1975 — Page 89

Page 89 of 154

146

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

This does not take into account the capital cost of Hawker Bazaars, under the 10-year programme ending 1984, estimated at $15.33 million; or the market construction programme, which will provide facilities for many hawkers, and calls for another $108 million in the same period.

Nor does it take into account the heavy cost of Police services, which have escalated out of all proportion with the introduction of Hawker Permitted Areas, to a point where a significant proportion of Kowloon CID force and Police's Platoons have been deployed in maintaining order and providing escorts for USD Cleansing Teams in the 20 or so streets now given over to hawkers.

In these circumstances, the Council cannot regard with any equanimity the present modest increases in fees which are now proposed, nor ignore the fact that these are currently being applied to only a section of the hawker trade.

According to recent figures there are 32,747 licensed hawkers, of whom 12,920 are fixed-pitch hawkers contributing 75% of current licence revenue. It appears to be the consensus of Council opinion that the latter can afford to meet the additional fees proposed.

There remain 19,827 itinerant licensed hawkers for the majority of whom a fee of $40 per annum was first instituted in 1960, and who are now asked to contribute $75 per annum, or approximately $6 per month.

This is a totally unrealistic figure when related to the cost of USD services, or to the costs incurred by shop-keepers and other small business practices, or when related to the fees for itinerant hawker licences in comparable areas such as Singapore where the charge levied is $240 per annum, or $20 per month. When we also consider that 6,000 or more of these so-called itinerant hawkers actually conduct profitable business from fixed-pitch sites, and that USD services must cater for 30-40,000 unlicensed hawkers, the situation becomes more ludicrous.

The HPA Scheme, which was welcomed prematurely as a buffer against unemployment but has resulted in environmental pollution and disruption of business and traffic on a massive scale in many areas, has cut across accepted principles of Council policy. This policy has been:

to seek reduction in the number of hawkers;

to move hawkers off the streets and into bazaars and markets;

to disassociate hawking from welfare, and

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

147

to put all hawking under proper control and give established hawkers legitimate status.

The sooner we return to these sensible policies, and move away from the chaotic scenes of Tung Choi Street, the better it will be for all concerned, including legitimate hawkers who seek to engage in orderly business operations.

I am afraid I can only regard the present increased fees as the thin end of the wedge so far as future licensing control and charges are concerned. While properly-licensed hawkers have a right to expect reasonable conditions in which to apply their trade, they have no less obligation to meet a fair share of the cost of administration, control, cleansing and other services provided for their trade. Unlike the shop-keepers with whom they compete, hawkers do not pay rates, rent, taxes or business registration fees. Such factors, with the added impositions of noise, dirt, obstruction, and lack of hygiene, must do much to offset any economic advantages which some sections of the public may obtain from the services of street traders.

There is need for a fairer deal to all concerned, and I suggest that there must be a systematic increase in hawker licence fees to a level, for itinerants, of upwards to $1 per day which should be within the means of traders and would produce revenue of $12-$15 million per annum. Coupled with increased receipts from an enlarged group of fixed pitch traders, this would produce more realistic revenue closer to, but still short of, Urban Council expenditure on hawkers. To achieve such objective I suggest that:

- it is essential that all bona-fide hawkers should be licensed, and those "itinerants" with fixed pitches be re-classified;

- Hawker Permitted Areas should be converted, thereafter, to Hawker Licensed Areas; and moved where possible to open areas rather than streets;

- Hawkers' Associations, which now number about 20 (7 registered under the Companies Ordinance, 13 under the Societies Ordinance), should be encouraged to re-organize and to assume a higher measure of responsibility for liaison and disciplinary administration in the hawker trade; and finally;

- the devolution of Urban Services Department to District management and control be extended also to hawker administration in order to permit closer liaison, understanding and discipline at a local level for the benefit of the whole community.

Page 90 of 154