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Hawker control duties in Eastern District are handled by 11 GDT squads operating in two shifts, which leaves no spare capacity to maintain a continuous presence of GDT staff in the Kam Wah Street area. Nevertheless, regular enforcement action in the form of raiding operations are mounted in both the morning and afternoon shifts in order to deter unlicensed hawkers from plying their trades in this locality. In addition, joint GDT and Police operations are mounted periodically. Over the past three months, from February to April 1992, there were 278 arrests of illegal hawkers as well as 201 seizures of hawking paraphernalia and equipment in this area alone. This is indicative of the close attention being paid by the Department to illegal hawking in these streets within the limits of available resources.
The sanitary condition of this area has long been a focus of Departmental attention and this will certainly continue. A daily cleansing service is provided in this area and in addition to four rounds of street sweeping during the day time, gang sweeping is also conducted in the late evening. Moreover, this area is frequently patrolled by supervisory cleansing staff with a view to taking out law enforcement action against littering offenders.
Both cleansing and GDT staff also mount regular joint clean-up operations in this area to clear junk and discarded articles as well as to hose down the streets and back lanes as necessary.
Generally speaking, the sanitary condition in this area is maintained as well as can be expected given the difficulties experienced in cleansing areas where hawkers conglomerate. However, if improvements can be made, I am sure that the Department will find their best to do so.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—I thank the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders for his full reply. I have only one question and that is in respect to the last sentence. How? In other words, if nothing more can be done at present, then please say so?
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I think the Department has set up priorities in some areas where they are so filthy and if they can clear the hawkers, I am certain the Department can get a few more sweepings during the day. But obviously I think it is difficult to clear the hawkers during the day. So I think occasionally, we might be able to get more sweepings, but four times is quite a lot in a day.
MR. RONALD POON CHO-YIU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I agree with Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI. I do not think the question he raised was answered. Can I ask the Department whether there is any method of improvement here, which is what Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI was trying to ask, and the answer did not offer any improvement. It merely states the condition as it is, which is the matter of complaint.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—This question is addressed to the Department. Mr. Stephen LAU, can you attempt to answer?
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MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I think the Department is equally anxious to get more ideas to improve the services. I think if Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI or Mr. Ronald POON has any better idea, certainly the MST S/C will consider improvements to meet the expectations of the members of the Council.
THE HON. MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, in the reply, it only says that the Department will within its available resources do its best. Is it satisfied with the condition now? If not, how can the residents in the Eastern District be satisfied with the improvements made in these hawker areas? I would like to get a concrete reply. Is it because of shortage of manpower or can we improve the method to deal with the situation?
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I believe members are aware that in 1986 when we set down the hawkers policy, it was stated very clearly in Chapter 3 that if we were to carry out our hawker policy successfully, then we had to get the support of the Central Government, as well as the co-operation of the local residents, because hawker problems are very difficult to resolve entirely. We only hope to control the situation in an orderly manner. Actually, in controlling hawkers, our deficit every year incurred is over HK$200 Million. Besides financial resources permit and approval of whole Council is obtained, we shall have to consider whether additional subsidy is required. Otherwise, within the limited resources available, I think the Department has already done its best.
MR. RONALD POON CHO-YIU (in English):—As a conclusion, Mr. Chairman, does that mean that is it, unless we revise our budget?
CHAIRMAN (in English):—That would be a very wide ranging question. Can you attempt to answer, as Chairman of Markets and Street Traders S/C?
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese):— Mr. Chairman, as I am not the Chairman of the Finance Select Committee, and I cannot express my personal view, so I think it will be up to members to decide on this.
3.
MR. FUNG KWONG-CHUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):– There have recently been reports on red tides at bathing beaches managed by the Urban Services Department. This affects public enjoyment of beach facilities. I would therefore like to raise the following questions:
(1) As the swimming season approaches, will the Department strengthen its control over and removal of pollutant sources at various bathing beaches, such as the sewers of nearby premises, catchwaters and refuse left by visitors etc.?
(2) Has the Department got any equipment to contain the red tides from spreading into the periphery of bathing beaches?
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