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extensive than our own criminal gangs. I feel that if we are to put our minds and will behind those who are charged with stamping out this menace, then we in Hong Kong will indeed succeed as we have partially succeeded in the past in stamping out organized corruption.
With these few words, I support the motion.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as Members will have seen in the Discussion Document on the Triad Problem, there is involvement of triad activities in a number of areas of Council's responsibilities.
These include markets and abattoirs, hawker areas, and liquor licensing establishments. Of greatest concern to the Council is the existence of triad-backed protection rackets among hawkers, simply because there is still a large number of illegal hawkers on our streets who in order to do business have to pay protection fees.
If triad influence among hawkers is to be sharply reduced, there has to be closer co-operation between the Police and the Urban Services Department, which control the General Duties Teams that patrol hawker areas.
As the Government has recently decided to appoint one or more senior Police Officers to liaise with the Urban Services Department on hawker matters, it is hoped that there will be increased Police-USD co-operation in the containment of illegal hawking as well as a reduction of triad protection rackets in all hawker areas.
In this regard, the Council and the USD must also seek the co-operation of the established hawker associations and the District Boards and other community groups which are concerned about the hawker problem. We need their full support in implementing the overall spirit and objectives of the Council's Hawker Report after it is adopted.
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, concerning triads, a number of Members have already spoken at length, I do not wish to repeat their points. A couple of days ago, when the centenary was held for the Statue of Liberty in the USA, it started off with an amnesty for illegal immigrants and I feel that a lot has to be depended on humanitarian grounds. If those people who do not contribute to the society, let them have some peaceful and quiet places to think about their errors, then they may be rehabilitated. In that connection, I feel that the existence of the triads have been for a long time and many people have carried out illegal activities in the guise of triads. There are various traits that give rise to prosecution and there are people who, out of innocence, have joined triad society and have given rise to the seriousness of the problem. These people who have joined become very serious criminals, and they may not have criminal intent or criminal actions. I feel that perhaps an amnesty can be given to these people, so that once and for all, they can be rehabilitated and it may not be impossible for them to be rehabilitated, we want to persuade them to turn a new leaf. On these organizations, I am against them, but for those who have at all innocence been involved in triads and are thus blacklisted, I believe that perhaps an amnesty is appropriate so they have an opportunity to start a new life and not be ostracized by the entire society and further pushed them along the road of criminal activities and we do not want them to get further protection from triads. In the past, the Government had given an amnesty to those involved in corrupt activities, those who owned firearms, fire crackers, so I think it is appropriate to handle the triad problem in the same manner i.e., to declare an amnesty. Apart from an amnesty, some sort of an escape clause should be provided to those who have involuntarily joined triad society. As it is said in China, when the Official Han gave a sacrifice to the crocodile he could wait in not only one day but three, not only three but five. I think this is something that is worth considering in giving those who have a criminal record a new life. I support the motion and I just want to express my views and because of civic education I really want to instill a sense of civic education to those people whom I have mentioned, so that they can have a new life.
MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as the initiator of the inquiry into our hawker policy which resulted in the Working Party on Hawkers and Related Policies, I read this triad report with a very special interest because during the consultation process when we were interviewing people regarding the reactions to our initial report, it became quite clear that triads and other protection rackets make life very difficult for both the hawkers and our GDTs. In my view, the Report really does not go into the heart of the matter, it does not suggest how the Police are to be enabled to protect the hawker, the mini-bus drivers and the general law-abiding citizens from assault by triad members. The triads thrive on fear and on retaliation by physical assault. And only when the general public can tell triad members to get lost without having to be afraid that they will be subsequently beaten up or their family hurt, can any real results be achieved in the battle against organized crime, triads or otherwise. Secondly, the Report nowhere deals (and this has already been mentioned by Mrs. Tu) with the possibility that members of the Police Force may also be triad members. In my research into the hawker problems, as a member of the Working Party on Hawkers and Related Policies, I frequently come across allegations that some policemen protect hawkers and that they do so because they are either triad members themselves or being paid by triad members. Although this accusation may be groundless, the possibility of such occurrences is there and should be dealt with, especially, as rightly or wrongly, many members of the public believe policemen are members of the triad groups and are therefore very worried about going to the Police with triad matters.
I think the most helpful suggestion in the Report is the adoption of the American grand jury system and I would like to see the grand jury system per se rather than the suggested modification introduced into Hong Kong.
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extensive than our own criminal gangs. I feel that if we are to put our minds and will behind those who are charged with stamping out this menace, then we in Hong Kong will indeed succeed as we have partially succeeded in the past in stamping out organized corruption.
With these few words, I support the motion.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as Members will have seen in the Discussion Document on the Triad Problem. there is involvement of triad activities in a number of areas of Council's responsibilities.
These include markets and abattoirs, hawker areas, and liquor licensing establishments. Of greatest concern to the Council is the existence of triad- backed protection rackets among hawkers, simply because there is still a large number of illegal hawkers on our streets who in order to do business have to pay protection fees.
If triad influence among hawkers is to be sharply reduced, there has to be closer co-operation between the Police and the Urban Services Department, which control the General Duties Teams that patrol hawker areas.
As the Government has recently decided to appoint one or more senior Police Officers to liaise with the Urban Services Department on hawker matters, it is hoped that there will be increased Police-USD co-operation in the containment of illegal hawking as well as a reduction of triad protection rackets in all hawker
areas.
In this regard, the Council and the USD must also seek the co-operation of the established hawker associations and the District Boards and other community groups which are concerned about the hawker problem. We need their full support in implementing the overall spirit and objectives of the Council's Hawker Report after it is adopted.
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, concerning triads. a number of Members have already spoken at length, I do not wish to repeat their points. A couple of days ago, when the centenary was held for the Statue of Liberty in the USA, it started off with an amnesty for illegal immigrants and I feel that a lot has to be depended on humanitarian grounds. If those people who do not contribute to the society, let them have some peaceful and quiet places to think about their errors, then they may be rehabilitated. In that connection, I feel that the existence of the triads have been for a long time and many people have carried out illegal activities in the guides of triads. There are various traits that give rise to prosecution and there are people who, out of innocence, have joined triad society and have given rise to the seriousness of the problem. These people who have joined become very serious criminals, and they may not have criminal intent or criminal actions. I feel that perhaps an amnesty can be given to these people, so that once and for all, they can be rehabilitated and it may not
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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be impossible for them to be rehabilitated, we want to persuade them to turn a new leaf. On these organizations, I am against them, but for those who have at all innocence been involved in triads and are thus black listed, I believe that perhaps an amnesty is appropriate so they have an opportunity to start a new life and not be ostracized by the entire society and further pushed them along the road of criminal activities and we do not want them to get further protection from triads. In the past, the Government had given an amnesty to those involved in corrupt activities, those who owned firearms, fire crackers, so I think it is appropriate to handle the triad problem in the same manner i.e. to declare an amnesty. Apart from an amnesty, some sort of an escape clause should be provided to those who have unvoluntarily joined triad society. As it is said in China, when the Official Han gave a sacrifice to the crocodile he could wait in not only one day but three, not only three but five. I think this is something that is worth considering in giving those who have criminal record a new life. I support the motion and I just want to express my views and because of civic education I really want to instill a sense of civic education to those people whom I have mentioned, so that they can have a new life.
MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as the initiator of the inquiry into our hawker policy which resulted in the Working Party on Hawkers and Related Policies, I read this triad report with a very special interest because during the consultation process when we were interviewing people regarding the reactions to our initial report, it became quite clear that triads and other protection rackets make life very difficult for both the hawkers and our GDTs. In my view the Report really does not go into the heart of the matter, it does not suggest how the Police is to be enabled to protect the hawker, the mini-bus drivers and the general law abiding citizens from assault by triad members. The triads thrive on fear and on retaliation by physical assault. And only when the general public can tell triad members to get lost without having to be afraid that they will be subsequently beaten up or their family hurt, can any real results be achieved in the battle against organized crime, triads or otherwise. Secondly, the Report nowhere deals (and this has already been mentioned by Mrs. Tu) with the possibility that members of the Police Force may also be triad members. In my research into the hawker problems, as a member of the Working Party on Hawkers and Related Policies, I frequently come across allegations that some policemen protect hawkers and that they do so because they are either triad members themselves or being paid by triad members. Although this accusation may be groundless, the possibility of such occurrences is there and should be dealt with, especially, as rightly or wrongly, many members of the public believe policemen are members of the triad groups and are therefore very worried about going to the Police with triad matters.
I think the most helpful suggestion in the Report is the adoption of the American grand jury system and I would like to see the grand jury system per se rather than the suggested modification introduced into Hong Kong.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.