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which pesticide was sprayed, the kind and concentration of pesticide used, as well as the dates of harvest. These control measures are supplemented by random tests for residues. Subject to the Bureau's clearance, export consignments are tagged for identification.
Since the start of the current outbreak, the Municipal Services Branch has, as a further step to strengthen the system, obtained the Bureau's agreement to prohibit, with effect from 1 November 1988, the export of untagged vegetable consignments to Hong Kong. This measure applies to all vegetable consignments exported to Hong Kong through Shenzhen, including those produced in other parts of China outside Shenzhen.
The Government will continue to review control strategies, in co-operation with the Shenzhen authorities, in order to reduce the risk of further outbreaks.'
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, apart from the measures introduced by the Municipal Services Branch and the Government, what measures have the USD and the Council taken to protect the health of the citizens?
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, although it is the responsibility of the MSB for control of the import of food, the USD has done a lot. For example, through the mass media, we have warned the general public not to buy vegetables from illegal and unlicensed hawkers since the source of vegetables they sold are not able to be traced. We have also sent staff to take some samples of the vegetables from the vegetables wholesale market for testing and we also informed the general public to cook vegetables thoroughly.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the vegetables containing methamidophos are imported from China. Such incidents occurred several times before, and will the Council liaise with the MSB and through diplomatic channels to arrive at some effective measures with the Chinese authorities to impose stricter control on the import of food from China, especially vegetables? Secondly, can we through the diplomatic channels, give the opinion to the Chinese Government to prohibit the use of methamidophos as a pesticide? It is because such incidents apart from affecting our health, also impaired our confidence. The Chinese Government should make some concrete reviews and improvements to the management so that sufficient safety measures can be introduced to protect our health. Can the Council take concrete steps in this regard?
CHAIRMAN (in English): Could I just make an appeal to members that supplementary questions should be to the point, short and be directed to the original question.
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese): Mr. CHAN'S question is a good one. As I said clearly in my reply, before November, the MSB has already liaised with the Shenzhen authorities and held various meetings. It was subsequently decided that with effect from November, all vegetables passing through Shenzhen to Hong Kong will be tagged. Since November no such situation has occurred and the Chinese Government is determined to impose the above measures.
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Vegetables from other parts of China exported to Hong Kong will also be tagged, otherwise they will be returned. So it appears to me that the Chinese Government is very determined and sincere to improve the situation. It is an unfortunate event. There was a typhoon in November and there was an early harvest and the residue of pesticide still remained in the vegetables. Since November, the MSB and the Department have been in close liaison with the Shenzhen authorities to take steps to improve the situation.
MR. WALTER SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this problem goes a bit further and concerns not just vegetables but such things as antibiotics in chicken and meat. Since it is our responsibility to look after the hygiene and markets, what we are going to do about actually testing in situ?
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):—We will send staff to take samples to carry out testing. I will bring the question back to the Food Hygiene Select Committee for detailed discussion.
4.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):—To what extent are additional Newspaper stall licenses being issued to meet the needs of residents in the ten urban District Board districts?
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the question asks to what extent additional newspaper stall licences are being issued to meet the needs of residents in the ten urban District Board districts.
Since the endorsement by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee of the Report and Recommendations of the Working Party on Hawker and Related Policies in October 1987, the Council has started to license all those newspaper hawkers who were surveyed and registered in 1985 and are now still occupying and trading on sites which are suitable for licensing.
The Council is prepared to issue as many newspaper hawker licences as possible provided that sufficient licensable sites which are suitable, viable and publicly acceptable can be found. A licence is issued where the identified site does not meet objections from other concerned parties such as Transport Department, Fire Services Department, Highways Departments, Royal Hong Kong Police Force, CNTA and shop owners located behind the stall.
So far 252 surveyed hawkers have been invited to apply for licences and 225 hawkers have responded to our invitation and applied. Up to now 157 new newspaper hawker licences have been issued. The rest have either not complied with the licensing requirements or have withdrawn their applications.
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which pesticide was sprayed, the kind and concentration of pesticide used, as well as the dates of harvest. These control measures are supplemented by random tests for residues. Subject to the Bureau's clearance, export consignments are tagged for identification.
Since the start of the current outbreak, the Municipal Services Branch has, as a further step to strengthen the system, obtained the Bureau's agreement to prohibit, with effect from 1 November 1988, the export of untagged vegetable consignments to Hong Kong. This measure applies to all vegetable consignments exported to Hong Kong through Shenzhen, including those produced in other parts of China outside Shenzhen.
The Government will continue to review control strategies, in co-operation with the Shenzhen authorities, in order to reduce the risk of further outbreaks.'
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, apart from the measures introduced by the Municipal Services Branch and the Government, what measures have the USD and the Council taken to protect the health of the
citizens?
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, although it is the responsibility of the MSB for control of the import of food, the USD has done a lot. For example, through the mass media, we have warned the general public not to buy vegetables from illegal and unlicensed hawkers since the source of vegetables they sold are not able to be traced. We have also sent staff to take some samples of the vegetables from the vegetables wholesale market for testing and we also informed the general public to cook vegetables thoroughly.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the vegetables containing methamidophos are imported from China. Such incidents occurred several times before, and will the Council liaise with the MSB and through diplomatic channels to arrive at some effective measures with the Chinese authorities to impose stricter control on the import of food from China, especially vegetables? Secondly, can we through the diplomatic channels, give the opinion to the Chinese Government to prohibit the use of methamidophos as a pesticide? It is because such incidents apart from affecting our health, also impaired our confidence. The Chinese Government should make some concrete reviews and improvements to the management so that sufficient safety measures can be introduced to protect our health. Can the Council take concrete steps in this regard?
CHAIRMAN (in English): Could I just make an appeal to members that supplementary questions should be to the point, short and be directed to the original question.
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese): Mr. CHAN'S question is a good one. As I said clearly in my reply, before November, the MSB has already liaised
measures.
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with the Shenzhen authorities and held various meetings. It was subsequently decided that with effect from November, all vegetables passing through Shen- zhen to Hong Kong will be tagged. Since November no such situation has occurred and the Chinese Government is determined to impose the above Vegetables from other parts of China exported to Hong Kong will also be tagged, otherwise they will be returned. So it appears to me that the Chinese Government is very determined and sincere to improve the situation. It is an unfortunate event. There was a typhoon in November and there was an early harvest and the residue of pesticide still remained in the vegetables. Since November, the MSB and the Department have been in close liaison with the Shenzhen authorities to take steps to improve the situation.
MR. WALTER SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this problem goes a bit further and concerns not just vegetables such things as antibiotics in chicken and meat. Since it is our responsibility to look after the hygiene and markets, what we are going to do about actually testing in situ?
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):--We will send staff to take samples to carry out testing. I will bring the question back to the Food Hygiene Select Committee for detailed discussion.
4.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):-To what extent are additional Newspaper stall licenses being issued to meet the needs of residents in the ten urban District Board districts?
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the question asks to what extent additional newspaper stall licences are being issued to meet the needs of residents in the ten urban District Board districts.
Since the endorsement by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee of the Report and Recommendations of the Working Party on Hawker and Related Policies in October 1987, the Council has started to license all those newspaper hawkers who were surveyed and registered in 1985 and are now still occupying and trading on sites which are suitable for licensing.
The Council is prepared to issue as many newspaper hawker licences as possible provided that sufficient licensable sites which are suitable, viable and publicly acceptable can be found. A licence is issued where the identified site does not meet objections from other concerned parties such as Transport Department, Fire Services Department, Highways Departments, Royal Hong Kong Police Force, CNTA and shop owners located behind the stall.
So far 252 surveyed hawkers have been invited to apply for licences and 225 hawkers have responded to our invitation and applied. Up to now 157 new newspaper hawker licences have been issued. The rest have either not complied with the licensing requirements or have withdrawn their applications.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.