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TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1985
THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT, WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY MR LAM CHAK-PIU AT THE OPEN MEETING TODAY.
AT PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT HAS 12 GENERAL DUTIES TEAMS (GDTS), EACH COMPRISING ABOUT 150 MEMBERS. THEY CARRY OUT ENFORCÉMENT ACTION AGAINST UNLICENSED HAWKERS AT ALL KNOWN HAWKER BLACK SPOTS, FOOTBRIDGES, SUBWAYS AND AT MAJOR THOROUGHFARES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE POLICE.
THE TEAMS ARE WORKING TWO SHIFTS DAILY, FROM
7 A.M. TO 4 P.M. AND FROM 3 P.M. TO 11 P.M.
+TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE TIME REQUIRED FOR BRIEFING AND DE BRIEFING OF THE TEAMS BEFORE AND AFTER EACH DAY'S WORK, THE ACTUAL COVERAGE ON THE GROUND IN RESPECT OF HAWKER CONTROL EXTENDS FROM SHORTLY AFTER 7 A.M. TO SHORTLY BEFORE 11 P.M.,+ MRS ELLIOTT SAID.
+THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE ADEQUATE SINCE RELATIVELY FEWER HAWKERS TRADE OUTSIDE SUCH HOURS AND HENCE THE PROBLEMS CAUSED THEN ARE MUCH LESS.+
MR ELLIOTT NOTED THAT MEASURES TAKEN BY GDT MEMBERS TO DETER ILLEGAL HAWKING INCLUDE PATROLLING, WARNING AND ARRESTING OF HAWKERS, AS WELL AS SEIZURE OF GOODS AND HAWKING PARAPHERNALIA.
+THERE IS OF COURSE NO WAY TO STOP HAWKERS FROM FLEEING FROM THE GDTS DURING AN OPERATION, THUS POSING A POTENTIAL DANGER TO BYSTANDERS, SHE STRESSED.
+BUT OUR GDT STAFF HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO EXERCISE DUE CARE IN CARRYING OUT AN ARREST OPERATION AND NOT TO GIVE CHASE WHEN TRY SO DOING THEY MIGHT CREATE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION.+
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