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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Mr. Joseph LAI CHI-KEONG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask some follow-up questions. Does the recent issue concerning the qualifications and salaries of the lifeguards have an impact on the extension of the operational hours and lifesaving operation of the swimming pools and beaches?
Another question is we have the intention to identify potential sites in the southern waters of Hong Kong for the establishment of water sports centres. I would like to know which beaches you have in mind that have potential for development? Furthermore, for 1995/96 summer holidays, there will be a lot of summer holiday activities but the Sailing Centre will only be available in 1997. So, in this interim period what sort of measures will you adopt in order to meet the demand for water sports activities during the 2 summer holidays?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU (in Cantonese):- Mr. LAI has asked 3 questions. I would like to take up the first question first.
At the moment, the Urban Council has already extended the operation hours of the swimming pools. Regarding the salaries and benefits of the lifeguards, I don't think this has any impact on the operation because the extension is only one hour. According to past experience, the appearance of sharks has discouraged people from going to beaches, but it does not mean that they would go to our swimming pools. The increase is very small.
After consideration, the Department decided that extension of one hour will be enough to meet the demand and we don't think the salaries of lifeguards will have any relation to the extension.
As regards the second question asked by Mr. Lai on which beaches in the southern waters of Hong Kong have potential to be developed into water sports centres. In fact, at the last meeting, Mr. WONG King-cheung asked a similar question and at that time, we had already identified a number of beaches and in fact, we are now in the process of negotiating with the Lands Department to see whether it is possible to make use of such beaches in the summer holidays for water sports activities by swimmers.
(3) MR. KwOK BIT-CHUN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- A certain newspaper reported on 28 June that the Urban Services Department had seized a number of unstamped pig carcasses in Sau Mau Ping. I would like to ask:
(a) How many unstamped pig carcasses were involved?
(b) Has the source of those unstamped pig carcasses been identified?
(c) In the past year, how many times were unstamped pig carcasses seized by the Urban Services Department? How many were seized in total?
(d) Were there records of similar seizure in Sau Mau Ping previously?
(e) When the Urban Services Department has seized unstamped pig carcasses, how would it handle the case?
(f) Does the existing legislation for charging such offenders have adequate deterrent effect? Has the need for heavier penalty been considered?
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