HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you. The next supplementary is on the sentence "whether or not and how soon new cooked food stall licences can be issued, will be a matter for the Hawker Policy Select Committee to decide." Surely, whether is controlled by the motion, even as amended by the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, which in effect appreciates the need for new licences and refers the whole subject to the Hawker Policy Select Committee for further consideration. So, surely the question is not, whether or not, but the arrangements for the issue of new hawker cooked food stall licences are for the Hawker Policy Select Committee to decide?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I had to be factual in my reply and that is why I framed my reply in the manner in which it appears on the printed sheet. We are not a one man Committee and I am only the Chairman of the Committee. Now, even though, Mr. Chairman, the Council has passed a motion appreciating the need for cooked food stalls, yet it does not necessarily indicate that the Select Committee will definitely approve of new cooked food stalls, particularly if there are aspects of hygiene which make it impossible to come to such an approval. I would like to tell Mr. BERNACCHI, through you Mr. Chairman, that I do have strong sympathy for his point of view, having visited Kwun Tong and other industrial areas and newly developing areas, and I personally do feel there is a need for additional numbers of cooked food stalls, so he has a supporter on his side at least in the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee. But everything will depend on what arrangements can be made to provide places which are operating under hygienic conditions, and we must be given a little time in order to organize ourselves, so we need a little more than two months, Mr. Chairman.
(Mr. WOO Po-shing left the meeting at this point).
MR. BERNACCHI:-The last supplementary, I hope, and I appreciate the remarks made by the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee just a few seconds ago, and that is that the last part of my question has not really been answered. The question really deals with the future of the illegal cooked food stalls. Is it the intention of this Council to offer licences to them to legalize the situation if and when new cooked food stall licences are approved?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I cannot forecast in what manner the Hawker Policy Select Committee will decide on this question, but with your permission I would give my personal observations. It may be possible that, as new cooked food stall licences are issued under hygienic conditions in newly developing areas and industrial areas, some of those who are at present operating as illegal cooked food stalls could be considered, but I think it is too early to decide in which way the committee will decide.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. BERNACCHI:-For instance, Mr. Chairman, the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee has mentioned Chai Wan as being particularly bad in respect of unlicensed cooked food stalls. There has, in fact, been a whole bazaar of illegal cooked food stalls in Chai Wan for the past ten or more years. Now, whilst I am in favour of issuing new cooked food stall licences, I would not like the illegal licensees to be ousted and fresh licensees to be introduced. I consider that having been operating for ten years, apparently to the satisfaction of the neighbourhood, they should be given first priority to be licensed when licences are available.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, on that score, since Mr. BERNACCHI is Ward Councillor for Chai Wan, if he can at the right time give an assurance that they will operate under hygienic conditions, probably the Hawker Management Select Committee would be favourably disposed to its application.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, may I be assured that my ward will not be prejudiced in any way and sacrificed so that Mr. BERNACCHI'S ward might benefit. (Laughter). Chai Wan, Mr. Chairman, having been Mr. BERNACCHI's ward for ten years, how is it that Chai Wan's conditions should be so terrible? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:-I can assure Mr. BERNACCHI that the claims of illegal operators of cooked food stalls will be given consideration when the Hawker Policy Select Committee is making up its mind on how to deal with them. I would like to move to the next question.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, before I ask the next question I would like to make a personal statement. Of course, Mr. SALES' ward will not be ignored. The reference to the large number of illegal cooked food stall hawkers in Chai Wan is because there is a necessity, and when there is a necessity, illegal cooked food stalls will appear. I will now ask the next question.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, I shall not make any statement as to the judgment of the past Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, as to the wisdom of differentiating in favour of illegal cooked food stalls in Chai Wan against every other ward in the urban areas.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, could Mr. SALES, in putting forward his application on behalf of those cooked food stalls living next door to him, also make sure that they have been there for over ten years? (Laughter).
MR. SALES:-There is no cooked food stall next to my house, except my own. (Laughter).
Page 47 of 237
ין
37
Page 46 of 237
74
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you. The next supplementary is on the sentence "whether or not and how soon new cooked food stall licences can be issued, will be a matter for the Hawker Policy Select Committee to decide." Surely, whether is controlled by the motion, even as amended by the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, which in effect appreciates the need for new licences and refers the whole subject to the Hawker Policy Select Committee for further con- sideration. So, surely the question is not, whether or not, but the arrangements for the issue of new hawker cooked food stall licences are for the Hawker Policy Select Committee to decide?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I had to be factual in my reply and that is why I framed my reply in the manner in which it appears on the printed sheet. We are not a one man Committee and I am only the Chairman of the Committee. Now, even though, Mr. Chairman, the Council has passed a motion appreciating the need for cooked food stalls, yet it does not necessarily indicate that the Select Com- mittee will definitely approve of new cooked food stalls, particularly if there are aspects of hygiene which make it impossible to come to such an approval. I would like to tell Mr. BERNACCHI, through you Mr. Chairman, that I do have strong sympathy for his point of view, having visited Kwun Tong and other industrial areas and newly develop- ing areas, and I personally do feel there is a need for additional numbers of cooked food stalls, so he has a supporter on his side at least in the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee. But everything will depend on what arrangements can be made to provide places which are operating under hygienic conditions, and we must be given a little time in order to organize ourselves, so we need a little more than two months, Mr. Chairman.
(Mr. WOO Po-shing left the meeting at this point).
MR. BERNACCHI:-The last supplementary, I hope, and I appreciate the remarks made by the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Com- mittee just a few seconds ago, and that is that the last part of my question has not really been answered. The question really deals with the future of the illegal cooked food stalls. Is it the intention of this Council to offer licences to them to legalize the situation if and when new cooked food stall licences are approved?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I cannot forecast in what manner the Hawker Policy Select Committee will decide on this question, but with your permission I would give my personal observa- tions. It may be possible that, as new cooked food stall licences are issued under hygienic conditions in newly developing areas and industrial areas, some of those who are at present operating as illegal cooked food stalls could be considered, but I think it is too early to decide in which way the committee will decide.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
75
MR. BERNACCHI: -For instance, Mr. Chairman, the Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee has mentioned Chai Wan as being particularly bad in respect of unlicensed cooked food stalls. There has, in fact, been a whole bazaar of illegal cooked food stalls in Chai Wan for the past ten or more years. Now, whilst I am in favour of issuing new cooked food stall licences, I would not like the illegal licensees to be ousted and fresh licensees to be introduced. I consider that having been operating for ten years, apparently to the satisfaction of the neighbourhood, they should be given first priority to be licensed when licences are available.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, on that score, since Mr. BERNACCHI is Ward Councillor for Chai Wan, if he can at the right time give an assurance that they will operate under hygienic conditions, probably the Hawker Management Select Committee would be favour- ably disposed to its application.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I be assured that my ward will not be prejudiced in any way and sacrificed so that Mr. BERNACCHI'S ward might benefit. (Laughter). Chai Wan, Mr. Chairman, having been Mr. BERNACCHI's ward for ten years, how is it that Chai Wan's conditions should be so terrible? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: -I can assure Mr. BERNACCHI that the claims of illegal operators of cooked food stalls will be given consideration when the Hawker Policy Select Committee is making up its mind on how to deal with them. I would like to move to the next question.
MR. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, before I ask the next question I would like to make a personal statement. Of course, Mr. SALES' ward will not be ignored. The reference to the large number of illegal cooked food stall hawkers in Chai Wan is because there is a necessity, and when there is a necessity, illegal cooked food stalls will appear. I will now ask the next question.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, I shall not make any statement as to the judgment of the past Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Com- mittee, as to the wisdom of differentiating in favour of illegal cooked food stalls in Chai Wan against every other ward in the urban areas.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, could Mr. SALES, in putting forward his application on behalf of those cooked food stalls living next door to him, also make sure that they have been there for over ten years? (Laughter).
MR. SALES: - -There is no cooked food stall next to my house, except my own. (Laughter).
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.