Page 182
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
February when a mad scramble developed to secure, and mark out with paint, any free space whatsoever which might be used as a hawker pitch. It was also reported and confirmed that Triad gangs had also moved onto the scene.
This situation has given rise to immediate protests from a member of shops and factories in this street who have complained in terms which this Council would do well to consider. These equally-deserving citizens say:
"As all of us have long been witnesses to the kind of disorderliness and insanitary conditions inherent in hawker markets, we cannot but envisage that should all these free hawker sites be occupied it would mean a total suffocation of traffic on this section of Shunning Road, the total cessation of our business activities within this neighbourhood and, probably, deprivation of normal life for many residents and workers connected with the neighbourhood."
It seems from the list attached to Mr. Hu's statement that hawking will be permitted between 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. in this vicinity.
Apart from the shops and licensed hawkers already in Shunning Road, there are 13 factories in the area, including printing and dyeing works which are a particular fire hazard. How is traffic access to be assured so that goods can be loaded and unloaded in Shunning Road? What happens in the event of fire, when hawkers have fully occupied the street? Why use Shunning Road when I am informed that there is an adjacent residential area - Po On Road which could be used more conveniently for all?
These are some of the questions which deserve an answer from this Council, the Colonial Secretariat and the others involved.
Furthermore, in planning the extension of this scheme now extended to 23 streets operating through most hours of the day and until mid-night in several areas, what account has been taken of the effect on shopkeepers and of their rights and interests? There are 100,000 retail stores in the urban areas and, apart from contributing to rates and taxes, they employ many thousands of assistants and provide a livelihood for many more. Already, it has been suggested that some shopkeepers may be forced to reduce staff and move onto the streets to protect their business and livelihood.
(Messrs. ALEX S. C. WU, and PETER P. F. CHAN left the meeting at this point.)
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
323
There are other questions which I am not satisfied have been resolved.
How does the Council propose to maintain reasonable order in these areas, control trespass and obstruction, which is our duty, and ensure the right of access for residents of these streets?
Are the General Duties Teams of Urban Services Department sufficient to provide the essential daily cleansing of 23 or 43, 53 or whatever number we intend eventually and to remove illegal structures?
What assurances do we have that trading hours will be observed, and that there will be no over-spill of illegal hawkers into adjoining areas?
Again these questions to my mind have not been sufficiently answered.
It seems we must accept a substantial increase in the numbers of hawkers at this time of economic distress. However, it is the Council's responsibility to ensure that this unfortunate scheme is properly organized, with due consideration of the interests of all of the public, and with the committed support of the Police, Fire and Transport authorities. A very first requisite should be that details of areas for "unlimited hawking" are publicized in advance so that residents and trades-people in these localities have an opportunity to protest before the event and not, as at present, after their streets have been delineated, mobbed and taken over.
The Motion before us seeks ratification of action which has, in fact, in some cases already been implemented. In these circumstances, it is pointless to vote against it but, as a mark of my dissatisfaction with the way the situation had developed, and as a protest against the lack of consideration of the interests of Hong Kong citizens, I shall abstain from voting.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English): - Mr. Chairman, before I support this motion, I must reiterate what I said in Committee meetings and shall continue to say as long as I feel it necessary to do so. First of all, I suggest that pavements in Permitted Areas should be prohibited to new hawkers in the Hawker Permitted Areas to minimize nuisance to residents and shopkeepers. Secondly, I propose that considerations be given to mark in one way traffic lanes to meet the requirements of shopkeepers and for the contingency of fire or accident requiring ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Thirdly, I oppose any
Page 182
Page 182 of 18
322
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
February when a mad scramble developed to secure, and mark out with paint, any free space whatsoever which might be used as a hawker pitch. It was also reported and confirmed that Triad gangs had also moved onto the scene.
This situation has given rise to immediate protests from a member of shops and factories in this street who have complained in terms which this Council would do well to consider. These equally-deserving citizens say:
"As all of us have long been witnessed to the kind of disorderliness and insanitary conditions inherent in hawker markets, we cannot but envisage that should all these free hawker sites be occupied it would mean a total suffocation of traffic on this section of Shunning Road, the total cessation of our business activities within this neighbourhood and, probably, deprivation of normal life for many residents and workers connected with the neighbourhood."
It seems from the list attached to Mr. Hu's statement that hawking will be permitted between 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. in this vicinity.
Apart from the shops and licensed hawkers already in Shunning Road, there are 13 factories in the area, including printing and dyeing works which are a particular fire hazard. How is traffic access to be assured so that goods can be loaded and unloaded in Shunning Road? What happens in the event of fire, when hawkers have fully occupied the street? Why use Shunning Road when I am informed that there is an adjacent residential area-Po On Road which could be used more conveniently for all?
These are some of the questions which deserve an answer from this Council, the Colonial Secretariat and the others involved.
Furthermore, in planning the extension of this scheme now extend to 23 streets operating through most hours of the day and until mid- night in several areas, what account has been taken of the effect on shopkeepers and of their rights and interests? There are 100,000 retail stores in the urban areas and, apart from contributing to rates and taxes, they employ many thousands of assistants and provide a liveli- hood for many more. Already, it has been suggested that some shopkeepers may be forced to reduce staff and move onto the streets to protect their business and livelihood.
(Messrs. ALEX S. C. WU, and PETER P. F. CHAN left the meeting at this point.)
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
323
There are other questions which I am not satisfied have been resolved.
How does the Council propose to maintain reasonable order in these areas, control trespass and obstruction, which is our duty, and ensure the right of access for residents of these streets?
Are the General Duties Teams of Urban Services Department sufficient to provide the essential daily cleansing of 23 or 43, 53 or whatever number we intend eventually and to remove illegal structures?
What assurances do we have that trading hours will be observed, and that there will be no over-spill of illegal hawkers into adjoining areas?
Again these questions to my mind have not been sufficiently answered.
It seems we must accept a substantial increase in the numbers of hawkers at this time of economic distress. However, it is the Council's responsibility to ensure that this unfortunate scheme is properly organized, with due consideration of the interests of all of the public, and with the committed support of the Police, Fire and Transport authorities. A very first requisite should be that details of areas for "unlimited hawking" are publicized in advance so that residents and trades-people in these localities have an opportunity to protest before the event and not, as at present, after their streets have been delineated, mobbed and taken over.
The Motion before us seeks ratification of action which has, in fact, in some cases already been implemented. In these circumstances, it is pointless to vote against it but, as a mark of my dissatisfaction with the way the situation had developed, and as a protest against the lack of consideration of the interests of Hong Kong citizens, I shall abstain from voting.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, before I support this motion, I must reiterate what I said in Committee meetings and shall continue to say as long as I feel it necessary to do so. First of all, I suggest that pavements in Permitted Areas should be prohibited to new hawkers in the Hawker Permitted Areas to minimize nuisance to residents and shopkeepers. Secondly, I propose that considerations be given to mark in one way traffic lanes to meet the requirements of shopkeepers and for the contingency of fire or accident requiring ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Thirdly, I oppose any
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.