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18. I am amazed that it was only within the past two months that some members, who purport to have the interest of illegal food caterers at heart, saw fit to take the Council's 1966 policy to task. It is indeed, to say the least, remarkable that those who now criticise the Council's policy did not do so and remained completely silent during the last 7 odd years.
19. I wish to add that the Council was advised by the Director of Fire Services in writing on the 20th October 1972 that food catering businesses carried out in domestic buildings created a fire hazard. Furthermore, it is obvious that domestic premises designed for domestic use are not suitable for catering purposes be they for sale of food on or off the premises as they are lacking in all outlets, for example: waste pipes, passage ways for conveyance of raw material and cooked food, ventilation for smoke and fumes, etc.
Mr. Chairman, it is this Council's duty to protect public health and to improve the environmental hygiene of the people in the urban area more so to-day than in 1966 today with ever increasing high-rise buildings being built and greater density of population. And I wish to emphasise that it is the Council's duty to safeguard the interest of those who rightly deserve and can demand the protection of the Council from nuisances of the nature I have described earlier.
Before I resume my seat, Mr. Chairman, I must inform members that the Food Hygiene Select Committee had given and is giving serious consideration in establishing economy canteen as an alternative to arrangement for the supply of inexpensive meals. A site presently under study is the underneath part of the elevated walk-way linking the Yaumatei Ferry Pier, (Hong Kong) and Blake Pier which I understand is capable of providing substantial seating capacity to the extent of 1,000 and I will be the first to announce the result of such consideration when a decision has been made.
Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I must protest at this public attack on Miss YEUNG and myself in a way which it is not possible to answer as our motions have been decided behind closed doors. I can assure Mr. SIN that he would probably be most surprised at the public opposition to the present policy of the Urban Council in this matter. As for economy canteens, may I make a personal correction from history. This is not a new idea. Twenty-five years ago, they were not a success and were discontinued. In the interval, there had been fruitless attempts to resurrect them as a substitute for cooked-food stalls. May I be permitted to doubt whether the present attempt will be any more effective.
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CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. BERNACCHI. The statement made by the Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee was under Standing Order 13. Any Member of his Committee, and only his Committee, is allowed to dissociate himself with the statement that was made. In the same way that any Member of that Select Committee, under Standing Order 6 (15), was allowed to put in a minority opinion to the report if he or she dissented from that opinion. No dissenting opinion was ever made to the report of the Select Committee. And now, your remarks, while they may be a protest from your point of view, I consider that they are offside. I do not make Standing Orders, neither do I make the laws of the Council or the by-laws. My duty as Chairman is merely to ensure that the Standing Orders are observed. And, I am just like the referee in a football match. If you are offside, I must blow the whistle. And I am sorry I am blowing the whistle this time although I will allow your remarks to be recorded in deference to you. So, I've blown the whistle; you're offside. Thank you.
MR. HU (in English): -Mr. Chairman, I just ask from you a clarification of your statement. Is this the statement of the Council or is this the statement of the Food Hygiene Select Committee? If it is the statement of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, of course, your statement is right. But if it is the statement of the Whole Council, of course, Mr. BERNACCHI has the right to dissociate himself.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Henry Hu, I am sorry you've overlooked the Agenda. The Agenda is clear-"Statement by Mr. Charles C. C. SIN, Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee."
MR. HU (in English): -Yes.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good. Thank you!
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the question has not been answered. Is this the policy of the Council or the policy of the Select Committee?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Charles SIN has made his statement and if you do not agree with that statement and if you are a Member of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, you can simply say you do not agree. But if you are not, I am sorry to say you cannot make any further statement.
MR. HU (in English):-No, I do not wish to make any statement, Mr. Chairman. I simply said that if it is the statement of the Whole Council, certainly Mr. BERNACCHI has the right to dissociate himself.
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18. I am amazed that it was only within the past two months that some members, who purport to have the interest of illegal food caterers at heart, saw fit to take the Council's 1966 policy to task. It is indeed, to say the least, remarkable that those who now criticise the Council's policy did not do so and remained completely silent during the last 7 odd years.
19. I wish to add that the Council was advised by the Director of Fire Services in writing on the 20th October 1972 that food catering businesses carried out in domestic buildings created a fire hazard. Furthermore, it is obvious that domestic premises designed for domestic use are not suitable for catering purposes be they for sale of food on or off the premises as they are lacking in all outlets, for example: waste pipes, passage ways for conveyance of raw material and cooked food, ventilation for smoke and fumes. etc.
Mr. Chairman, it is this Council's duty to protect public health and to improve the environmental hygiene of the people in the urban area more so to-day than in 1966 today with ever increasing high-rise buildings being built and greater density of population. And I wish to emphasise that it is the Council's duty to safeguard the interest of those who rightly deserve and can demand the protection of the Council from nuisances of the nature I have described earlier.
Before I resume my seat, Mr. Chairman, I must inform members that the Food Hygiene Select Committee had given and is giving serious consideration in establishing economy canteen as an alternative to arrangement for the supply of inexpensive meals. A site presently under study is the underneath part of the elevated walk-way linking the Yaumatei Ferry Pier, (Hong Kong) and Blake Pier which I under- stand is capable of providing substantial seating capacity to the extent of 1,000 and I will be the first to announce the result of such considera- tion when a decision has been made.
Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I must protest at this public attack on Miss YEUNG and myself in a way which it is not possible to answer as our motions have been decided behind closed doors. I can assure Mr. SIN that he would probably be most surprised at the public opposition to the present policy of the Urban Council in this matter. As for economy canteens, may I make a personal correc- tion from history. This is not a new idea. Twenty-five years ago, they were not a success and were discontinued. In the interval, there had been fruitless attempts to resurrect them as a substitute for cooked-food stalls. May I be permitted to doubt whether the present attempt will be any more effective.
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CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. BERNACCHI. The statement made by the Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee was under Standing Order 13. Any Member of his Committee, and only his Committee, is allowed to dissociate himself with the statement that was made. In the same way that any Member of that Select Com- mittee, under Standing Order 6 (15), was allowed to put in a minority opinion to the report if he or she dissented from that opinion. No dissenting opinion was ever made to the report of the Select Com- mittee. And now, your remarks, while they may be a protest from your point of view, I consider that they are offside. I do not make Standing Orders, neither do I make the laws of the Council or the by-laws. My duty as Chairman is merely to ensure that the Standing Orders are observed. And, I am just like the referee in a football match. If you are offside, I must blow the whistle. And I am sorry I am blowing the whistle this time although I will allow your remarks to be recorded in deference to you. So, I've blown the whistle; you're offside. Thank you.
MR. HU (in English): -Mr. Chairman, 1 just ask from you a clarification of your statement. Is this the statement of the Council or is this the statement of the Food Hygiene Select Committee? If it is the statement of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, of course, your statement is right. But if it is the statement of the Whole Council, of course, Mr. BERNACCHI has the right to dissociate himself.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Henry Hu, I am sorry you've over- looked the Agenda. The Agenda is clear-"Statement by Mr. Charles C. C. SIN, Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee."
MR. HU (in English): -Yes.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good. Thank you!
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the question has not been answered. Is this the policy of the Council or the policy of the Select Committee?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Charles SIN has made his statement and if you do not agree with that statement and if you are a Member of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, you can simply say you do But if you are not, I am sorry to say you cannot make any
not agree. further statement.
MR. HU (in English):-No, I do not wish to make any statement, Mr. Chairman. I simply said that if it is the statement of the Whole Council, certainly Mr. BERNACCHI has the right to dissociate himself.
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