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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Podium of the HKCC near the Studio Theatre for regular signing by policemen. In response to the Department's recent enquiry, the Police has indicated that even though there were quite a lot of young people around the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade and HKCC Piazza during the night, the order in the vicinity was found to be under control.
To further improve the night-time security of the outdoor areas, the Department has deployed four additional security guards who are our own staff to perform outdoor patrolling at hourly intervals within the HKCC area. The overnight patrolling serves to monitor the building security and to protect the Council's properties as well as to complement the Police in deterring crimes and indecent acts.
Adequate illumination is maintained in the outdoor areas throughout the night to facilitate safe access of the public. The Department has looked into this and is satisfied that the facilities are adequate. The illumination facilities include lights at tree grilles, poolsides, lamp poles, raking walls, the Pier Deck and podium areas. A proposal put forward by the Department to add lamp poles to the Piazza area near the Grand Staircase is being pursued.
Mr. Chairman, I am sure that with these measures in place, HKCC outdoor area security and the law and order situation should be well taken care of.
Mr. Daniel To Boon-man (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I first would like to thank Mr. Pao for making such a great effort to answer the question. Actually after the release of the paper, I also paid a visit to the area personally and found that the security measures had been stepped up and the situation improved. But my question is: we are concerned about the areas surrounding the HKCC. Does the triangular corridor around the HKCC fall within the boundary of the HKCC or not, because the indecent act took place in that area.
Mr. Pao Ping-wing (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as I am not professionally trained I cannot figure out which area Mr. To was referring to. However if he talked about the triangular corridor where the indecent act took place, I can definitely say that it does not fall within the boundary of the HKCC area.
(2) Ms. Jennifer Chow Kit-bing asked the following question (in Cantonese):—A clinical case of Hantaan Virus was discovered in Hong Kong last month. As Hantaan is a virus transmitted through the excreta of rats, I would like to ask whether the Department would strengthen rodent control this summer or adopt special measures in cooperation with the Department of Health so as to keep down the spread of this infectious disease?
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut, Chairman of the Public Health Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—This question by Ms. Jennifer Chow concerning the measures taken to keep down the spread of Hantaan Virus infection in Hong Kong can be divided into two parts. The first part asks whether this Department would strengthen rodent control this summer.
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