SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 1984
*
HAWKER OFFENDERS SHOULD BE COMPUTERISED IN THE SAME WAY AS LITTERBUGS. THE COURTS SHOULD BE GIVEN FULL INFORMATION ON PREVIOUS OFFENCES SO THAT A SUITABLE PENALTY COULD BE IMPOSED.
* THE PRESENT PENALTIES WERE TOO LIGHT. OFFENCES SHOULD BE CATEGORISED AND A SLIDING SCALE OF PENALTIES IMPOSED WITH REGARD TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENCE, VIS A VIS OPERATING WITH A WOK FULL OF BOILING FAT.
*
**
*
*
*
*
*
*
HEAVIER FINES AND EVEN IMPRISONMENT SHOULD BE IMPOSED
ON ILLEGAL HAWKERS WHOSE TRADE POSED A DANGER TO PEDESTRIANS. THERE SHOULD BE FIXED PENALTIES FOR HAWKING OFFENCES, WHILE LICENCES SHOULD BE ISSUED DAILY, ON A TEMPORARY BASIS,
BOTH FINES ON ILLEGAL HAWKERS AND LICENCE FEES PAID BY LEGAL HAWKERS SHOULD BE INCREASED BECAUSE IN EACH CASE THE HAWKER WAS NOT PAYING ANY TAX, AND HAWKING WAS A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS.
HAWKERS SHOULD PAY BUSINESS REGISTRATION AND INCOME TAX. THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT SHOULD DEVISE A MEANS TO IMPOSE TAX ON HAWKERS TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESS LESS ATTRACTIVE.
THE EXISTING LEGISLATION SHOULD BE AMENDED TO EMPOWER THE STAFF TO ARREST HAWKERS HAVING IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF SALE ANY COMMODITY INTENDED FOR HAWKING.
THE GDT'S SHOULD BE MADE A DISCIPLINED FORCE AND THEIR WORKING HOURS SHOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE TO SPREAD THEIR ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
BECAUSE HAWKERS WERE A +FURIOUS BREED+ WHEN APPROACHED BY OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF GD TEAMS SHOULD BE ARMED WITH BATONS.
SURPRISE RAIDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONDUCTED, OTHERWISE HAWKERS WOULD FIND WAYS TO EVADE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION. THE USD SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONFISCATE THE BARROWS AND PARAPHERNALIA OF ILLEGAL HAWKERS.
* PROGRESS ON SOLVING THE HAWKER PROBLEM IS TOO SLOW.
WORK ON MARKET PROJECTS TO GET HAWKERS OFF THE STREETS SHOULD BE SPEEDED UP.
ON COOKED-FOOD HAWKERS LIABLE TO SCALD PASSERS-BY IF THEY RAN AWAY SUDDENLY ALONG A CROWDED FOOTPATH, SOME
DI STRICT BOARD MEMBERS SUGGESTED THAT:
* THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD RECOGNISE THAT BY CONTINUING
TO PATRONISE SUCH HAWKERS THEY WERE PERPETUATING THIS DANGER; THEREFORE THE PUBLIC SHOULD HENCEFORTH BOYCOTT ALL COOKED-FOOD HAWKERS.
EVEN IF