58
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(i) The Urban Services Department now issues health requirements without waiting until both the Buildings and Lands Department and the Fire Services Department have indicated their agreement to layout plans of premises under application for licence;
(ii) Departmental officers have been advised to exercise common sense and discretion in waiving minor deviations from approved plans and requirements without infringing or violating the principles of health and hygiene;
(iii) The Urban Services Department will not insist on the submission of 3 copies of a final plan for record before issuing a licence when all other requirements have been met. Minor amendments on plans can be made by the inspecting officer with the agreement of the applicant signed thereon. Where necessary, copies of plans can be made by the Department and photo-copiers are to be provided for the purpose;
(iv) To eliminate unnecessary referrals, the Buildings and Lands Department has provided guidelines to the Department to assist it to determine whether minor changes or deviations in layout plans need to be referred to the Buildings and Lands Department for comment; and
(v) The Department will intensify prosecution action in cases where an unlicensed food business is in operation and where the Buildings and Lands Department does not recommend approval because the buildings are structurally unsuitable or the means of escape are inadequate, because such premises pose a threat to life and limb.
Other areas giving rise to delay have been identified but improvements in these areas have yet to be agreed by Departments involved. Further meetings of the Conference to consider these areas will be held: it is hoped that a full position paper will be presented to Council within the next few months.
6. MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- Shek O and Rocky Bay Beaches were heavily polluted recently by flotsam driven ashore by the wind. Can arrangements be made to get the Government to station 'water-witch' refuse-collecting craft off these beaches, or what other measures can be taken to prevent similar pollution at these beaches?
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this question first makes a statement that ‘Shek O and Rocky Bay Beaches were heavily polluted recently by flotsam driven ashore by the wind'. Then it goes on to ask whether arrangements can be made to get the Government to station 'water-witch' refuse-collecting craft off these beaches; or what other measures can be taken to prevent similar pollution at these beaches?
Water-borne refuse is driven in the Winter months onto the rocky promontories around Big Wave Bay and Shek O by the prevailing north-east winds. Then, as the wind direction changes to the South in the Spring large volumes of refuse are lifted from the rocks by the sea and driven onto the beaches at Shek O and Rocky Bay.
Page 48 of 201
59
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Consideration has been given to the deployment of 'Water Witch' or 'Sea Witch' refuse collection vessels to this area. However, the Marine Department, who managed these vessels, has advised that the use of such vessels is not practical due to the turbulent sea conditions and the varied content of the refuse. Mr. Chairman, I think you will agree with me. Likewise, the turbulent sea conditions prevent the employment of refuse booms such as those in use at the more sheltered beaches on Hong Kong Island at Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay and Stanley.
Clearly, the long term aim must be to contain or reduce the level of water-borne refuse which inevitably finds its way onto the beaches. However, in the meantime there would appear to be no viable alternative at the moment to the physical removal of the refuse by Departmental staff as and when it arrives on the beaches unfortunately.
The Department will however continue to explore potential solutions to this problem with the assistance of the relevant Government departments.
7.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):— During the hot and humid summer season, a number of food poisoning cases have happened recently. May I be informed if the Department will carry out intensive inspections on food premises to ensure that they are all complying with the licensing conditions and legal requirements?
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): The question asks whether the department will carry out intensive inspections on food premises during the hot and humid summer season in which food poisoning outbreaks are more prevalent.
The short answer to the question is 'yes'.
The department is and has always been aware of this seasonal problem and has taken active measures to safeguard public health in each hot season.
As in previous years, the department alerted all district hygiene staff in early April, reminding them that, during their routine inspections to food premises, they should pay special attention to hygiene practices, including the proper storage of food, the use of clean water and clean utensils, good personal hygiene and good house-keeping.
The department has observed that as a result of a change in eating habits, food premises supplying bulk lunch boxes for sale and distribution to schools, factories, offices and such like have been on the increase. Prolonged storage of cooked food packed in lunch boxes has been traced as the cause of food poisoning in some cases and this year the district hygiene staff will increase the
58
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(i) The Urban Services Department now issues health requirements without waiting until both the Buildings and Lands Department and the Fire Services Department have indicated their agreement to layout plans of premises under application for licence;
(ii) Departmental officers have been advised to exercise common sense and discretion in waiving minor deviations from approved plans and require- ments without infringing or violating the principles of health and hygiene; (iii) The Urban Services Department will not insist on the submission of 3 copies of a final plan for record before issuing a licence when all other requirements have been met. Minor amendments on plans can be made by the inspecting officer with the agreement of the applicant signed thereon. Where necessary, copies of plans can be made by the Department and photo-copiers are to be provided for the purpose;
(iv) To eliminate unnecessary referrals, the Buildings and Lands Department has provided guidelines to the Department to assist it to determine whether minor changes or deviations in layout plans need to be referred to the Buildings and Lands Department for comment; and
(v) The Department will intensify prosecution action in cases where an unlicensed food business is in operation and where the Buildings and Lands Department does not recommend approval because the buildings are structurally unsuitable or the means of escape are inadequate, because such premises pose a threat to life and limb.
Other areas giving rise to delay have been identified but improvements in these areas have yet to be agreed by Departments involved. Further meetings of the Conference to consider these areas will be held: it is hoped that a full position paper will be presented to Council within the next few months.
6. MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- Shek O and Rocky Bay Beaches were heavily polluted recently by flotsam driven ashore by the wind. Can arrangements be made to get the Government to station 'water-witch' refuse-collecting craft off these beaches, or what other measures can be taken to prevent similar pollution at these beaches?
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this question first makes a statement that ‘Shek O and Rocky Bay Beaches were heavily polluted recently by flotsam driven ashore by the wind'. Then it goes on to ask whether arrangements can be made to get the Government to station 'water-witch' refuse-collecting craft off these beaches; or what other measures can be taken to prevent similar pollution at these beaches?
Water-borne refuse is driven in the Winter months onto the rocky promontories around Big Wave Bay and Shek O by the prevailing north-east winds. Then, as the wind direction changes to the South in the Spring large
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 48 of 201
59
volumes of refuse are lifted from the rocks by the sea and driven onto the beaches at Shek O and Rocky Bay.
Consideration has been given to the deployment of 'Water Witch' or 'Sea Witch' refuse collection vessels to this area. However, the Marine Department, who managed these vessels, has advised that the use of such vessels is not practical due to the turbulent sea conditions and the varied content of the refuse. Mr. Chairman, I think you will agree with me. Likewise, the turbulent sea conditions prevent the employment of refuse booms such as those in use at the more sheltered beaches on Hong Kong Island at Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay and Stanley.
Clearly, the long term aim must be to contain or reduce the level of water- borne refuse which inevitably finds its way onto the beaches. However, in the meantime there would appear to be no viable alternative at the moment to the physical removal of the refuse by Departmental staff as and when it arrives on the beaches unfortunately.
The Department will however continue to explore potential solutions to this problem with the assistance of the relevant Government departments.
7.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):— During the hot and humid summer season, a number of food poisoning cases have happened recently. May I be informed if the Department will carry out intensive inspections on food premises to ensure that they are all complying with the licensing conditions and legal requirements?
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): The question asks whether the department will carry out intensive inspections on food premises during the hot and humid summer season in which food poisoning outbreaks are more prevalent.
The short answer to the question is 'yes'.
The department is and has always been aware of this seasonal problem and has taken active measures to safeguard public health in each hot season.
As in previous years, the department alerted all district hygiene staff in early April, reminding them that, during their routine inspections to food premises, they should pay special attention to hygiene practices, including the proper storage of food, the use of clean water and clean utensils, good personal hygiene and good house-keeping.
The department has observed that as a result of a change in eating habits, food premises supplying bulk lunch boxes for sale and distribution to schools, factories, offices and such like have been on the increase. Prolonged storage of cooked food packed in lunch boxes has been traced as the cause of food poisoning in some cases and this year the district hygiene staff will increase the
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.