XN000022-1985-10-17 — Page 17

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1985

ANOTHER POINT, HE ADDED, WAS THAT WITH SO MANY SMALL RESTAURANTS IN HONG KONG, APPLICANTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAY THE PRESUMABLY HIGH FEES THAT AUTHORISED PERSONS WOULD HAVE CHARGED.

MISS MARIA TAM, FORMER CHAIRPERSON OF THE FOOD HYGIENE COMMITTEE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN MANY MEETINGS WITH ICAC OFFICIALS ON THE AUTHORISED PERSON PROPOSAL, ASKED WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT WAS STILL USING THAT +VEHICLE+ (ITS WORKING PARTY WITH ICAC) TO FIND A SOLUTION.

MR SULKE, THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN, REPLIED: THE VEHICLE, IT SEEMS, HAS FOUR FLAT TYRES+

FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S RECENT LOOK-AND-LEARN VISIT TO NORTH AMERICA, MR AUGUSTINE CHUNG SUGGESTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT LOOK INTO THE SYSTEM OPERATED IN VANCOUVER, WHEREBY OFFICES DEALING WITH ALL THREE ASPECTS OF A RESTAURANT APPLICATION (HEALTH, BUILDING SAFETY AND FIRE SAFETY) WERE +ON THE SAME FLOOR UNDER THE SAME ROOF.+

THIS WAS GENERALLY AGREED BY MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE -- EXCEPT THAT MR EDMUND CHOW, HIMSELF ALSO A FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, RECOLLECTED THAT THE COUNCIL CAME UP WITH THE SAME IDEA FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, BUT THE TWO OTHER DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED HAD REJECTED IT.

AS EXASPERATED MR SULKE SUMMED UP: +THIS IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING. WE'RE DOING OUR BEST BUT WE'RE STYMIED BY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. COULD THE MEDIA KINDLY PUBLICISE THIS AND SO PERHAPS HELP BRING SOME PRESSURE ON THEM?+

COUNCILLORS' FREE LEGAL ADVICE HELPS RESTAURATEUR

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A RESTAURANT OPERATOR TODAY SUCCEEDED IN HIS APPEAL AGAINST THE SUSPENSION OF HIS LICENCE -- THANKS IN PART TO EXPERT LEGAL ADVICE PROVIDED GRATIS BY URBAN COUNCILLORS.

THE LICENCE OF MR FU LOK-CHIU'S GENERAL RESTAURANT IN AMOY PLAZA, NGAU TAU KOK, HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE SUSPENDED FOR TWO DAYS FOR THREE CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE FOOD BUSINESS BY-LAWS WITHIN A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR TWO FOR HAVING A DIRTY FOOD ROOM AND ONE FOR USE OF CHIPPED AND CRACKED CROCKERY AND UTENSILS.

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BUT THROUGH SOLICITORS, MR FU APPEALED TO TODAY'S MEETING OF THE URBAN COUNCIL'S FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE GROUND THAT WHILE CONVICTED AND FINED $1,000 FOR THE FIRST OFFENCE, AND CONVICTED AND FINED $1,500 FOR THE SECOND, HE WAS NOT CONVICTED IN THE THIRD CASE, BUT GIVEN A CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE.

/HOWEVER, ARGUED