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MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I was trying to rise on a point of explanation on behalf of Mr. Edmund CHOW, but he forestalled me. I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, that the next time Dr. HUANG does not answer Mr. CHOW to his satisfaction, Mr. Chow could quite easily reframe his question in Cantonese.
MR. CHAIRMAN (in English):-I must restrain myself from making Mr. Chow, do you want to withdraw? (Laughter).
any comments.
DR. P. C. WONG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, is there any system now of picking on certain black spots in the streets where there are more rubbish and litter than any other places, so that we can send the anti-litter wardens to the black spots rather to places which are reasonably clean?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese):-I thank Dr. WONG for this suggestion, but in fact, we have already carried this into practice. For example, every weekend, we send two anti-litter squads to Kowloon Railway Stations and recently we have also sent anti-litter squads to these places especially to catch litter bugs because our anti-litter squads are not as widespread as we would hope. Therefore, we will try our best to utilize our present manpower.
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question? Are these anti-litter squads posted to the urban areas?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese):-Before I answer this question, I must regret very much because the Chairman suggested that Mr. CHOW should speak Cantonese, and I find Mr. Hu's Cantonese very difficult to comprehend. Mr. Hu's suggestion can be answered as follows: Although we have 100 anti-litter squads, we have only 73 squads in the urban areas and 27 are deployed to the New Territories. At present, the emphasis of our Campaign is on the urban areas, therefore comparatively, we may deploy more staff for the urban areas. We hope that in 1975, our emphasis can be concentrated on the New Territories, and we hope that several squads may be deployed to the New Territories, but I can guarantee that we are not only paying attention to the urban areas, but also to the New Territories. We will also send men to look after Mr. Hu's villa in Lantau!
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Before we go to Question No. 11, I would like to deplore the fact that no Cantonese rose in Mr. Henry Hu's defence as I did a few years ago when I was on the other side of the table. (Laughter). Now, Mr. Tak-shing Lo, Question 11.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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(11) MR. LO TAK-SHING asked the following question (in English):-
(a) Is any information available as to whether the proposed oil refinery complex at Lamma Island will pollute the waters of the Colony to an extent that beaches now managed by the Urban Council will be prejudicially affected or pollute the atmosphere to an extent that public health will be prejudicially affected?
(b) Is it possible to obtain from the Government all technical information relating to the project so that the Council may seek its own expert advice on the matter?
(c) In view of its responsibilities will the Council be consulted generally and in particular with regard to the terms of any legislation or restrictive covenant relevant to pollution which might be proposed in respect of the project?
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
MR. CHAIRMAN, these questions concern the possible adverse effects on Urban Council controlled beaches if the proposed Lamma Island oil refinery is established. (a) As regards the first part of the question, oil spillages and effluents are dealt with at some length in the report of the consultants employed by the Government to examine the environmental and pollution aspects of the oil refinery project. This comprehensive report will be published in condensed form about the second week of October, but Government has indicated that it is prepared to make file copies of the report available in advance to interested members. I do not wish to anticipate the publication of the report, as I think that members will be able to derive more solid, and certainly more expert, assurances from the report itself than I can attempt to give at this meeting.
(b) I understand that the report I have just mentioned gives in some detail the technical particulars required, but I am asked to emphasize that the report has been commissioned by Government because of precisely the same concern as is clearly felt by Mr. Lo in raising this question. The consultants who did the
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MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I was trying to rise on a point of explanation on behalf of Mr. Edmund CHOW, but he forestalled me. I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, that the next time Dr. HUANG does not answer Mr. CHOW to his satisfaction, Mr. Chow could quite easily reframe his question in Cantonese.
MR. CHAIRMAN (in English):-I must restrain myself from making Mr. Chow, do you want to withdraw? (Laughter).
any comments.
DR. P. C. WONG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, is there any system now of picking on certain black spots in the streets where there are more rubbish and litter than any other places, so that we can send the anti-litter wardens to the black spots rather to places which are reasonably clean?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese):-I thank Dr. WONG for this suggestion, but in fact, we have already carried this into practice. For example, every weekend, we send two anti-litter squads to Kowloon Railway Stations and recently we have also sent anti-litter squads to these places especially to catch litter bugs because our anti-litter squads are not as widespread as we would hope. Therefore, we will try our best to utilize our present manpower.
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question? Are these anti-litter squads posted to the urban areas?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese): -Before I answer this question, I must regret very much because the Chairman suggested that Mr. CHow should speak Cantonese, and I find Mr. Hu's Cantonese very difficult to comprehend. Mr. Hu's suggestion can be answered as follows: Although we have 100 anti-litter squads, we have only 73 squads in the urban areas and 27 are deployed to the New Territories. At present, the emphasis of our Campaign is on the urban areas, therefore comparatively, we may deploy more staff for the urban areas. We hope that in 1975, our emphasis can be concentrated on the New Territories, and we hope that several squads may be deployed to the New Territories, but I can guarantee that we are not only paying atten- tion to the urban areas, but also to the New Territories. We will also send men to look after Mr. Hu's villa in Lantau!
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Before we go to Question No. 11, I would like to deplore the fact that no Cantonese rose in Mr. Henry Hu's defence as I did a few years ago when I was on the other side of the table. (Laughter). Now, Mr. Tak-shing Lo, Question 11.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
----
(11) MR. LO TAK-SHING asked the following question (in English):-
(a) Is any information available as to whether the proposed oil refinery complex at Lamma Island will pollute the waters of the Colony to an extent that beaches now managed by the Urban Council will be prejudicially affected or pollute the atmosphere to an extent that public health will be prejudicially affected?
(b) Is it possible to obtain from the Government all technical information relating to the project so that the Council may seek its own expert advice on the matter?
(c) In view of its responsibilities will the Council be con- sulted generally and in particular with regard to the terms of any legislation or restrictive convenant relevant to pollution which might be proposed in respect of the project?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT Committee, replied as follows (in English): –
MR. CHAIRMAN, these questions concern the possible adverse effects on Urban Council controlled beaches if the proposed Lamma Island oil refinery is established. (a) As regards the first part of the question, oil spillages and effluents are dealt with at some length in the report of the consultants employed by the Govern- ment to examine the environmental and pollution aspects of the oil refinery probject. This compre- hensive report will be published in condensed form about the second week of October, but Government has indicated that it is prepared to make file copies of the report available in advance to interested members. I do not wish to anticipate the publica- tion of the report, as I think that members will be able to derive more solid, and certainly more expert, assurances from the report itself than I can attempt to give at this meeting.
(b) I understand that the report I have just mentioned gives in some detail the technical particulars required, but I am asked to emphasize that the report has been commissioned by Government because of precisely the same concern as is clearly felt by Mr. Lo in raising this question. The consultants who did the
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