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Fisheries Department and the reliance on hygiene certification by export places. After the discussion on 3 May this year, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department accepted my suggestion and agreed to implement a system of 'quarantine first and sales later'.
(4) The majority of these 12 food incidents were caused by new bacteria or bacteria seldom found in Hong Kong in the past. 8 of the 12 cases fall into this category which amounts to 67%. The bacteria reported discovered were Listeria in Dreyer's ice-cream, H5N1 bird flu, Ciguatoxin, O-157:H7 E-coli etc. We should make use of medical, medicinal, chemical testing, biological or physical methods to come up with a fundamental remedy to fight such seldom or newly discovered bacteria.
(5) The Urban Council and the Provisional Urban Council played an active role in these 12 food hygiene incidents. In the format of motion debates and by inviting departmental representatives to attend the discussion sessions of the Public Health Select Committee, we succeeded during these 12 cases in bringing about various degrees of improvement in those departments concerning food safety and environmental hygiene. No doubt motions carried in the two municipal councils urged government departments, in respect of direction and policy, to formulate regulations and devise associated improvements. Below I quote three examples.
On the issue of poisonous vegetables, the following motion was moved by me and carried in the December 1997 meeting of the Provisional Urban Council: In view of the recent spate of vegetable poisoning cases, RESOLVED that the Council urge the Department of Health to liaise with the Provisional Regional Council, and the local and mainland government departments concerned to conduct a comprehensive review of the relevant steps related to the precautionary measures for preventing vegetables with pesticide residue from endangering citizens' health, so as to further plug possible loopholes and to step up health education among citizens regarding the safe consumption of vegetables. At the same time, the Council also urge the Agriculture and Fisheries Department to actively promote non-contaminated vegetables and pesticide-free vegetables supplied by the accredited farms, so that Hong Kong will advance from the stage of preventing the occurrence of vegetable poisoning cases to the positive stage of providing overall quality vegetables.
On O-157:H7 E-coli bacteria, the Urban Council carried my motion of April last year as follows: 'Since E-coli bacteria was found for the first time in retail minced beef in Hong Kong, RESOLVED that the Council urge the Urban Services Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and other departments concerned, to further improve comprehensively, in respect of fresh meat and frozen meat, various steps on the import, slaughter of livestock, transportation, wholesale, retail and storage; to monitor and take
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