XN000022-1985-10-17 — Page 15

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1985

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RESTAURANT OPERATOR GETS BENEFIT OF DOUET

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A RESTAURANT OPERATOR TODAY ESCAPED SUSPENSION OF HIS LICENCE FOR TWO DAYS THANKS TO A GENUINE DOUBT OVER THE ORIGIN OF BOR IC ACID FOUND TWICE IN SIU MEI DISHES.

HE CLAIMED THAT THE RESTAURANT WAS OPERATING AT A LOSS, AND WAS IN DEBT TO ITS FOOD SUPPLIERS. AS A RESULT, HE CLAIMED, THE SUPPLIERS HAD DELIVERED INFERIOR PORK AND SHRIMP WHICH THEY, NOT HE, HAD TREATED WITH BORIC ACID TO MAKE IT APPEAR FRESH.

MR CHAN KWONG-YUE WAS APPEALING TO TODAY'S MEETING OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE AGAINST THE AUTOMATIC SUSPENSION OF HIS LICENCE FOR TWO DAYS AS A RESULT OF THE RESTAURANT BEING FINED THREE TIMES WITHIN A 12-MONTH PERIOD FOR BREACHES OF THE FOOD REGULATIONS.

MR CHAN, WHOSE RESTAURANT IS IN KAI TIN TOWERS, KAI TIN ROAD, LAM TIN, ALSO APPEALED TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE GROUND THAT IF FORCED TO CLOSE FOR TWO DAYS, HE WOULD BE IN STILL GREATER FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY, AND MIGHT HAVE TO PUT OFF HIS STAFF OF MORE THAN 100.

WHILE GIVING HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AS TO THE ORIGIN OF THE BORIC ACID WHICH LED TO TWO CONVICTIONS, THE COMMITTEE MADE IT CLEAR THAT FINANCIAL LOSSES WERE NO EXCUSE FOR RUNNING AN UNHYGIENIC RESTAURANT.

THIS

+F INANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE NOT OUR AFFAIR COMMITTEE'S SOLE CONCERN IS THE HEALTH AND HYGIENE OF RESTAURANTS, AND THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE IR CUSTOMERS,+ SAID COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MR WALTER SULKE.

A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION WAS A STATEMENT GIVEN ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A GROWING NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS LATELY THAT FISHERMEN THEMSELVES WERE ADDING BORIC ACID TO THE IR SHRIMP CATCHES WHILE STILL AT SEA.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO CONFIRMED THAT RECENT INSPECTIONS OF THE RESTAURANT HAD REVEALED A SATISFACTORY STANDARD OF HYGIENE.

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