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that the Urban Services Department should organize without charge, a course on the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings for the benefit of personnel of private cleansing companies. Would the Urban Services Department be prepared to sponsor such a course for the personnel of private cleansing companies, for the benefit of the rapidly increasing population of multi-storey buildings?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
Subject to the directions of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, the Urban Services Department is willing to organize a course on the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey domestic buildings for private cleansing companies.
Although the department maintains a record of private cleansing companies which remove domestic refuse from multi-storey buildings, the number of companies which undertake internal cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey domestic buildings is not known. A survey is now being carried out to ascertain the number of such companies and the number of staff employed by them.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I understand that the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs have been very active in organizing co-operative groups for the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings, and also I understand that tentatively there does not seem to be any need for or perhaps there has been no favourable comment on the "factor" system. Could the Secretary for Chinese Affairs tell this Council what is the latest position?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS:- A long and involved question, Mr. Chairman. Very briefly I think that some misunderstanding has arisen through an over condensed report on some remarks I am said to have made to a Rotary Club. I would like to correct one thing: I did not say that certain systems growing up in Kowloon were better than the "factor" system. I was at pains during the talk to try and explain how, under certain circumstances, groups of Hong Kong people did come to my department to see if we could help find ways through Government red tape or other difficulties, and I quoted the examples of some owner occupiers in multi-storey buildings in Kowloon who had in fact done just that. We in the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs are not involved in any way in building management or in the expertise of cleansing buildings, or in any of these technical matters at all. I am afraid that possibly a wrong impression was created by a brief summary of the remarks that I made. We are there merely to help, if asked, with advice on which experts people might go if they so wish, and to do
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what we can to encourage (or at least not discourage) the forming of any genuinely communal spirit within a multi-storey building. If, for instance, the problem of cleansing came up, then we could undoubtedly suggest to these people that if they so wish they could apply to the appropriate branch of the Urban Services Department for expert advice and guidance. I think that answers Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's questions.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- To a great extent, yes. Might I ask the Secretary for Chinese Affairs further from what he has seen so far, whether the further encouragement of more of these co-operative groups in new multi-storey estates would be helpful towards a better job being done for the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS:- I think it should be, yes.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- In that event, Mr. Chairman, would it be possible, if the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee thinks it fit, to have a representative of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs present at any meeting in future when the subject is gone into?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS:- Should the Chairman of the Select Committee wish to invite any representative of mine to attend, of course I will be only too pleased to make arrangements, if possible.
DR. LEE:- As Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee I will certainly bear that in mind.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Thank you.
(8) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-
(a) Is it correct that the Botanic Gardens are closed in winter time at 7 p.m. and in summer time at 8.30 p.m.?
(b) Is the Chairman aware that this prevents full use being obtained from these Gardens by people after work and after their evening meal?
(c) In view of the fact that the Victoria Park is now open until midnight, could not the same arrangement be made as regards the Botanic Gardens?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
For many years the Botanic Gardens have been closed at 7 p.m. in winter and 8.30 p.m. in summer. It is certainly the view of the Urban Amenities Select Committee that consideration should be given to keeping the Botanic Gardens open until later in the evening, and the department
Page 46 of 382
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Page 46 of 382
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
that the Urban Services Department should organize with- out charge, a course on the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings for the benefit of personnel of private cleansing companies. Would the Urban Services Department be prepared to sponsor such a course for the personnel of private cleansing companies, for the benefit of the rapidly increasing population of multi-storey build- ings?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
Subject to the directions of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, the Urban Services Department is willing to organize a course on the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey domestic buildings for private cleansing companies.
Although the department maintains a record of private cleansing companies which remove domestic refuse from multi-storey buildings, the number of companies which undertake internal cleansing and maintenance of multi- storey domestic buildings is not known. A survey is now being carried out to ascertain the number of such com- panies and the number of staff employed by them.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I understand that the Secre- tariat for Chinese Affairs have been very active in organizing co-opera- tive groups for the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings, and also I understand that tentatively there does not seem to be any need for or perhaps there has been no favourable comment on the "factor" system. Could the Secretary for Chinese Affairs tell this Council what is the latest position?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS :- -A long and involved question, Mr. Chairman. Very briefly I think that some misunderstanding has arisen through an over condensed report on some remarks I am said to have made to a Rotary Club. I would like to correct one thing: I did not say that certain systems growing up in Kowloon were better than the "factor" system. I was at pains during the talk to try and explain how, under certain circumstances, groups of Hong Kong people did come to my department to see if we could help find ways through Government red tape or other difficulties, and I quoted the examples of some owner occupiers in multi-storey buildings in Kowloon who had in fact done just that. We in the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs are not involved in any way in building management or in the expertize of cleansing buildings, or in any of these technical matters at all. I am afraid that possibly a wrong impression was created by a brief summary of the remarks that I made. We are there merely to help, if asked. with advice on which experts people might go if they so wish, and to do
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
71
what we can to encourage (or at least not discourage) the forming of any genuinely communal spirit within a multi-storey building. If, for instance, the problem of cleansing came up, then we could undoubtedly suggest to these people that if they so wish they could apply to the appropriate branch of the Urban Services Department for expert advice and guidance. I think that answers Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's questions.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-To a great extent, yes. Might I ask the Secretary for Chinese Affairs further from what he has seen so far, whether the further encouragement of more of these co-operative groups in new multi-storey estates would be helpful towards a better job being done for the cleansing and maintenance of multi-storey buildings?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS:-I think it should be, yes.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In that event, Mr. Chairman, would it be pos- sible, if the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee thinks it fit, to have a representative of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs present at any meeting in future when the subject is gone into?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS-Should the Chairman of the Select Committee wish to invite any representative of mine to attend, of course I will be only too pleased to make arrangements, if possible.
DR. LEE:-As Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee I will certainly bear that in mind.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you.
(8) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-
(a) Is it correct that the Botanic Gardens are closed in winter
time at 7 p.m. and in summer time at 8.30 p.m.?
(b) Is the Chairman aware that this prevents full use being obtained from these Gardens by people after work and after their evening meal?
(c) In view of the fact that the Victoria Park is now open until midnight, could not the same arrangement be made as regards the Botanic Gardens?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
For many years the Botanic Gardens have been closed at 7 p.m. in winter and 8.30 p.m. in summer. It is certainly the view of the Urban Amenities Select Committee that consideration should be given to keeping the Botanic Gardens open until later in the evening, and the department
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.