MONDAY, MAY 28, 1984
12
URBAN COUNCILLORS SPEAK WITH HAWKERS
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MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL'S WORKING PARTY ON HAWKING TODAY SPOKE TO BOTH LICENSED AND UNLICENSED HAWKERS WHEN THEY CONDUCTED THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SITE VISITS TO MARKETS AND BAZAARS TO UPDATE THEMSELVES ON THE HAWKING SITUATION.
THE WORKING PARTY WAS RECENTLY SET UP TO LOOK INTO AND RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE COUNCIL'S POLICY ON THE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF HAWKERS.
THE PARTY IS CHAIRED BY MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT, WHO LED TODAY'S INSPECTION. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INCLUDED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, MR SHUM CHO1-SANG, AND COUNCILLORS MISS CECILIA YEUNG,
THEY WERE MR STEPHEN LAU, MR TONG KAM-BIU AND MR WALTER SULKE. ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CITY SERVICES, MR MICHAEL SUEN, AND OTHER SENIOR STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THE PARTY FIRST WENT TO SHAM SHUI PO MARKET AND THE NEARBY HAWKER AREAS WHERE THEY TALKED WITH STALL LESSEES AND LICENSED AND UNLICENSED HAWKERS IN A BID TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THEIR OPERATIONS, THE DIFFICULTIES THEY ENCOUNTER AND THE PROBLEMS THEY CREATE CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE AND TRAFFIC FLOW. HAWKERS WERE ALSO ASKED HOW MUCH THEY MADE PER DAY, BUT MAINLY GAVE ONLY THEIR TURNOVER FIGURES, NOT THEIR PROFIT.
FROM THERE THE PARTY WENT TO TAI SHING STREET TEMPORARY MARKET AND THE WONG TAI SIN MARKET WHERE THEY WERE BRIEFED ON THE OVERALL SITUATION AND THE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS INVOLVED. AGAIN, MEMBERS SPOKE FREELY TO HAWKERS TO FIND OUT THEIR VIEWS.
LAST MONTH, THE WORKING PARTY HELD ITS FIRST MEETING AND DECIDED THAT URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE CONSULTED ON THE HAWKER PROBLEM.
A PAPER OUTLINING THE CURRENT HAWKER POLICY HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS FOR ANY COMMENTS AND OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE WORKING PARTY.
THE WORKING PARTY WILL MAKE PERIODIC REPORTS ON ITS PROGRESS TO THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE.