TNAG-1855-FCO40-2630-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 139

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -8 March 1989

香港立法局

————————一九八九年三月八日

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CHIEF SECRETARY: No, Sir, it is a matter for this Administration to decide what it should do in relation to educating the public or publicizing the

covenants.

MR. McGREGOR: Sir, would the Chief Secretary not agree that the most important, or one of the most important, human rights of all is the right to vote?

HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT: That appears also to go beyond the scope of the original question or the original answer.

Control of littering at beaches

2. DR. IP asked: In view of Government's plan to spend $2.6 million to construct an outfall distally through the breakwater at the western end of Repulse Bay beach to tackle water pollution there, will Government propose for the Urban Council's consideration the introduction of a pilot project to confine eating and drinking to areas immediately proximate to the established refreshment facilities, in order to ensure that the use of taxpayers' money to improve environment will not be fouled by littering?

SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION: Sir, beach-going is one of the most popular forms of recreation in Hong Kong and is enjoyed by, literally, hundreds of thousands of people during weekends and public holidays in the swimming season. For many people, simple picnicking forms an essential and enjoyable part of beach-going activity in general.

Studies and surveys conducted by the Environmental Protection Department indicate that littering is a relatively insignificant contributor towards the pollution of waters off Repulse Bay and other beaches. However, strenuous efforts are made by the Urban Council and Regional Council to keep the beaches clean. These include the prohibition of cooking of food except in designated sites, daily cleansing operations, deployment of anti-litter squads to enforce anti- littering by-laws and the annual keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, and so on. In fact, beach-goers are nowadays much more conscious of the need to keep our beaches clean and in general they do behave themselves.

The existing Bathing Beach By-laws do not provide for prohibition or restriction of eating and drinking in beaches although cooking of food is prohibited except in designated sites, that is, restaurants and barbecue pits. Any