HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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that if the hawkers are obstructing the streets, the Police have power to prosecute them. I believe the Police have prosecuted illegal hawkers by applying the Summary Offences Ordinance. But how frequently they are doing it is difficult to say because the Police do have their own priorities in dealing with matters. Maybe their priority on arresting illegal hawkers blocking streets is not high. But we certainly can relay the opinion of Mr. WONG to the Police in order that they can strengthen their arrest action.
MR. FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, concerning illegal hawkers, we cannot evade our responsibility and we cannot pass the buck to the Police or anybody else. I think this question in Kwun Tong is similar to my question in Apliu Street where disposed articles are sold whereas in Kwun Tong, cooked food is sold. I understand that illegal cooked food hawkers are the top priority to be dealt with by the Council. I think the methods mentioned in the reply are not effective enough to solve the illegal cooked food hawkers problem. It is said that GDTs are on duty up to 9.45 p.m. which is the starting business hours of such illegal cooked food hawkers. The peak hours are 12 mid-night, 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. The duty hours of GDTs up to 9.45 p.m. has no deterrent effect on the hawkers. I would like to ask whether an ad hoc working group can be set up to consider methods to tackle illegal cooked food hawkers in some black spots at the next MST S/C meeting. The Department will be asked to implement these methods. I think it is useless to give figures in the reply.
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese): I think that we can consider Mr. FUNG's suggestion to set up a working group under the MST S/C.
MR. YIM KWOK-ON (in Cantonese): Regarding illegal hawkers, I hope that the MST S/C could also seriously consider the illegal hawker problem in Mongkok where the late night illegal hawking particularly the cooked food stalls is a very serious problem. They normally begin to operate the stalls at 11.00 p.m.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to follow up on this. I think the ad hoc working group to be set up should not only concentrate on cooked food hawkers but also illegal cooked food stalls which place their tables onto the pavements thus causing environmental nuisance.
CHAIRMAN (in English): I think Mr. CHAN will take note of it.
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in English): Mr. Chairman, I think Members should be requested to ask supplementary questions but not making statements.
CHAIRMAN (in English): Please ask in question form. Mr. CHAN will take all these suggestions and requests in the Select Committee.
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