HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
At the June meeting, Mr. BERNACCHI moved a similar motion in respect of fresh fish hawkers, which motion did not get support on public health grounds. The pertinent objections then raised to the sale of fresh fish by hawkers are equally, if not more, pertinent to the sale of fresh meat by hawkers.
Fresh meat is a food, the sale of which is restricted by law to properly licensed premises and market stalls. The reasons for such restriction are not hard to find, because enough water supply, proper drainage, clean food handling facilities and regular refuse disposal are essential if serious diseases are not to be passed on to the public. Can a hawker operating from a pavement or gutter site provide such handling facilities, and where is his trade refuse to be thrown except under the feet of passersby, making for even greater cleansing difficulties than exist at present? Moreover, the Markets Select Committee and the Food and Food Premises Select Committee are both committed to a policy of gradually improving food hygiene standards, the former by an ambitious markets building programme, which will include mini-markets in resettlement estates to recognize the shopping needs of the populace there, and the latter by insistence on hygiene requirements and conditions in the licensing of food premises. In these circumstances how can the Urban Council permit the sale of fresh meat by hawkers who are unable to meet the Council's reasonable hygiene standards?
I have visited myself, Mr. Chairman, quite a number of these Resettlement Estates where they are selling meat illegally, and I must say that the situation is one which does give us much cause for concern. I have discussed this very closely with the Resettlement Department and the Urban Services Department, and I would like to assure Mr. SALES, Mr. BERNACCHI and Mrs. ELLIOTT that we consider this is a matter of very great urgency, and that we intend to make maximum efforts to have mini-markets established in Resettlement Estates and elsewhere. It will not take years, it could be a matter of six months or earlier, but this depends on how soon we can get additional staff to take action on the ground.
Also, Mr. Chairman, fresh meat is highly perishable, especially in summer, and decomposes quickly if proper storage facilities are not immediately to hand. The hawker who sells fresh meat illegally in the streets cannot hope to have proper storage facilities, and there is also the very real danger that the meat sold by hawkers would be obtained from doubtful sources without the virtual disease-free guarantee which covers meat from an approved abattoir.
I am aware that there are many illegal fresh meat hawkers in our streets, and the Urban Services Department estimates that about 800 illegal meat hawkers are currently operating. However, there are 650 meat stalls in the 40 markets spread throughout the urban areas, plus a total of 1,508 fresh provision shops selling meat. If this motion is passed, it will in effect tell this Council to forget its responsibilities to these licensed businesses and give carte blanche approval to hawkers who not only operate without overhead to the detriment of the licensees, but who operate in conditions very dangerous to public health. I am therefore opposed to the Motion. I know that in a number of resettlement estates there are illegal hawkers selling fresh meat. highlights the need for urgent action to establish "mini-markets” in resettlement estates with market stalls operating under hygienic conditions. I assure Mr. BERNACCHI that this matter is being given top priority.
Finally, may I, Mr. Chairman, quote the following editorial from a local English-language daily concerning the sale of food by hawkers:---
"The threat of a cholera epidemic in Hong Kong is over. Colony has been fortunate that inoculations and other preventive measures adopted by the Medical and Health Department and other voluntary organizations effectively contained the spread of the disease.
Most of the victims contracted the disease by consuming food from roadside hawkers, and what the authorities should do now to prevent another cholera scare seems to be quite evident.
A crackdown on hawkers who are the principal disease-carriers is an urgent necessity. These hawkers--they have to earn a living somehow--operate under the most unhygienic conditions and although there may be some people who resent action taken against them, it is highly necessary.
The licensing of hawkers does not constitute a precaution against disease-spreading. Regular inspections of their stalls, and the manner in which they operate them is of vital importance to public health, not forgetting that samples of food sold at these stalls should also be regularly analysed.
It is up to the health authorities to ensure that this is done not sporadically, but continually. The work involved may be exhausting and tedious but when the health of four million people has to be considered at all times, the effort would be worthwhile.
And, perhaps, if a few more licences are cancelled and a few more arrests are made, hawkers will begin to learn that they have a responsibility in the maintenance of public health."
Mr. Chairman, the Urban Services Department has just received approval to get more staff for hawker work. We hope that this additional staff will be trained as quickly as possible so that licensed food hawkers will be inspected even more regularly, and unlicensed hawkers will be stopped from operating on grounds of public health.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
At the June meeting, Mr. BERNACCHI moved a similar motion in respect of fresh fish hawkers, which motion did not get support on public health grounds. The pertinent objections then raised to the sale of fresh fish by hawkers are equally, if not more, pertinent to the sale of fresh meat by hawkers.
Fresh meat is a food, the sale of which is restricted by law to properly licensed premises and market stalls. The reasons for such restriction are not hard to find, because enough water supply, proper drainage, clean food handling facilities and regular refuse disposal are essential if serious diseases are not to be passed on to the public. Can a hawker operating from a pavement or gutter site provide such handling facilities, and where is his trade refuse to be thrown except under the feet of passersby, making for even greater cleansing difficulties than exist at present? Moreover, the Markets Select Com- mittee and the Food and Food Premises Select Committee are both committed to a policy of gradually improving food hygiene standards, the former by an ambitious markets building programme, which will include mini-markets in resettlement estates to recognize the shopping needs of the populace there, and the latter by insistence on hygiene requirements and conditions in the licensing of food premises. In these circumstances how can the Urban Council permit the sale of fresh meat by hawkers who are unable to meet the Council's reasonable hygiene standards? I have visited myself, Mr. Chairman, quite a number of these Resettlement Estates where they are selling meat illegally, and I must say that the situation is one which does give us much cause for concern. I have discussed this very closely with the Resettlement Department and the Urban Services Department, and I would like to assure Mr. SALES, Mr. BERNACCHI and Mrs. ELLIOTT that we consider this is a matter of very great urgency, and that we intend to make maximum efforts to have mini-markets established in Resettlement Estates and elsewhere. It will not take years, it could be a matter of six months or earlier, but this depends on how soon we can get additional staff to take action on the ground.
Also, Mr. Chairman, fresh meat is highly perishable, especially in summer, and decomposes quickly if proper storage facilities are not immediately to hand. The hawker who sells fresh meat illegally in the streets cannot hope to have proper storage facilities, and there is also the very real danger that the meat sold by hawkers would be obtained from doubtful sources without the virtual disease-free guarantee which covers meat from an approved abattoir.
I am aware that there are many illegal fresh meat hawkers in our streets, and the Urban Services Department estimates that about 800 illegal meat hawkers are currently operating. However, there are 650 meat stalls in the 40 markets spread throughout the urban areas, plus a total of 1,508 fresh provision shops selling meat. If this motion is
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passed, it will in effect tell this Council to forget its responsibilities to these licensed businesses and give carte blanche approval to hawkers who not only operate without overhead to the detriment of the licensees, but who operate in conditions very dangerous to public health. I am therefore opposed to the Motion. I know that in a number of resettle- ment estates there are illegal hawkers selling fresh meat. highlights the need for urgent action to establish "mini-markets” in resettlement estates with market stalls operating under hygienic con- ditions. I assure Mr. BERNACCHI that this matter is being given top priority.
This
Finally, may I, Mr. Chairman, quote the following editorial from a local English-language daily concerning the sale of food by hawkers:---
The "The threat of a cholera epidemic in Hong Kong is over. Colony has been fortunate that inoculations and other preventive measures adopted by the Medical and Health Department and other voluntary organizations effectively contained the spread of the disease.
Most of the victims contracted the disease by consuming food from roadside hawkers, and what the authorities should do now to prevent another cholera scare seems to be quite evident.
A crackdown on hawkers who are the principal disease- carriers is an urgent necessity. These hawkers--they have to earn
a living somehow--operate under the most unhygienic conditions and although there may be some people who resent action taken against them, it is highly necessary.
The licensing of hawkers does not constitute a precaution against disease-spreading. Regular inspections of their stalls, and the manner in which they operate them is of vital importance to public health, not forgetting that samples of food sold at these stalls should also be regularly analysed.
It is up to the health authorities to ensure that this is done not sporadically, but continually. The work involved may be exhausting and tedious but when the health of four million people has to be considered at all times, the effort would be worthwhile.
And, perhaps, if a few more licences are cancelled and a few more arrests are made, hawkers will begin to learn that they have a responsibility in the maintenance of public health."
Mr. Chairman, the Urban Services Department has just received approval to get more staff for hawker work. We hope that this additional staff will be trained as quickly as possible so that licensed food hawkers will be inspected even more regularly, and unlicensed hawkers will be stopped from operating on grounds of public health.
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