XN000022-1992-10-31 — Page 4

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1992

RESIDENTS URGED TO KEEP COUNTRY PARKS CLEAN

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COUNTRY PARK VISITORS ARE URGED TODAY (

(SATURDAY) TO KEEP THE AREAS CLEAN BY PROPERLY DISPOSING OF REFUSE AFTER BARBECUING

PICNICKING.

AND

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS OFFICER, MR LAI CHING-WAI, MADE THE APPEAL AS HE REVIEWED THE LITTERING PROBLEM IN COUNTRY PARKS.

MR LAI POINTED OUT THAT THE SITUATION WAS AT ITS WORST OVER WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS WHEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VISITED THE COUNTRY PARKS.

"ON MONDAYS AND THE DAYS AFTER PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, MANY BARBECUE SITES ARE COVERED BY LARGE AMOUNT OF LITTER, PLASTIC BAGS, FOOD RESIDUES AND BARBECUE FORKS.

"NOT ONLY DO THEY RUIN THE OUTLOOK OF THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY PARKS BUT ALSO CREATE HYGIENE PROBLEMS," HE SAID.

MR

LAI WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED OVER THE ATTITUDES OF MANY VISITORS WHO DO NOT BOTHER EVEN TO THROW THE REFUSE INTO NEARBY LITTER BINS OR STOCKADES.

"THE SIMPLEST THING TO DO IS TO PITCH IN. BETTER STILL, THEY CAN CREATE LESS REFUSE BY TAKING HOME REUSABLE ITEMS SUCH AS BARBECUE FORKS, HE SAID.

T

ABOUT 3.650 TONNES OF LITTER WERE LEFT IN COUNTRY PARKS EACH YEAR.

IN ADDITION, SOME 700,000 ABANDONED BARBECUE FORKS WERE COLLECTED IN COUNTRY PARKS BY THE DEPARTMENT'S STAFF LAST YEAR.

THESE STAFF COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER DEPLOYED TO OTHER USEFUL DUTIES IN IMPROVING THE COUNTRY PARKS IF VISITORS WERE MORE CIVIC CONSCIOUS, MR LAI SAID.

"THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION TO DETER PEOPLE FROM LITTERING," HE SAID.

ANY PERSON FOUND LITTERING AT COUNTRY PARKS COULD FACE A MAXIMUM FINE OF $2,000 AND THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT UPON CONVICTION.

SOME 775 PEOPLE WERE FINED A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $262,150 FOR THE LITTERING OFFENCE UNDER THE COUNTRY PARKS AND SPECIAL AREAS REGULATIONS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

то

MR LAI SAID MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD TAKE FURTHER STEPS HELP KEEP THE COUNTRY PARKS CLEAN BY TAKING PART IN AN VOLUNTARY LITTER COLLECTION OPERATION HELD REGULARLY BY THE DEPARTMENT.

ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANISATION WHO IS INTERESTED IN THE WORK CAN GET DETAILS FROM THE DEPARTMENT ON 733 2121.

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