XN000022-1988-07-11 — Page 3

MONDAY, JULY 11, 1988

MR FORSGATE SAID THE PRIME OBJECTIVE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE URBAN DWELLERS THROUGH A HOST OF DUTIES, AMONG WHICH KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN UNDER THE FUPHEMISTIC TITLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE WAS THE MOST BASIC.

"OUR CLEANSING SQUADS, NOW COMPRISING SOME 5,000 STAFF, TOGETHER WITH THE CLEANSING FLEET OF 400 VEHICLES EACH DAY TAKE AWAY AN AVERAGE OF 2,800 TONNES OF REFUSE FROM OUR HOMES AND ON THE STREET," HE SAID.

"LAST YEAR, THE URBCO SPENT $310 MILLION IN HANDLING THE DISPOSAL OF REFUSE, TAKING UP A SIZABLE PORTION OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET",

MR FORSGATE SAID THE FIGHT AGAINST LITTERBUGS ENTERED A SIGNIFICANT NEW PHASE WHEN THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT INTRODUCED COMPUTERISATION FOR LITTER OFFENDERS IN SEPTEMBER 1982.

IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, HE SAID, THERE WERE MORE THAN 100,000 CASES OF LITTER PROSECUTION WITH FINES TOTALLING $37.12 MILLION.

"ALL THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED HAD PEOPLE SIMPLY OBSERVED THE ANTI-LITTER LAWS, HE ADDED.

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MR FORSGATE REMARKED THAT HOWEVER MUCH MONEY THE COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT SPEND ON KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN, IT WOULD NOT REALLY BE CLEAN UNTIL THE YOUNGER GENERATION GOT THE MESSAGE ACROSS.

"SINCE 1979, THE URBCO HAS SET UP THE AUXILIARY LITTER WARDEN SCHEME INVITING STUDENTS TO HELP CLEAN UP OUR BEACHES DURING THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS, HE SAID.

"SO FAR, MORE THAN 5,000 YOUNGSTERS HAVE BEEN MOBILISED AND THIS SUMMER MORE STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO COME FORWARD ΤΟ JOIN THIS MEANINGFUL ENDEAVOUR.

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MR FORSGATE SAID THAT TO ENCOURAGE REAL PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY, THE URBCO INTRODUCED IN 1986 A SELF-HELP CLEANSING SCHEME FOR REMOTE VILLAGES SUCH AS MA HANG VILLAGE, MARY NEW VILLAGE AND SAI WAN CHAT SQUATTER AREA IN STANLEY WHICH RESULTED IN CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANLINESS.

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THE URBCO ALSO MAINTAINED

HOTLINE (5-8680000) AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENABLE THE PUBLIC TO MAKE ENQUIRIES ON REFUSE DISPOSAL PROBLEMS, HE SAID.

MR FORSGATE SAID THAT WITH THE CONTINUING EFFORTS OF THE KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN CAMPAIGN, THERE HAD BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS AS THE CITY BECAME CLEANER THAN THE PRE-1972

"WHILE THIS IS TRUE, THERE ARE AROUND TOWN. UNLESS WE JOIN HANDS TO CREATURE, RATEPAYERS, YOU AND 1, WILL SUFFER FROM A LOWERING QUALITY OF LIFE,

PERIOD.

J

STILL MANY LAP SAP CHUNGS' GET RID OF THIS ANTI-SOCIAL NOT ONLY PAY MORE BUT ALSO

HE ADDED.

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