Page 275 of 485
Page 275 of 485
Page 275 or 485
250
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Secondly, the Chairman of the Committee has also mentioned just now that we can request the Government to review the legislations of the Urban Council. I do hope that the Chairman of the Public Health Select Committee will bring the street management problem back to the Committee and make a review report to examine solutions to this problem. Members of the Council have agreed that this is a difficult problem. It is not an easy problem to solve and no good solution can be identified. Therefore, I hope that this problem can be brought back to the Public Health Select Committee for discussion.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, with regard to shop operators causing obstruction to cleansing operations conducted by USD, in the past the Department has not launched any inter-departmental actions with the District Management Committee to prosecute the offenders. Looking back at the effectiveness of the backlane clearance exercises in the past, we therefore hope that inter-departmental actions can be taken in this regard. At present, joint operations are launched by several sections together in the Department, such as the Cleansing Section, the Hawkers Section and the Environmental Hygiene Section. This kind of multi-section joint actions will also join forces with the Police in taking prosecution actions.
As to whether the Public Health Select Committee can conduct a comprehensive review of the matter, it all depends on whether we have such need. If there is, we can certainly conduct the review. On the 5th of July this year, we had a paper on street obstruction. It is a review not only on obstruction to street cleansing, but on the overall problem of street obstruction. The Paper is PH/25/95 and the information in it should be more or less the same. However, if there is new information, a review targeting on street cleansing obstruction can be conducted.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):—I would like to ask several follow-up questions. First, does the USD have enough staff for prosecution and inspection duties at present? On average, how many officers are responsible for these duties in each district?
Secondly, all Members know that instances of street obstruction are common. What criteria does the Department base on to decide whether or not prosecutions will be initiated against such shop operators? In other words, by what standards is the priority of action decided? Is it that cases with many complaints will be followed up, or will priority be given in accordance with the seriousness of the problem in the blackspots in every district? I would like to know more in this aspect.
Concerning paragraph 5 of the reply, I personally have some reservations. It is stated that 'this kind of obstruction is unlawful, but what options are available?' I think the Department and the Committee Chairman have confused the problem in this respect, i.e. they did not distinguish between temporary obstruction and permanent obstruction. For temporary obstruction, Members of the Council can
Page 275 of 485
Page 275
Page 276