HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
285
MR. CHAN Kwok-LEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman. I want to know whether there are provisions under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (Urban Council) By-laws, the Abattoir (Urban Council) By-laws and the Slaughterhouses (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 which stipulate that vehicles carrying live fish and meat must be inspected by the staff of the Urban Services Department before they are used. The inspection should cover many aspects, such as whether the vehicles are suitable for such uses, whether any water would overflow while they are being used, whether the ventilation and compartment conditions are suitable for the delivery of meat, etc. Are the staff of the Urban Services Department given a chance to carry out any inspection beforehand?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I will answer this question separately. Meat trucks are subject to such provisions, but not fish trucks, because meat trucks come under our control, but not fish trucks.
Mr. Li Wah-ming (in Cantonese):—About the fish trucks I mentioned, they actually refer to 'sea' trucks, because fish is not the only thing carried. There might also be prawns, crabs or other kinds of sea products. Dripping from this kind of truck naturally could not be clean water, and therefore the question is not whether it is the Transport Department's duty. I believe that it is not the Transport Department's duty at all. If any water drips from the vehicles, the case should be handled by the Urban Services Department. I would not argue about this. What I want to point out, Mr. Chairman, is about Mr. CHAN's reply given just now that since the slaughterhouses are adequately monitored, there are no problems with the delivery trucks. I want to point out that the slaughterhouses could not possibly exercise supervision over the meat trucks, because these trucks do not come under the control of the slaughterhouses. They are not our vehicles. They are privately owned. The question is how we can exercise supervision over these vehicles to ensure that our ordinances are not violated in the process of transportation of dressed carcasses from the slaughterhouses to the markets and restaurants. Just now the Chairman of the Select Committee mentioned a number of regulations, including the specifications on stainless steel and the intolerance of accumulated dirt. However, no prosecution action has been taken by our Urban Services Department in 3 years. What indeed are the tight measures? Chairman, what I want to point out is that it has nothing to do with the slaughterhouses. It has something to do with whether the health inspectors or overseers of the Urban Services Department have carried out the above duties or not. I consider that the Chairman of the Public Health Select Committee has not given a direct reply to this.
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the meat trucks are parked within the slaughterhouse area before transporting the meat, and are therefore monitored by the Department's staff. Their equipment and
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