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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Council already has its planning sights set on the year 2001 and beyond; we have a ‘rolling' five-year development plan that will still be in operation when civilization reaches this momentous turn of history, and as that development plan rolls forward, we will be bringing in even more improvements and still better services for the people of Hong Kong.
If the Government has not yet done so, I would urge the Government to also set its planning sights on the year 2001 and beyond.
Shortly after World War II, there was a bogeyman book produced whose title was the ominous date of '1984'—an imaginative work that portrayed a frightening scenario and saw civilization under the thumb of an all-powerful 'Big Brother' who ensured that life was a misery and a terror for all.
But 1984 is with us now—yet looking around me, I see no Big Brothers, no bogeymen, no misery, and no terror.
May I therefore say to the people of Hong Kong—let us all look beyond this bogeyman date of 1997 and think positively of our future in the 21st century—a century when those with faith in our future can see a richer life of continued achievement and satisfaction for all Hong Kong citizens.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):—Has the Council received any complaints regarding hawkers selling cooked food in the vicinity of Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong? Is the Urban Services Department aware that the inside of the K.C.R. and M.T.R. Kowloon Tong Station is often filled with odour, emanating from the produce of these hawkers, which appears to be sucked into the station through the ventilation inlets from the street above?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question asks whether the Council has received any complaints regarding cooked food hawkers in the vicinity of Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong. It also asks whether the Urban Services Department is aware that the odour from these hawkers often fills the nearby K.C.R. and M.T.R. stations.
The Urban Services Department is well aware of the problem caused by cooked food hawkers in this particular area, even though there have been few complaints—only eight verbal or written complaints have been lodged since December 1982, the latest having been received over three months ago.
In the period since December 1982, however, there have been 81 arrests for illegal hawking and 34 cases of seizure of hawker paraphernalia as a result of frequent raids conducted by the General Duties Teams at peak trading periods.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
As anyone who visits the area may frequently see, there are up to half a dozen mobile food vendors selling various commodities at various times of the day. In order to keep the situation under control, daily raids are presently being conducted. When resources permit, static patrols are also maintained to enhance the enforcement efforts. The results have been reasonably satisfactory. Clearly, it is impossible for our staff to be on duty at every location where illegal hawking takes place at all hours of each day, but they do their best in difficult circumstances.
As regards the odour, I am told that this appears to emanate from one particular food vendor who specializes in selling fried Shanghainese-style bean curds. The Department is well aware of the situation and will continue to exert all possible effort to keep this vendor and the others away from the area.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, even though we realize that we cannot take enforcement action at that location at all hours, can we consider that during peak trading hours we step up enforcement action, because, as far as I know, the situation is rather intolerable from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):—Yes, I think this can be done, Mr. Chairman, and I will liaise with the Urban Services Department and hope that they will increase their patrol of the area.
2. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese): What has been the response to recreational ice-skating at the Hong Kong Coliseum?
MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—The experimental scheme on recreational ice-skating was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum on a free admission basis between 15 to 25 March 1984. Public response was most encouraging. The total attendance for the 59 one-hour sessions was about 29,000. This represents an average of 490 persons per session. Of those admitted, 75% were skaters, resulting in an average of about 370 skaters per session, as against the arena's maximum capacity of 500 skaters.
MR. YOUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, since the scheme appears to have been well received by the public, will the Urban Council consider repeating such a scheme in the future?
MR. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, since we have just completed this experimental scheme, we will discuss the issue at a future meeting. But whether or not we will charge admission fees, I cannot speculate.
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5
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Council already has its planning sights set on the year 2001 and beyond we have a ‘rolling' five-year development plan that will still be in opera- tion when civilization reaches this momentous turn of history, and as that development plan rolls forward we will be bringing in even more improvements and still better services for the people of Hong Kong.
If the Government has not yet done so, I would urge the Government to also set its planning sights on the year 2001 and beyond..
Shortly after World War II there was a bogeyman book produced whose title was the ominous date of '1984'-an imaginative work that portrayed a frightening scenario and saw civilization under the thumb of an all-powerful 'Big Brother' who ensured that life was a misery and a terror for all.
But 1984 is with us now-yet looking around me I see no Big Brothers, no bogeymen, no misery and no terror.
May I therefore say to the people of Hong Kong―let us all look beyond this bogeyman date of 1997 and think positively of our future in the 21st century--a century when those with faith in our future can see a richer life of continued achievement and satisfaction for all Hong Kong citizens.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):— Has the Council received any complaints regarding hawkers selling cooked food in the vicinity of Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong? Is the Urban Services Department aware that the inside of the K.C.R. and M.T.R. Kowloon Tong Station is often filled with odour, emanating from the produce of these hawkers, which appears to be sucked into the station through the ventilation inlets from the street above?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS and Street Traders SeleCT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question asks whether the Council has received any complaints regarding cooked food hawkers in the vicinity of Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong. It also asks whether the Urban Services Department is aware that the odour from these hawkers often fills the nearby K.C.R. and M.T.R. stations.
The Urban Services Department is well aware of the problem caused by cooked food hawkers in this particular area even though there have been few complaints only eight verbal or written complaints have been lodged since December 1982, the latest having been received over three months ago.
In the period since December 1982 however there have been 81 arrests for illegal hawking and 34 cases of seizure of hawker paraphernalia as a result of frequent raids conducted by the General Duties Teams at peak trading periods.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
As anyone who visits the area may frequently see, there are up to half a dozen mobile food vendors selling various commodities at various times of the day. In order to keep the situation under control daily raids are presently being conducted. When resources permit, static patrols are also maintained to enhance the enforcement efforts. The results have been reasonably satisfactory. Clearly, it is impossible for our staff to be on duty at every location where illegal hawking takes place at all hours of each day, but they do their best in difficult circumstances.
As regards the odour, I am told that this appears to emanate from one particular food vendor who specializes in selling fried Shanghainese style bean curds. The Department is well aware of the situation and will continue to exert all possible effort to keep this vendor and the others away from the area.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, even though we realize that we cannot take enforcement action at that location at all hours, can we consider that during peak trading hours we step up enforcement action, because as far as I know, the situation is rather intolerable from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-Yes, I think this can be done, Mr. Chairman, and I will liaise with the Urban Services Department and hope that they will increase their patrol of the area.
2. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in Can- tonese): What has been the response to recreational ice-skating at the Hong Kong Coliseum?
MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENtertainment Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The experimental scheme on recreational ice-skating was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum on a free admission basis between 15 to 25 March 1984. Public response was most encouraging. The total attendance for the 59 one-hour sessions was about 29 000. This represents an average of 490 persons per session. Of those admitted, 75% were skaters resulting in an average of about 370 skaters per session as against the arena's maximum capacity of 500 skaters.
MR. YOUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, since the scheme appears to have been well received by the public, will the Urban Council consider repeating such a scheme in the future?
MR. LAU (in Cantonese):---Mr. Chairman, since we have just completed this experimental scheme, we will discuss the issue at a future meeting. But whether or not we will charge admission fees, I cannot speculate.
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