Page 103 of 174
168
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, can I have a point of clarification? Dr. Hu has taken a figure from the budget of $2 million and quoted it in relation to hawker costs.
In fact, according to the figures that were recently discussed in Standing Committee, I believe that as cost for servicing $20 million is the current amount expended on hawker control and with the new introduction of seven GD Teams a further $14 million or a total of $34 million, $3 million per month, is the likely expenditure on hawker control, not $2 million per annum.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I'll ask Mr. BERNACCHI as Chairman of Finance Select Committee, to state whether Dr. Hu's figure of $2 million includes personal emoluments for all the GD Teams.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I think, without checking, I cannot be sure that it did not include personal emoluments, but I would also like to say that Mr. MACKENZIE's remark was in the future and I hope that in the future we will not have to have this policy of mandatory forfeiture.
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, may I help Mr. BERNACCHI out?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Please be seated. Mr. BERNACCHI, the question I put to you was in effect: Do the figures quoted by Dr. Hu include the cost of the GD Teams which are at the annual rate of about $3 million each?
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-No.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you. No, (addressing Mr. F. K. Hu), is it a point of clarification?
MR. F. K. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think Dr. Henry Hu mentioned the figure of $31 million for the City Hall and Entertainments Select Committee. I want to clarify that this includes $13,251,000 for the Space Museum which is the direct responsibility of the Standing Committee for the Whole Council.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I think the position has now been sufficiently clarified and Dr. Hu, as the proposer of the motion, has used his right of reply. Are you ready then for the question? The motion has been proposed by Dr. Hu and seconded by Mr. F. K. Hu. All those in favour, please raise your hands? 13. Against? 4. Abstentions? 5. The motion is carried.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADJOURNMENT — 5.04 P.M.
169
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 13th December, 1977, at 2.30 p.m.
TRANSLATION
Press Cutting of 30th October, 1977
Appendix 1
A cooked-food stall licence can fetch a good price. For a cooked-food stall in a busy area, the transference fee of the licence is as high as $100,000.
In the past, it was open for anyone to apply for a cooked-food stall licence and a licence would usually be issued to him provided that the site concerned did not cause obstruction to traffic. With the development of the city, such licences were issued only to those who suffered from special hardships and were recommended by the Social Welfare Department on compassionate grounds. In recent years, this practice was discontinued. Furthermore, no transfer of licence is allowed, not even that from father to son. If the licensee intends to give up operation, his licence will be recovered. As such, the number of licensed cooked-food stalls has been on the decrease.
Not long ago, people could still operate an unlicensed cooked-food stall without interruption if he had paid out "tea money". Upon the establishment of the ICAC, even the payment of "tea money" is no guarantee for non-action against unlicensed operation. Worse still, as a result of the Urban Council's recent intensified prosecution action against unlicensed cooked-food stalls, offenders were fined and sentenced to imprisonment. Unlicensed cooked-food stalls are therefore driven into a corner. Some people are still stealthily operating unlicensed stalls in the mere hope that with luck, they may earn a living. However, most have voluntarily closed down their stalls in order to avoid prosecution.
As unlicensed cooked-food stalls become more and more non-viable, the licensed ones on the other hand have enjoyed booming business. Some former operators of unlicensed cooked-food stalls have therefore approached licensees of legal cooked-food stalls for the transfer of their licences by offering a handsome amount of money.
Though it is unlawful for a cooked-food stall licensee to privately assign his licence to other person, cases of unauthorized transfer of
Page 103 of 174
Page 103 of 174
Page 103 of 174
168
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, can I have a point of clarification? Dr. Hu has taken a figure from the budget of $2 million and quoted it in relation to hawker costs.
In fact, according to the figures that were recently discussed in Standing Committee, I believe that as cost for servicing $20 million is the current amount expended on hawker control and with the new introduction of seven GD Teams a further $14 million or a total of $34 million, $3 million per month, is the likely expenditure on hawker control, not $2 million per annum.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I'll ask Mr. BERNACCHI as Chairman of Finance Select Committee, to state whether Dr. Hu's figure of $2 million includes personal emoluments for all the GD Teams.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I think, without checking, I cannot be sure that it did not include personal emoluments, but I would also like to say that Mr. MACKENZIE's remark was in the future and I hope that in the future we will not have to have this policy of mandatory forfeiture.
MR. MACKENZIE's (in English):-Mr. Chairman, may I help Mr. BERNACCHI Out?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Please be seated. Mr. BERNACCHI, the question I put to you was in effect: Do the figures quoted by Dr. Hu include the cost of the GD Teams which are at the annual rate of about $3 million each?
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):--No.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you. No, (addressing Mr. F. K. Hu), I am sorry; is it a point of clarification?
MR. F. K. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think Dr. Henry Hu mentioned the figure of $31 million for the City Hall and Entertain- ments Select Committee. I want to clarify that this includes $13,251,000 for the Space Museum which is the direct responsibility of the Standing Committee for the Whole Council.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I think the position has now been suf- ficiently clarified and Dr. Hu, as the proposer of the motion, has used his right of reply. Are you ready then for the question? The motion has been proposed by Dr. Hu and seconded by Mr. F. K. Hu. All those in favour, please raise your hands? 13. Against? 4. Absten- tions? 5. The motion is carried.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADJOURNMENT — 5.04 P.M.
169
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council stands adjourned until Tuesday,
13th December, 1977, at 2.30 p.m.
TRANSLATION
Press Cutting of 30th October, 1977
Appendix 1
A cooked-food stall licence can fetch a good price. For a cooked- food stall in a busy area, the transference fee of the licence is as high as $100,000.
In the past, it was open for anyone to apply for a cooked-food stall licence and a licence would usually be issued to him provided that the site concerned did not cause obstruction to traffic. With the development of the city, such licences were issued only to those who suffered from special hardships and were recommended by the Social Welfare Department on compassionate grounds. In recent years, this practice was discontinued. Furthermore, no transfer of licence is allowed, not even that from father to son. If the licensee intends to give up operation, his licence will be recovered. As such, the number of licensed cooked-food stalls has been on the decrease.
Not long ago, people could still operate an unlicensed cooked- food stall without interruption if he had paid out "tea money". Upon the establishment of the ICAC, even the payment of "tea money" is no guarantee for non-action against unlicensed operation. Worse still, as a result of the Urban Council's recent intensified prosecution action against unlicensed cooked-food stalls, offenders were fined and sen- tenced to imprisonment. Unlicensed cooked-food stalls are therefore driven into a corner. Some people are still stealthily operating un- licensed stalls in the mere hope that with luck, they may earn a living. However, most have voluntarily closed down their stalls in order to avoid prosecution.
As unlicensed cooked-food stalls become more and more non- viable, the licensed ones on the other hand have enjoyed booming business. Some former operators of unlicensed cooked-food stalls have therefore approached licensees of legal cooked-food stalls for the transfer of their licences by offering a handsome amount of money.
Though it is unlawful for a cooked-food stall licensee to privately assign his licence to other person, cases of unauthorized transfer of
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