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# PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
immediate effect and required OGL to vacate the premises within 14 days. The Department is now looking for a catering contractor to provide catering services at the Stadium during the 1999 Hong Kong International Rugby Sevens. Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for selection of a long-term contractor through open tender.
Acting upon the instruction of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, the Department served a writ of summons to OGL through the Department of Justice on 04-02-1999 for recovery of the amount due. The documentation in support of the lawsuit was also sent to the High Court on the same day for filing purpose.
Ms. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman. I can see from the annex to the reply document regarding recreation venues that one of the tenants has been in arrears of rent from October 1996, thereby the total sum accumulated is now quite large. There is yet no solution to it. We do not know if the Department has instituted legal action. This is my first follow-up question-has legal action commenced?
now move on to my second follow-up question. As reflected in these few cases, it seems that the Department has no mechanism in place to tackle shop tenants in arrear of rent besides sending out first and second reminders. For example in the case of the restaurant operator at the Hong Kong Stadium, it was nine months later that the Standing Committee of the Whole Council finally decided to terminate the contract prematurely. I wonder if we can have a mechanism to take cases of rent arrears of over three months to the Finance Select Committee, so that the Committee will be aware of the situation and discuss what to do. It will avoid the recurrence of cases similar to that of the Hong Kong Stadium or Berlin International Ltd, as mentioned in the reply document.
MR. CHIANG SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):--I thank Ms. WONG for her questions. As far as I know, the answer to whether action has commenced is yes. A series of actions is underway through the Department of Justice.
The question of whether there should be a mechanism to tackle rent arrears involving tenants of the Hong Kong Stadium. I think the BOG of the Hong Kong Stadium should study into the details.
As to how to follow up arrears in rent, I hope the Department can enforce existing procedures. If in any case the time limit is not observed, I hope the Finance Select Committee will be notified forthwith to see what can be done to resolve the matter.
Mr. Daniel To Boon-man (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I'd like to ask the Chairman of the Select Committee whether there are other tenants of the Hong Kong Stadium in arrears of rent and if yes, how much. We are in a stringent financial position. Maybe something can be done to recover arrears of rent.
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