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sand and saying, "hawking of fresh fish is dangerous to health, therefore we should not license it", yet in fact tolerating thousands of fresh fish hawkers. And we must tolerate them because otherwise the housewife would be unable to obtain the supplies that she needs at the price which she can afford to pay. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I propose this Motion that stands in my name today.
MR. HENRY H. L. HU:- Mr. Chairman, in order to overcome the initial difficulty of my learned friend, Mr. BERNACCHI, I am pleased to second the Motion. I second the Motion not only because it is originally Mr. BERNACCHI's first motion in the Council, but also because of the merits of the Motion. I wish Mr. SALES could pay a little bit of attention as to what I would like to say about this Motion. It is an undeniable fact, Mr. Chairman, that there are hawkers selling fresh fish now.
It may be the indication that the community is economically in need of such hawkers. In order to minimize the health hazards to the public, we should first license them, then a proper control should be exercised on their commodities. It would be an advantage both to the housewives and the hawkers concerned. I therefore consider as a duty of this Council to remit this matter for a thorough discussion in the relevant select committees to find out an answer. I therefore beg to second the Motion.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, in rising to speak on the motion moved by my elected Colleague Mr. BERNACCHI, may I congratulate him on his tenacity and what is it altogether, 17 years, continued interest in matters concerning hawkers.
Until April this year, he had been Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee for longer than most of us can remember. Thinking, dreaming and discussing hawker matters therefore comes to him as second nature. I have no doubt that he is genuinely concerned about "hawker matters and the welfare of hawkers.
The Motion which we are now debating is a good example of Mr. BERNACCHI's perennial interest in hawker matters.
As Members are aware, the Urban Council and particularly the Markets and Hawker Policy Select Committees, have at all times recognised the need by the public of a constant and readily available supply of fresh fish.
We know that in the urban areas, there are about 2,100 market stalls spread out among 40 markets. In these markets there are 429 stalls selling fish on Hong Kong Island and 342 stalls selling fish in Kowloon. This makes a total of 771 fish stalls in the 40 markets in the urban areas. That means that one-third of all the market stalls in the urban areas are selling fish to the public.
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In addition to the 771 fish stalls in the markets in the urban areas, there are also 662 licensed fresh food shops which are selling fish to the public on both Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon.
It is estimated by the Urban Services Department that there are between 300 to 400 illegal fish hawkers selling fish in the streets and not thousands as mentioned by Mr. BERNACCHI. Many of these illegal fish hawkers buy from market fish stalls (or are even subsidised by them) and go out to sell fish illegally in the streets.
This is an undesirable practice that is most dangerous to public health.
Fish is a restricted food that cannot and should not be sold by hawkers in the streets.
Different kinds of diseases can be transmitted from fish, even when sold by fishmongers operating in markets. These diseases include parasitic diseases and food-poisoning. How much more dangerous is it for hawkers to sell fish in the streets?
First of all, there is the nuisance caused by the lack of facilities for cleansing and disposal of the fish scales, and the fish offal which putrefies.
Secondly, fish is a highly perishable food and decomposes quickly if proper storage facilities are not available. It is evident that the hawker who sells fresh fish in the streets does not have proper storage facilities of any sort whatsoever.
Therefore, I am very surprised that my Colleague Mr. BERNACCHI who has been Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee for so many years, should at this time want to move a Motion to allow hawkers to sell fresh fish and thus create in effect, a serious health hazard to the public. He had moved the Motion 17 years ago, but I believe at that time he had been convinced to a certain extent as to the danger of illegal hawking of fish in the streets.
This Motion, if passed and implemented, would constitute in my opinion a serious public health hazard and as Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, I therefore cannot support the Motion.
In fact, I would like to see the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department step up its information campaign among the public not to patronise hawkers selling fish in the streets. We have just concluded a hygiene campaign during the month of May. During that month, several letters appeared in the correspondence columns of the local newspapers complaining about members of the public suffering from food poisoning after having bought food from street hawkers.
Page 53 of 237
Page 53 of 237
88
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
sand and saying, "hawking of fresh fish is dangerous to health, therefore we should not license it", yet in fact tolerating thousands of fresh fish hawkers. And we must tolerate them because otherwise the housewife would be unable to obtain the supplies that she needs at the price which she can afford to pay. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I propose this Motion that stands in my name today.
MR. HENRY H. L. HU:-Mr. Chairman, in order to overcome the initial difficulty of my learned friend, Mr. BERNACCHI, I am pleased to second the Motion. I second the Motion not only because it is originally Mr. BERNACCHI's first motion in the Council, but also because of the merits of the Motion. I wish Mr. SALES could pay a little bit of attention as to what I would like to say about this Motion. It is an undeniable fact, Mr. Chairman, that there are hawkers selling fresh fish now.
It may be the indication that the community is economically in need of such hawkers. In order to minimize the health hazards to the public, we should first license them, then a proper control should be exercised on their commodities. It would be an advantage both to the housewives and the hawkers concerned. I therefore consider as a duty of this Council to remit this matter for a thorough discussion in the relevant select committees to find out an answer. I therefore beg to second the Motion.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, in rising to speak on the motion moved by my elected Colleague Mr. BERNACCHI, may I congratulate him on his tenacity and what is it altogether, 17 years, continued interest in matters concerning hawkers.
Until April this year, he had been Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee for longer than most of us can remember. Thinking, dreaming and discussing hawker matters therefore comes to him as second nature. I have no doubt that he is genuinely concerned about "hawker matters and the welfare of hawkers.
The Motion which we are now debating is a good example of Mr. BERNACCHI's perennial interest in hawker matters.
As Members are aware, the Urban Council and particularly the Markets and Hawker Policy Select Committees, have at all times recognised the need by the public of a constant and readily available supply of fresh fish.
We know that in the urban areas, there are about 2,100 market stalls spread out among 40 markets. In these markets there are 429 stalls selling fish on Hong Kong Island and 342 stalls selling fish in Kowloon. This makes a total of 771 fish stalls in the 40 markets in the urban areas. That means that one-third of all the market stalls in the urban areas are selling fish to the public.
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
89
In addition to the 771 fish stalls in the markets in the urban areas, there are also 662 licensed fresh food shops which are selling fish to the public on both Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon.
It is estimated by the Urban Services Department that there are between 300 to 400 illegal fish hawkers selling fish in the streets and not thousands as mentioned by Mr. BERNACCHI. Many of these illegal fish hawkers buy from market fish stalls (or are even subsidised by them) and go out to sell fish illegally in the streets.
This is an undesirable practice that is most dangerous to public health.
Fish is a restricted food that cannot and should not be sold by hawkers in the streets.
Different kinds of diseases can be transmitted from fish, even when sold by fishmongers operating in markets. These diseases include parasitic diseases and food-poisoning. How much more dangerous is it for hawkers to sell fish in the streets?
First of all, there is the nuisance caused by the lack of facilities for cleansing and disposal of the fish scales, and the fish offal which putrefies.
Secondly, fish is a highly perishable food and decomposes quickly if proper storage facilities are not available. It is evident that the hawker who sells fresh fish in the streets does not have proper storage facilities of any sort whatsoever.
Therefore, I am very surprised that my Colleague Mr. BERNACCHI who has been Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee for so many years, should at this time want to move a Motion to allow hawkers to sell fresh fish and thus create in effect, a serious health hazard to the public. He had moved the Motion 17 years ago, but I believe at that time he had been convinced to a certain extent as to the danger of illegal hawking of fish in the streets.
This Motion, if passed and implemented, would constitute in my opinion a serious public health hazard and as Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, I therefore cannot support the Motion.
In fact, I would like to see the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department step up its information campaign among the public not to patronise hawkers selling fish in the streets. We have just con- cluded a hygiene campaign during the month of May. During that month, several letters appeared in the correspondence columns of the local newspapers complaining about members of the public suffering from food poisoning after having bought food from street hawkers.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.