102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Western Market, North Block
Out of a total of 92 meat stalls on the first floor, four are vacant. It appears that the large number of stalls in this market is sufficient to satisfy the demand and that the vacant ones are unlikely to be filled. However, since they are scattered amongst other stalls selling meat, it would not be practicable to use them for the sale of other commodities or to convert them for some other use.
Sai Ying Pun Market
Seven stalls on the first floor are vacant. These stalls are grouped together and on 8 September this year the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee accepted a recommendation from the Department that the area which they occupied should be converted into a recreation area. The proposals for this are still being examined by the Department.
The information which I have just given is taken from a paper prepared by the Department and considered by the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee, of which Miss YEUNG is vice-chairman, on 8 September this year.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr Chairman, since September I do not know what action has been taken and what decision has been made. Can the Chairman give me a detailed reply?
MR CHAN (in English):—Mr Chairman, earning more income for the Urban Council has always exercised my mind and also the mind of the Chairman. I can, therefore, assure Miss YEUNG that the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee will pay more attention to this and I am sure that the department is making every effort to rent out these stalls as well as converting them into other uses.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr Chairman, I heard the very detailed reply given to me by Mr Chan, but I do not see mention of the Tang Lung Chau Market, the first floor of which is completely vacant and what plans are there in regard to this market?
MR CHAN (in English):—Mr Chairman, vacant stalls in the Tang Lung Chau Market have already been included in the figures I mentioned in my reply. I think the department, as well as the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee, will pay the same attention to converting them into other uses.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Thank you, Mr Chairman.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):—Mr Chairman, on page 2 under Sai Ying Pun Market, it reads that 'seven stalls on the first floor are vacant. These stalls are grouped together and on 8 September this year the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee accepted a recommendation from the Department that the area which they occupied should be converted into a recreation area. The proposals for this are still being examined by the department.' The department has made a recommendation and it was accepted, so how come the proposals for this are still being examined by the department. Didn't the department examine it before they made a recommendation, otherwise, why should they make a recommendation which is accepted and examined again.
MR CHAN (in English):—Mr Chairman, I think this is normal administrative procedure. If the department consider that a proposal is workable, they will make it to the Select Committee and when the Select Committee agrees to the recommendation they will go back and study it in detail. I think it is the usual thing.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):—May I have your indulgence? You mean they say it is workable and then they have to re-examine again and may finally find that it is not workable, so if it is workable they should go ahead rather than re-examine again.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—May I give the floor to the other Peter CHAN? (Laughter).
MR CHAN (in English):—Mr Chairman, I just mentioned that it is being examined, not re-examined.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—Thank you.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):—The question is that, I think, they have to examine it first. If it is workable, it is to be carried out, not to be examined because there must be an examination before they make a recommendation, otherwise it will be a further spending of time of the Committee. That is the point. Of course, I am sure that the Chairman of the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee is very diligent in trying to push this ahead.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—Is this the cross-examination? Because the examination-in-chief has been conducted by Miss Cecilia YEUNG, so now this must be the cross-examination. (Laughter). Will you please answer the question, Mr CHAN?
MR CHAN (in English):—I think the department first makes a policy proposal and then when this is agreed they will examine it in detail.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—Perhaps Mr Peter C. K. CHAN might be invited to join the examination in detail. Is there any other supplementary question?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 71 of 135
103
102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Western Market, North Block
Out of a total of 92 meat stalls on the first floor, four are vacant. It appears that the large number of stalls in this market is sufficient to satisfy the demand and that the vacant ones are unlikely to be filled. However, since they are scattered amongst other stalls selling meat, it would not be practic- able to use them for the sale of other commodities or to convert them for
some other use.
Sai Ying Pun Market
Seven stalls on the first floor are vacant. These stalls are grouped together and on 8 September this year the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee accepted a recommendation from the Department that the area which they occupied should be converted into a recreation area. The proposals for this are still being examined by the Department.
The information which I have just given is taken from a paper prepared by the Department and considered by the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee, of which Miss YEUNG is vice-chairman, on 8 September this year.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr Chairman, since September*I do not know what action has been taken and what decision has been made. Can the Chairman give me a detailed reply?
MR CHAN (in English):-Mr Chairman, earning more income for the Urban Council has always exercised my mind and also the mind of the Chairman. I can, therefore, assure Miss YEUNG that the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee will pay more attention to this and I am sure that the department is making every effort to rent out these stalls as well as converting them into other uses.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr Chairman, I heard the very detailed reply given to me by Mr Chan, but I do not see mention of the Tang Lung Chau Market, the first floor of which is completely vacant and what plans are there in regard to this market?
MR CHAN (in English):----Mr Chairman, vacant stalls in the Tang Lung Chau Market have already been included in the figures I mentioned in my reply. I think the department, as well as the Markets and Abattoirs Select Com- mittee, will pay the same attention to converting them into other uses.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr Chairman.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):-Mr Chairman, on page 2 under Sai Ying Pun Market, it reads that 'seven stalls on the first floor are vacant. These stalls are grouped together and on 8 September this year the Markets and
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Page 71 of 135
103
Abattoirs Select Committee accepted a recommendation from the Department that the area which they occupied should be converted into a recreation area. The proposals for this are still being examined by the department.' The department has made a recommendation and it was accepted, so how come the proposals for this are still being examined by the department. Didn't the department examine it before they made a recommendation, otherwise, why should they make a recommendation which is accepted and examined
again.
MR CHAN (in English):-Mr Chairman, I think this is normal administrative procedure. If the department consider that a proposal is workable, they will make it to the Select Committee and when the Select Committee agrees to the recommendation they will go back and study it in detail. I think it is the usual thing.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):-May I have your indulgence? You mean they say it is workable and then they have to re-examine again and may finally find that it is not workable, so if it is workable they should go ahead rather than re-examine again.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-May I give the floor to the other Peter CHAN? (Laughter).
MR CHAN (in English):-Mr Chairman, I just mentioned that it is being examined, not re-examined.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you.
MR CHAN CHI-KWAN (in English):-The question is that, I think, they have to examine it first. If it is workable, it is to be carried out, not to be examined because there must be an examination before they make a recom- mendation, otherwise it will be a further spending of time of the Committee. That is the point. Of course, I am sure that the Chairman of the Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee is very diligent in trying to push this ahead.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Is this the cross-examination? Because the examina- tion-in-chief has been conducted by Miss Cecilia YEUNG, so now this must be the cross-examination. (Laughter). Will you please answer the question, Mr CHAN?
MR CHAN (in English):—I think the department first makes a policy proposal and then when this is agreed they will examine it in detail.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Perhaps Mr Peter C. K. CHAN might be invited to join the examination in detail. Is there any other supplementary question?
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