentioned, the Council's cleansing staff start work as early as 6.30 in the morning at weekends and public holidays in July and August, so that they can give the beaches a good clean-up before the crowds arrive. At other beaches the staff start work at 7.30 a.m. A continuous cleansing service is then maintained until up to 9.30 at night at the most popular beaches in these months. This helps to keep them clean and tidy during the day and after the crowds leave at night.
Casual labourers are employed to supplement the permanent cleansing staff from May to September each year and mechanical beach cleansing equipment is used at Shek O and Repulse Bay beaches. This equipment enables the Department to clean the beaches more quickly and efficiently. The problem of sea-borne refuse is tackled by using specially converted catamarans fitted with outboard engines, which scoop up refuse from the water. In all, as far as cleansing is concerned I do not see how the Department could do more.
(b) Publicity
The Urban Council has for a number of years mounted Clean Beach Campaigns and will again do so this summer. Undergraduates and students from the Technical Institute offer their services as auxiliary litter wardens as part of this campaign. They advise swimmers to keep the beaches clean and tidy. By example, they demonstrate what is to be done and aim to educate beach-goers to put litter in the proper place—that is in the bins provided. These auxiliaries work every Sunday and public holiday in July and August at the most popular beaches. Through suitable publicity, other organizations including schools and voluntary agencies organize their members to participate in the cleaning up of the beaches at weekends and public holidays.
(c) Prosecutions
Unfortunately, demonstration and education are not enough. They have to be supplemented by enforcement. To this end departmental staff are redeployed to patrol beaches at weekends and public holidays to take law enforcement action against litter offenders. Last year there were 487 prosecution cases for litter offences at urban beaches.
To sum up, the Council is well aware of the litter problem at beaches and is trying its very best to keep them clean and tidy and pleasant places for swimmers and picnickers to visit. However, the achievement of the Urban Council on this depends very much upon the co-operation of the vast numbers of beach-goers, and it is this co-operation which the Clean Beach Campaign aims to achieve.
MR. YOUNG (in English): Mr. Chairman, since it appears that a lot of refuse is left behind by people who camp overnight on beaches, may I ask whether those cleansing staff who start their work as early as half-past six in the morning also prosecute in addition to cleaning up the beach?
MR. Lo (in English): I think in order to prosecute, we have to see offenders actually depositing the litter on the ground. If they've been sleeping there overnight and in the morning you go there and find all the refuse round about, I don't think there is sufficient evidence for prosecution.
MR. YOUNG (in English): Mr. Chairman, if that's the case, will the Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee or perhaps the Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee consider the necessity of changing the Bylaws so that one can prosecute the campers who leave refuse around the tents on the beach.
MR. Lo (in English): Mr. Chairman, I think this may be considered undesirable. If I am sitting next to a pile of refuse and if you prosecute me without having seen me doing it, I think that it is going to be a bit too far.
MR. SZE (in English): I was under the impression that camping on beaches is illegal. Are the campers being prosecuted?
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