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MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council and the Select Committee should be proud of the lead that it has been taking and what it is doing to promote the traditional handicrafts in Hong Kong. Can I have an assurance from Mr. FAN that the suggestion in this question will be actively followed up by the Select Committee and by the Department?
MR. JOHN K. P. FAN (in English): I think the answer is yes, Sir.
8. DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU asked the following question (in English):--Since it is market policy to provide as many entrances as possible to market buildings, may I ask:
(a) whether it is feasible to improve the viability of the Ngau Tau Kok Market by providing entrances at the unviable western side of the market?
(b) why the Department is planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side, at the risk of driving market stall holders on to the streets?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the first question concerns the feasibility of improving the viability of Ngau Tau Kok Market by providing entrances at the western side of the market.
There are four main entrances to the Ngau Tau Kok Market: two each at Ngau Tau Kok Road and On Wah Street. Of these four entrances, two are situated near the western portion of the market. The two-storey market has a total of 350 stalls, of which 317 or 90.5% are occupied. As for the western side of the market on the ground floor, there are a total of 108 mini stalls, of which 106 or 98% are occupied. Judging from this occupancy rate, it can hardly be said that the western side of the market is unviable. In 1985 the Department proposed that an additional entrance on the western side of the market be provided, but the Government Maintenance Surveyor's advice was that this was not possible for technical and structural reasons. However, the Department is prepared to approach the Architectural Services Department again for a further investigation.
The second question asks why the department is planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side at the risk of driving market stall holders onto the streets.
The department is not planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side of the market. The fact is that some stall holders on the ground floor of the western side of the market have been using the common passageway along the edge of the market to display their goods for sale along the gap on the external wall facing Ngau Tau Kok Road to passers-by outside the market. This causes obstruction to pedestrian traffic and forces some pedestrians out of the pavement. It also creates unfair competition for other stall holders in the market. Despite repeated enforcement action by the Department's staff, the situation of unauthorized trading activities along the edges of the market on the ground floor remains. The Department, after consultation with the Architectural Services Department, has decided to erect grill blocks to a height of 0.88 m on the external wall of the market. The honey-comb pattern of the grill blocks will ensure that the natural light and ventilation of the market will not be affected. It is understandable that the stall holders whose illegal activities would be curtailed by the erection of these grill blocks would raise objections. But in fact, this should improve the external appearance of the market without affecting the see-through effect, and should enhance rather than diminish the viability of the market. The erection of the grill blocks will cost $23,200.
The Department's staff have held five meetings with stall holders since March. Some of the stall holders have put up a protest, no doubt, and construction work has been delayed. Arrangements have now been made for the construction work to take place on 15 November 1989, and it will last for two weeks. The stall holders concerned will be notified.
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I find this reply quite contradictory. If the stall holders are trading through gaps onto the streets and they are objecting to closure of the gaps, doesn't that indicate their stalls are at present not occupied because they are unviable. As I observed myself when I visited the market a year ago, other entrances are required. Could the matter be referred to tomorrow's Markets and Street Traders Select Committee meeting? And could action tomorrow be delayed until after the meeting because the stall holders have requested to delay at least till the Chinese New Year.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):--Mr. Chairman, the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will be meeting tomorrow morning and this matter could be raised by Dr. Tu under any other business tomorrow. I gather that the Department would like to take a firm stand on this issue. The Department's staff will naturally continue their dialogue with the stall lessees to clear their misunderstanding and as was mentioned in my reply, it is those stall holders who have been displaying their goods unauthorizedly who seemed to be voicing most of the objections. I also gather that a meeting was held on 9 November 1989 with the stall lessees in the presence of Councillor, Mr. Lam Chak-piu, the Vice-Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, Mr. SETO Chak, a District Board Member of the Kwun Tong District Board and Mr. WAT Chiu, Chairman of the Hawkers Association were also present. But as I mentioned a while ago, we should be glad to have it discussed at tomorrow's meeting.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, when the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee mentions occupancy of 90.5% and 98%, does that include stalls that are used only for storage purposes?
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Page 87 of 166
Page 86 of 166
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council and the Select Committee should be proud of the lead that it has been taking and what it is doing to promote the traditional handicrafts in Hong Kong. Can I have an assurance from Mr. FAN that the suggestion in this question will be actively followed up by the Select Committee and by the Department?
MR. JOHN K. P. FAN (in English): I think the answer is yes, Sir.
8. DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU asked the following question (in English):--Since it is market policy to provide as many entrances as possible to market buildings,
may I ask:
(a) whether it is feasible to improve the viability of the Ngau Tau Kok Market by
providing entrances at the unviable western side of the market?
(b) why the Department is planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side, at the risk of driving market stall holders
on to the streets?
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the first question concerns the feasibility of improving the viability of Ngau Tau Kok Market by providing entrances at the western side of the market.
There are four main entrances to the Ngau Tau Kok Market: two each at Ngau Tau Kok Road and On Wah Street. Of these four entrances, two are situated near the western portion of the market. The two-storey market has a total of 350 stalls, of which 317 or 90.5% are occupied. As for the western side of the market on the ground floor, there are a total of 108 mini stalls, of which 106 or 98% are occupied. Judging from this occupancy rate, it can hardly be said that the western side of the market is unviable. In 1985 the Department proposed that an additional entrance on the western side of the market be provided, but the Government Maintenance Surveyor's advice was that this was not possible for technical and structural reasons. However, the Department is prepared to approach the Architectural Services Department again for a further investigation.
The second question asks why the department is planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side at the risk of driving market stall holders onto the streets.
The department is not planning to reduce the viability of some stalls by further enclosing the western side of the market. The fact is that some stall holders on the ground floor of the western side of the market have been using the common passageway along the edge of the market to display their goods for sale along the gap on the external wall facing Ngau Tau Kok Road to passers-by outside the market. This causes obstruction to pedestrian traffic and forces some pedestrians out of the pavement. It also creates unfair competition for other stall holders in the market. Despite repeated enforcement action by
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the Department's staff, the situation of unauthorized trading activities along the edges of the market on the ground floor remains. The Department, after consultation with the Architectural Services Department, has decided to erect grill blocks to a height of 0.88 m on the external wall of the market. The honey- comb pattern of the grill blocks will ensure that the natural light and ventilation of the market will not be affected. It is understandable that the stall holders whose illegal activities would be curtailed by the erection of these grill blocks would raise objections. But in fact, this should improve the external appearance of the market without affecting the see-through effect, and should enhance rather than diminish the viability of the market. The erection of the grill blocks will cost $23,200.
The Department's staff have held five meetings with stall holders since March. Some of the stall holders have put up a protest, no doubt, and construction work has been delayed. Arrangements have now been made for the construction work to take place on 15 November 1989, and it will last for two weeks. The stall holders concerned will be notified.
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I find this reply quite contradictory. If the stall holders are trading through gaps onto the streets and they are objecting to closure of the gaps, doesn't that indicate their stalls are at present not occupied because they are unviable. As I observed myself when I visited the market a year ago, other entrances are required. Could the matter be referred to tomorrow's Markets and Street Traders Select Committee meeting? And could action tomorrow be delayed until after the meeting because the stall holders have requested to delay at least till the Chinese New Year.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):--Mr. Chairman, the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will be meeting tomorrow morning and this matter could be raised by Dr. Tu under any other business tomorrow. I gather that the Department would like to take a firm stand on this issue. The Department's staff will naturally continue their dialogue with the stall lessees to clear their misunderstanding and as was mentioned in my reply, it is those stall holders who have been displaying their goods unauthorizedly who seemed to be voicing most of the objections. I also gather that a meeting was held on 9 November 1989 with the stall lessees in the presence of Councillor, Mr. Lam Chak-piu, the Vice-Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, Mr. SETO Chak, a District Board Member of the Kwun Tong District Board and Mr. WAT Chiu, Chairman of the Hawkers Association were also present. But as I mentioned a while ago, we should be glad to have it discussed at tomorrow's meeting.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, when the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee mentions occupancy of 90.5% and 98%, does that include stalls that are used only for storage purposes?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.