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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

On the question of refuse collection, I support the Consultants Report on The Control of the Environment recommending that all buildings should be required to have a place for storage of refuse before collection. This would eliminate the worse feature of refuse collection where private refuse collectors operating from buildings, cart them away and dump them on the roadway or pavements or outside refuse collection points. It is this sort of action which increases the nuisance and objectionable character of refuse collection. Stricter control of private refuse collectors is necessary. The legislation is there, but there must be better enforcement.

I now like to refer to the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign. Last year, we had a Clean Buildings Competition. In order to follow up and assess the success of competitions of this nature, a mini survey was carried out recently on buildings which took part and observe their present conditions. Although there has been some backsliding, on the whole the buildings entered for the competition have kept up their standards. I wish to take this opportunity to ask their management to keep up the good work even though there is to be no competition this year.

Apart from continuing the clean beach publicity and picnic warden schemes, carry overs from last year, the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign programme for 1977-78 organized a Litter Bin Competition for young people. A number of litter bins based on the prize winning designs are being ordered and they will be tested for effectiveness. An exhibition of the entries to Clean Your Beaches and Countryside Project Competition was opened at the City Hall on the 12th December. These competitions are to promote greater awareness of the need to keep our environment clean amongst our young people.

From 24th October to 9th December, an intensive cleanup of markets and hawker areas in Hong Kong/Kowloon/New Territories was carried out. Generally hawkers co-operated, but even with regular cleanups, their structures and paraphernalia trapped rubbish and they themselves create an enormous amount of refuse especially in the case of food and vegetable hawkers. We must find more land to build proper bazaars and move them off street. Hawking is entrenched in our society and there is generally public sympathy for them although not all hawkers are poor and eke a hand to mouth existence.

During the year a litter complaint telephone No. 5-95555 was installed. It received much publicity. This number is now painted on litter bins as they are withdrawn for servicing. As an experiment, a recorded message was played during periods when the telephone was unmanned in order to record complaints for action to be taken. However, although a large number of calls were phoned in during these periods, the messages were either garbled or the caller rang off. This difficulty is being sorted out and consideration is being given to it being fully manned 24 hours a day. The Committee is aware that prompt follow up action is needed to service the complaints.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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unmanned in order to record complaints for action to be taken. How- ever, although a large number of calls were phoned in during these periods, the messages were either garbled or the caller rang off. This difficulty is being sorted out and consideration is being given to it being fully manned 24 hours a day. The Committee is aware that prompt follow up action is needed to service the complaints.

At the last annual debate, I had mentioned there was a proposal to transfer the cleaning of seaborne refuse to the Urban Council. How- ever, it has since been decided that the responsibility should remain with central Government and that the Marine Department continue to administer cleaning of seaborne refuse. Floating debris is a serious problem not only of pollution but also to safe navigation as ships propellers are regularly fouled. The "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Cam- paign Committee would certainly support the efforts of the Marine Department to keep our waters clean. We specifically endorse the decking of open nullahs to prevent them from being used as rubbish dumps which are then flushed out to sea by rain and to employed mechanized collection of seaborne refuse.

Finally, just a year ago, I had proposed that a mandatory minimum fine of $100 be imposed on all litter bugs. This proposal unfortunately did not find favour with the majority of my fellow councillors and I was instead asked to convey to the judiciary our concern that too light fines were not effective deterrents. Since then some magistrates have imposed higher penalties, but they vary from magistrate to magistrate and are generally not high enough in the urban areas to serve their purposes. Obviously, some further consideration is necessary, if we are determined to win the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" battle.

Mr. Chairman, with these words I support the motion.

MR. HENRY H. O. LUK (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, this year is perhaps the most eventful year for Hong Kong. Firstly, there was the confrontation between the ICAC and the police, which led to the amnesty declared by the Governor; then came the restrictions on our export of textile products imposed by the EEC, which caused a plunge in the local stock market, reflecting the unrest in the mind of the public who were much worried about the future economic prospect of Hong Kong.

With all these in mind, I can't help asking myself, "What will be the consequences if the police go on strike?" Will they be so insignifi- cant as what Dr. Denny HUANG said, "It doesn't matter. The police of New York and Paris went on strike before while the strike staged by the Firemen in UK is still going on"?

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