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Mr. Chairman, with the above words, I support your motion.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at 2.50 p.m.)
MR. MA LEE-WO (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, when I participated in the Urban Council election held in March last year, I pointed out that 'It is not enough to have municipal facilities alone. Good municipal administration is also required.' I believe that in the 1990's, municipal administration will be an important subject for our Council to pursue. Today I would like to express some views on the administration of public markets provided by our Council for the public.
With the continual development of society and the steady improvement of the standard of living, the public demand for good market management has correspondingly increased. Markets have been set up in various districts by our Council, not only with the aim of reordering on-street licensed hawkers but, more important, to provide adequate facilities for the public to buy daily necessities. Therefore, the last two words of the Chinese term for 'market management' have a two-fold meaning: 'Guan (管)', i.e., control, lays emphasis on the maintenance of order and environmental hygiene in markets while ‘li (理)', i.e., management, is focused on the operation of markets and the extension of market services. I noted that by comparison more emphasis was laid on the former by our Council in the past. In fact, work on the latter is also very important and should not be neglected.
On the question of market management, I would like to mention the following 3 points:
The first one concerns market operation. Members of the public buy things from markets mainly because of convenience. It is convenient to do so because of the following:
(1) Markets are built near residential areas; they are only 10 to 15 minutes' walk from one's dwelling place.
(2) Daily provisions and necessities can be purchased from markets.
(3) The distribution of stalls in markets can facilitate people in choosing the commodities they want to buy.
In view of the above factors, I would like to make the following 2 suggestions:
(1) The varieties of dry goods offered for sale in our markets should be increased. Our present policy on market management is mainly geared to the resiting of on-street hawkers who are selling wet goods. As a result, a limit is imposed on the varieties of dry goods for sale in our markets. Apart from buying wet goods such as vegetables, fish and fruit, people also need to buy dry goods from our markets. Therefore, I suggest that more varieties of dry goods should be allowed to be sold in our markets. A full range of daily necessities should be available in order to meet the needs of customers, which will, in turn, enhance the viability of our markets.
(2) More medium-sized markets (with 300 to 400 stalls) should be set up at the shopping areas of various districts. Though a greater number of stalls can be provided in large markets to accommodate on-street licensed hawkers, these markets may not be popular with the residents and stall-holders. The reason is that in large markets, there is a tendency for stalls to be located far from one another, thus causing inconvenience to customers who want to choose the goods sold by different stalls. Moreover, there is bound to be a greater number of stalls selling the same kind of commodities. As a result, the selling power of these stalls is weakened and the quantity of goods supplied by them may even exceed the demand. Hence, the provision of large markets should not be encouraged. I suggest that the policy adopted by our Council in the provision of markets should be 'setting up medium-sized markets at different spots.'
The second point is the relation between the market management and stall lessees. Previously, street hawkers are licensees who renew their licences every year. After they have moved into the markets, their status changes. They are no longer licensees. Instead, they have become stall lessees who in general make tenancy agreements with the Council for a term of three years. The usual approach we adopt for the management of street hawkers is therefore no longer applicable. In handling this sort of relation which is more or less similar to that between landlord and tenant, it is necessary to strengthen the communication between both parties and step up consultative work. I propose that a 'Consultative Committee on Market Management' comprising USD staff (the Management), representatives of stall holders (Tenants) and elected Urban Councillors of the district to set up within a market to meet regularly so as to give advice on the provision of market facilities, operation and publicity or promotion, with the objective of improving market management and raising the quality of market services through joint efforts.
The third point is the environmental hygiene of markets. The environment within a market is an important factor in deciding whether a market is popular or not. Members of the public are very concerned about the orderly operation and management of the facilities within a market, such as:
1. occupation of public area for trading or storage purposes;
2. narrow and obstructed passageways;
3. dirty escalators;
4. filthy toilets with unpleasant odour;
5. dirty ceiling and partition walls;
6. blocked drainage;
7. inadequate ventilation and stuffiness etc.
All these problems on market management are often the subject of complaints. It is also because of these problems that some residents, particularly the elderly...
Page 134 of 166
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Page 133 of 166
252
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
253
Mr. Chairman, with the above words, I support your motion.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at 2.50 p.m.)
MR. MA LEE-WO (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, when I participated in the Urban Council election held in March last year, I pointed out that 'It is not enough to have municipal facilities alone. Good municipal administration is also required.' I believe that in the 1990's, municipal administration will be an important subject for our Council to pursue. Today I would like to express some views on the administration of public markets provided by our Council for the public.
With the continual development of society and the steady improvement of the standard of living, the public demand for good market management has correspondingly increased. Markets have been set up in various districts by our Council, not only with the aim of reordering on-street licensed hawkers but, more important, to provide adequate facilities for the public to buy daily necessities. Therefore, the last two words of the Chinese term for 'market management' have a two-fold meaning: 'Guan ()', i.e., control, lays emphasis on the maintenance of order and environmental hygiene in markets while ‘li ()', i.e., management, is focused on the operation of markets and the extension of market services. I noted that by comparison more emphasis was laid on the former by our Council in the past. In fact, work on the latter is also very important and should not be neglected.
On the question of market management, I would like to mention the following 3 points:
The first one concerns market operation. Members of the public buy things from markets mainly because of convenience. It is convenient to do so because of the following:
(1) Markets are built near residential areas; they are only 10 to 15 minutes'
walk from one's dwelling place.
(2) Daily provisions and necessities can be purchased from markets. (3) The distribution of stalls in markets can facilitate people in choosing the
commodities they want to buy.
In view of the above factors, I would like to make the following 2 suggestions:
(1) The varieties of dry goods offered for sale in our markets should be increased. Our present policy on market management is mainly geared to the resiting of on-street hawkers who are selling wet goods. As a result, a limit is imposed on the varieties of dry goods for sale in our markets. Apart from buying wet goods such as vegetables, fish and fruit, people also need to buy dry goods from our markets. Therefore, I suggest that more varieties of dry goods should be allowed to be sold in our markets. A full range of daily necessities should be available in
order to meet the needs of customers, which will, in turn, enhance the viability of our markets.
(2) More medium-sized markets (with 300 to 400 stalls) should be set up at the shopping areas of various districts. Though a greater number of stalls can be provided in large markets to accommodate on-street licensed hawkers, these markets may not be popular with the residents and stall-holders. The reason is that in large markets, there is a tendency for stalls to be located far from one another, thus causing inconvenience to customers who want to choose the goods sold by different stalls. Moreover, there is bound to be a greater number of stalls selling the same kind of commodities. As a result, the selling power of these stalls is weakened and the quantity of goods supplied by them may even exceed the demand. Hence, the provision of large markets should not be encouraged. I suggest that the policy adopted by our Council in the provision of markets should be 'setting up medium-sized markets at different spots.'
year.
The second point is the relation between the market management and stall lessees. Previously, street hawkers are licensees who renew their licences every After they have moved into the markets, their status changes. They are no longer licensees. Instead, they have become stall lessees who in general make tenancy agreements with the Council for a term of three years. The usual approach we adopt for the management of street hawkers is therefore no longer applicable. In handling this sort of relation which is more or less similar to that between landlord and tenant, it is necessary to strengthen the communication between both parties and step up consultative work. I propose that a 'Consultative Committee on Market Management' comprising USD staff (the Management), representatives of stall holders (Tenants) and elected Urban Councillors of the district to set up within a market to meet regularly so as to give advice on the provision of market facilities, operation and publicity or promotion, with the objective of improving market management and raising the quality of market services through joint efforts.
The third point is the environmental hygiene of markets. The environment within a market is an important factor in deciding whether a market is popular or not. Members of the public are very concerned about the orderly operation and management of the facilities within a market, such as:
occupation of public area for trading or storage purposes;
1.
2.
narrow and obstructed passageways;
3.
dirty escalators;
4.
filthy toilets with unpleasant odour;
5.
dirty ceiling and partition walls;
6.
blocked drainage;
7.
inadequate ventilation and stuffiness etc.
All these problems on market management are often the subject of complaints. It is also because of these problems that some residents, particularly the elderly
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