the
The Administration remains of the view that proposed fee increases should not cause hardship to individual hawkers (see paragraph 14 above) and that they should be introduced prior to the setting up of the Provisional Regional Council (see paragraph 12 above).
19
The Heung Yee Kuk and the New Territories General Chamber of Commerce will, no doubt, criticise any decision which does not take into account their views, and repeat in public the adverse comments set out in their letters at Annexes D and E. Adverse reaction can also be expected from hawkers in the New Territories. The fact that there has been no increase in urban fees since 1 March 1983 is unlikely to go unnoticed and there may be some unfavourable comments.
Publicity
20
A press release will be issued by the Urban Services Department to announce the introduction of the new fees. It will emphasize the need to raise fees in order to reduce the large financial deficit incurred by the control of licensed hawkers in the New Territories and that the deficit will remain substantial even after the introduction of the new fees. It will also stress that the increase is small in monetary terms, and should have little effect on the livelihood of the hawkers. Examples will be given to show how much more hawkers would have to pay as a result of the increase.
Advice sought
21
Members will be asked to advise, under section 83A of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, whether the Hawker (New Territories) (Amendment) Regulations 1985, as at Annex A, should be made.
(The Director of Urban Services, Mr G. BARNES, the Principal Assistant Secretary for Health and Welfare, Miss L. CHIU and Senior Crown Counsel, Mr E. AU, will attend before the Council for the discussion of this item.)
1 March 1985
(HW 50/05/04 II)
COUNCIL CHAMBER
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.