THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1986
PHYSICAL CLOSURE OF UNLICENSED FOOD PREMISES
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THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL SEEK DRAFTING APPROVAL FROM THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES FOR THE NECESSARY AMENDMENT TO THE LAW TO ENABLE PHYSICAL CLOSURE OF UNLICENSED FOOD PREMISES.
THIS WAS AGREED TODAY BY THE URBAN COUNCIL'S FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY MISS CECILIA YEUNG, AT ITS MONTHLY OPEN MEETING.
THE COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES ORDINANCE, A MAGISTRATE'S COURT WAS EMPOWERED TO MAKE EITHER A CLOSURE ORDER OR A PROHIBITION ORDER AGAINST UNLICENSED FOOD PREMISES.
PREVIOUSLY, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRACTICE WAS TO OBTAIN A CLOSURE ORDER AND AT THE SAME TIME AN ORDER FROM THE COURT ADDRESSED TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE REQUIRING THEM TO PHYSICALLY CLOSE THE FOOD PREMISES CONCERNED.
HOWEVER, DOUBTS WERE EXPRESSED AS TO THE LEGALITY OF THIS PRACTICE.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE EXISTING PRACTICE OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS TO APPLY FOR PROHIBITION ORDERS ONLY AGAINST THE USE OF PREMISES FOR FOOD BUSINESS WITHOUT A LICENCE.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT PROVING TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT TO THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF SUCH PREMISES ALTHOUGH A BREACH OF SUCH AN ORDER INVOLVED A GREATER MAXIMUM PENALTY THAN THE MERE CARRYING ON OF THE UNLICENSED BUSINESS.
IN 1985, THERE WERE 25 SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCES AND SIX ACTUAL PRISON SENTENCES IMPOSED IN CASES INVOLVING SUCH BREACHES.
RUNDOWN ON URBCO'S PLANNED CIVIC PROJECTS *****
THE URBAN COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON BEGAN ITS TWO-MONTH CONSULTATION EXERCISE WITH ALL 10 URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS ON THE COUNCIL'S CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME.
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT) OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MISS ELLE SHUM, GAVE MEMBERS OF THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD A HIGHLY DETAILED RUNDOWN ON THE VARIOUS CAPITAL AND MINOR WORKS PROJECTS PLANNED BY THE COUNCIL FOR THE DISTRICT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
/IN ALL,