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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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QUESTIONS
1. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in English):—As the general duties teams do not often operate very late at night in Wan Chai district, will renewed efforts be made to seek the cooperation of the police in reducing illegal hawking at night and also the nuisances caused by the hawking trade at night hours or the early hours of the morning so that residents can sleep more peacefully?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English):-Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the hawker problem at night in Wan Chai District. It asks whether renewed efforts have been made to seek the cooperation of the Police in hawker control at night when the General Duties Team is not operating.
The hawker problem in Wan Chai at night mainly concentrates in Causeway Bay area, in particular around Great George Street and Kai Chiu Road. During the normal working hours of the General Duties Team i.e. from 8.15 a.m. in the morning to 10.15 p.m. at night the area generally is being maintained hawker-free. It is only when the General Duties Team withdraws from the field that the hawkers conglomerate there, from about 10.15 p.m. onwards to about midnight.
At the liaison meetings held regularly between USD and the Police, the Police agreed, resources permitting, to keep away illegal hawkers from the area where MTR exits/entrances are situated, after the normal GDT working hours. Joint USD/Police enforcement operations are regularly planned in order to impose a deterrent effect on the hawkers. The last operation was held on 20 February this year in Causeway Bay, aiming at the hawkers who had been trading at Great George Street, Paterson Street and Kai Chiu Road. The operation was successfully carried out resulting in 25 arrests of illegal hawkers, including 5 cooked food hawkers, and 16 seizures of handcarts with goods. Similar joint USD/Police operations will continue.
The hawking situation in the early morning hours in Wan Chai is not so serious as to warrant any special USD/Police effort.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, what action can the residents take if these hawkers cause noise disturbance in the early hours in the morning or at mid-night? Should they report to the Police or the USD? In case the Police refuse to take action against these hawkers, what can the residents do?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):- Mr. Chairman, noise disturbances in the early hours of morning are a Police responsibility from whatever source. I suggest that residents who are facing such a problem should report immediately to the Police. If they do not get the cooperation of the Police which I think is doubtful, they could report to the USD or any Urban Councillor. I am sure that the USD or Urban Council would be glad to take up their complaints but I would urge them to report to the Police and press for action.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a question. Since the normal working hour of the GDT is from 8.15 a.m. to 10.15 p.m., does it mean that after 10.15 p.m. there are less hawkers on the street, the management of hawkers by the GDT is no longer required. If this is not the case, has this Council ever considered to extend the operational hours of the GDT until all hawkers cease to operate there?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):--I am aware there are sometimes joint actions between the Police and GDT even extend beyond 10.15 p.m. But I don't think it is possible with the existing resources for this to take place too frequently every night. But as I said, the responsibility as worked out in joint discussion between the USD and the Police is after 10 p.m. and the Police would be glad to cooperate and try to reduce these disturbances as much as possible.
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I think this problem does exist in other areas of Hong Kong. I would like to ask who is responsible for the actual control of hawker problem after 10.15 p.m.? Secondly, as a result of lack of manpower resources on the part of the USD or Police, many illegal cooked food hawkers are still trading at mid-night. With the approach of summer and cholera, we should take concrete action to deal with these illegal cooked food hawkers. May I ask whether the Select Committee concerned should discuss the matter with the respective DMC to see whether the problem can be resolved?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am sure these are the points which are being considered by the Department and the Select Committee. But as Mr. LAM is aware being the Vice-Chairman of the Select Committee, the resources are limited and with the existing resources, the GDT can only operate for the time being between the hours of early morning until 10.15 at night unless there are joint operations. But what he has said is something which is very much of concern to the Select Committee.
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I won't answer but I would like to ask the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee a question. Would the Chairman please confirm unequivocally that the USD has two beats of workers and to introduce a third at night would put an unacceptable heavy burden of taxation and cost on the public? Would you confirm, Mr. Chairman, that we cannot afford to waste any more public money at night time?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, in fact it is a matter of point of view, there are some District Board members who feel that more money should be spent in that direction. But as I mentioned a little while ago, Mr. Chairman, the Select Committee considers that with the existing resources,
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