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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In answer to the second part of the question, there is a very significant difference between the flooring laid in new toilets and that used in old toilets. In former days, the material used for the flooring of toilets was either concrete or red floor tiles. Such surfaces tend to become slippery when wet. In recently built and refurbished toilets, anti-slip quarry floor tiles are used and laid so as to prevent accumulation of water. The risk of slipping is therefore reduced considerably but nevertheless people using public toilets should exercise care when walking on wet surfaces.
In addition to toilets provided in Council facilities, there are 156 public toilets in the urban areas. A refurbishment programme is under way and 45 old public toilets have been refurbished with another 45 due for refurbishing in the current financial year. It is expected that all of the older public toilets will be refurbished within the next three years.
DR. PHILIP C. K. Kwok (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I would just like to ask one question. That is, do we think we should consider buying third-party insurance in future?
(Mr. Augustine S. K. CHUNG arrived during Dr. Philip KWOK's address.)
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I think this Council has considered whether in public toilets, public places operated by this Council we should buy insurance. According to the experts, the cost of insurance will be prohibitive and it will not be worthwhile. I think we should reduce the risk especially, for instance by improving the lighting in these places and giving good instructions to our staff to keep these places clean and dry. In that case, we may be able to save insurance cost.
3.
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):--- Has there been any delay in the construction of the Tin Wan Market and is there any increase in its cost as a result of the delay?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN of the MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the construction of Tin Wan Market and whether there has been any increase in its cost as a result of delay.
The approved contract period for the construction of Tin Wan Market was 14 months, i.e. from February 1979 to April 1980. However, the project is not likely to be completed before the end of this month. There has therefore been a delay of about 14 months, of which about three months can be attributed to inclement weather and another month to the need to change slightly the foundation plans of the building. The main delay has been caused by the inability of the contractor to fulfil his contractual obligations. As a result, liquidated damages amounting to $180,000 have been claimed and credited to the project vote.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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The market building is now practically completed. Some external works to the rest garden at level 3 and some additional works in the children's playground at level 4 are still required.
The approved project cost is $8.2 million. The final cost including $150,000 for additional work not included in the original estimate is expected to be in the region of $8.6 million. It is not possible to say exactly how much of the increased cost is due to the delay; on some items of the project, the cost has been below the original estimate while on others it has been higher. It is probably, however, in the region of $450,000.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, if the delay has led to claims of about $180,000 and we estimated that the increase of costs has been $450,000 on account of the delay, is there any reason for this Council, in the future in thinking about the construction cost of markets whether we should examine all our original estimates?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I think this question is for the Chairman of the Capital Works Select Committee to answer.
MR. CHOW (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I should like to ask Mr. Shum whether in the case of Tin Wan Market, that there is enough space to accommodate all the hawkers opposite to the market in the side streets.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-Generally speaking, Mr. Chairman, we want to accommodate all the nearby hawkers but at the moment I cannot accurately confirm this is possible, but we'll try our best.
MR. CHOW (in Cantonese):—I would also like to ask a further question, if we cannot accommodate all of the hawkers, will those who are left out be allowed to stay or will they be moved elsewhere?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, generally speaking, if we can move all the hawkers into the market, that would be the best solution. If we can't do that, we'll move them elsewhere because we do not want them to affect the business of the hawkers in the market.
4. MRS. GRACE Ho asked the following question (in English):—What progress has been made towards simplifying the official procedures for cremation?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):―This question concerns the simplification of procedures to be followed by an applicant who wishes to arrange for a cremation to take place.
Under the existing procedures, the applicant, having obtained a Medical Certificate (Cremation) from a doctor, has to deal with three Government
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In answer to the second part of the question, there is a very significant difference between the flooring laid in new toilets and that used in old toilets. In former days, the material used for the flooring of toilets was either concrete or red floor tiles. Such surfaces tend to become slippery when wet. In recently built and refurbished toilets, anti-slip quarry floor tiles are used and laid so as to prevent accumulation of water. The risk of slipping is therefore reduced considerably but nevertheless people using public toilets should exercise care when walking on wet surfaces.
In addition to toilets provided in Council facilities, there are 156 public toilets in the urban areas. A refurbishment programme is under way and 45 old public toilets have been refurbished with another 45 due for refurbishing in the current financial year. It is expected that all of the older public toilets will be refurbished within the next three years.
DR. PHILIP C. K. Kwok (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I would just like to ask one question. That is, do we think we should consider buying third party insurance in future?
(Mr. Augustine S. K. CHUNG arrived during Dr. Philip KWOK's address.)
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I think this Council has considered whether in public toilets, public places operated by this Council we should buy insurance. According to the experts, the cost of insurance will be prohibitive and it will not be worthwhile. I think we should reduce the risk especially, for instance by improving the lighting in these places and giving good instructions to our staff to keep these places clean and dry. In that case, we may be able to save insurance cost.
3.
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):--- Has there been any delay in the construction of the Tin Wan Market and is there any increase in its cost as a result of the delay?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN of the MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the construction of Tin Wan Market and whether there has been any increase in its cost as a result of delay.
The approved contract period for the construction of Tin Wan Market was 14 months, i.e. from February 1979 to April 1980. However, the project is not likely to be completed before the end of this month. There has therefore been a delay of about 14 months, of which about three months can be attributed to inclement weather and another month to the need to change slightly the foundation plans of the building. The main delay has been caused by the inability of the contractor to fulfil his contractual obligations. As a result, liquidated damages amounting to $180,000 have been claimed and credited to the project vote.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 36 of 146
35
The market building is now practically completed. Some external works to the rest garden at level 3 and some additional works in the children's playground at level 4 are still required.
The approved project cost is $8.2 million. The final cost including $150,000 for additional work not included in the original estimate is expected to be in the region of $8.6 million. It is not possible to say exactly how much of the increased cost is due to the delay; on some items of the project, the cost has been below the original estimate while on others it has been higher. It is probably, however, in the region of $450,000.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, if the delay has led to claims of about $180,000 and we estimated that the increase of costs has been $450,000 on account of the delay, is there any reason for this Council, in the future in thinking about the construction cost of markets whether we should examine all our original estimates?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I think this question is for the Chairman of the Capital Works Select Committee to answer.
MR. CHOW (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I should like to ask Mr. Shum whether in the case of Tin Wan Market, that there is enough space to accommodate all the hawkers opposite to the market in the side streets.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-Generally speaking, Mr. Chairman, we want to accommodate all the nearby hawkers but at the moment I cannot accurately confirm this is possible, but we'll try our best.
MR. CHOW (in Cantonese):—I would also like to ask a further question, if we cannot accommodate all of the hawkers, will those who are left out be allowed to stay or will they be moved elsewhere?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, generally speaking, if we can move all the hawkers into the market, that would be the best solution. If we can't do that, we'll move them elsewhere because we do not want them to affect the business of the hawkers in the market.
4. MRS. GRACE Ho asked the following question (in English):—What progress has been made towards simplifying the official procedures for cremation?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):―This question concerns the simplification of procedures to be followed by an applicant who wishes to arrange for a cremation to take place.
Under the existing procedures, the applicant, having obtained a Medical Certificate (Cremation) from a doctor, has to deal with three Government
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