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It is also the case that this method of promotion is increasingly being utilized and a problem is developing.
To bring the situation under control and to encourage self-discipline the Department has adopted the following measures:
(a) The Building and Lands Department has been requested to make clear to all applicants their responsibility for removing all posters, banners, etc. immediately after the activities in question and the condition attached to the permission should be strictly adhered to;
(b) As the majority of district functions, activities and campaigns involve CNTA at the district level either directly or indirectly, District Officers should advise activity organisers and candidates running for election of the requirements of the law and the need to take follow-up action to remove all promotional materials in the street after the event. In respect of the 1991 elections, the Department has been in discussion with Government concerning this issue;
(c) Cleansing staff of the department are given explicit instructions to take appropriate action on publicity materials put up for various purposes. All outdated, dilapidated and unauthorised banners, posters, boards, etc. will be removed upon discovery; and
(d) Special operations will also be mounted to clear the street of posters, banners and other publicity materials soon after any major campaigns or political rallies.
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question. I am very happy to hear that the Urban Services Department has taken special measures to cope with the problem. However, my question asks about outdated posters which are not connected with elections. I am very familiar with election publicity materials, which have to be removed as quickly as possible. What I'm referring to is other publicity materials. I do agree that publicity needs to be done for certain things, but very often these organizations who put up posters or banners have not got the permission to do so. Since we are responsible for the amenity, what directive should we give to our staff to handle these outdated posters? Should we clear them away after a week or should we leave them there for months? Can the Select Committee consider giving more specific instructions to our staff in removing these posters?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned in the reply, it is very clear that 7 days would be the deadline for removal. In the case of publicity material which has a date, if the function has been completed, this will be considered as outdated. It is a routine practice of the Department and our cleansing staff to remove all outdated posters and banners. In actual fact, in some early occasions we discussed the posters problems, especially in front of the banks during the weekends. This will constitute an offence to put up a poster without the written permission of the owners concerned.
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DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the Chairman of this Select Committee has noticed that right down the railings of Nathan Road from Tsim Sha Tsui to Sham Shui Po, there are posters for a ward office for certain District Board Members and also Legislative Councillors. These have been there for years. I am sure they are totally illegal because I was not allowed to put even one for my ward office. Is there any action going to be taken against that?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as I said, this involves politics and the election is the thing we are in favour of, and any intervention from this Council would not be a wise move unless we are in co-operation with other Government Departments. Our Council acting alone would offend a lot of potential and capable politicians. In this regard, as I mentioned, the railing along Nathan Road is a Crown Land and the approving authority will be the Buildings and Lands Department and not the Urban Council. As I said, all these posters and banners related to political groups electioneering should be handled with flexibility, discretion and common sense.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, would the Council seek advice from the legal adviser of the Department who happens to be a member of the Attorney General Chamber and would definitely take more instruction or advice from upstairs. This matter can be solved, so that Urban Councillors would not be allowed alone to put up any signboards because they observe the law, while others are exempted from observing the law?
CHAIRMAN (in English):—This is part of the answer to the question, I take it, isn't it?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, no. The question is whether the Chairman is willing to ask the legal adviser for advice on this topic.
CHAIRMAN (in English): With you around, Peter, it should be unnecessary.
7. MR. JOHN WU MAN-KEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):—The records of the past six months reveal that the rates of use of Happy Valley Hockey Pitch and King's Park Hockey Pitch were relatively low:
The use percentage of hockey pitches from April 1990 to September 1990:
Month Happy Valley King's Park April 39.20 47.45 May 36.82 20.14 June 36.19 27.19 July 29.27 31.43 August 37.33 33.18 September 43.13 28.57Page 68 of 95
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It is also the case that this method of promotion is increasingly being utilized and a problem is developing.
To bring the situation under control and to encourage self-discipline the Department has adopted the following measures:
(a) The Building and Lands Department has been requested to make clear to all applicants their responsibility for removing all posters, banners, etc. immediately after the activities in question that and the condition attached to the permission should be strictly adhered to;
(b) As the majority of district functions activities and campaigns involve CNTA at the district level either directly or indirectly District Officers should advise activity organisers and candidates running for election of the requirements of the law and the need to take follow up action to remove all promotional materials in the street after the event. In respect of the 1991 elections the Department has been in discussion with Government concerning this issue;
(c) Cleansing staff of the department are given explicit instructions to take appropriate action on publicity materials put up for various purposes. All outdated, dilapidated and unauthorised banners, posters boards etc. will be removed upon discovery; and
(d) Special operations will also be mounted to clear the street of posters, banners and other publicity materials soon after any major campaigns or political rallies.
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question. I am very happy to hear that the Urban Services Department has taken special measures to cope with the problem. However, my question asks about outdated posters which are not connected with elections. I am very familiar with election publicity materials, which have to be removed as quickly as possible. What I'm referring to is other publicity materials. I do agree that publicity needs to be done for certain things, but very often these organizations who put up posters or banners have not got the permission to do so. Since we are responsible for the amenity, what directive should we give to our staff to handle these outdated posters? Should we clear them away after a week or should leave them there for months? Can the Select Committee consider giving more specific instructions to our staff in removing these posters?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned in the reply, it is very clear that 7 days would be the deadline for removal. In the case of publicity material which has a date, if the function has been completed, this will be considered as outdated. It is a routine practice of the Department and our cleansing staff to remove all outdated posters and banners. In actual fact, in some early occasions we discussed the posters problems, especially in front of the banks during the weekends. This will constitute an offence to put up a poster without the written permission of the owners' concerned.
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129
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the Chairman of this Select Committee has noticed that right down the railings of Nathan Road from Tsim Sha Tsui to Sham Shui Po, there are posters for a ward office for certain District Board Members and also Legislative Councillors. These have been there for years. I am sure they are totally illegal because I was not allowed to put even one for my ward office. Is there any action going to be taken against that?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as I said this involves politics and the election is the thing we are in favour of and any intervention from this Council would not be a wise move unless we are in co-operation with other Government Departments. Our Council acting alone would offend a lot of potential and capable politicians. In this regard, as I mentioned, the railing along Nathan Road is a Crown Land and the approving authority will be the Buildings and Lands Department and not the Urban Council. As I said, all these posters and banners related to political groups electioneering should be handled with flexibility, discretion and common sense.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, would the Council seek advice from the legal adviser of the Department who happens to be a member of the Attorney General Chamber and would definitely take more instruction or advice from upstairs. This matter can be solved, so that Urban Councillors would not be allowed alone to put up any signboards because they observe the law, while others are exempted from observing the law?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-This is part of the answer to the question, I take it, isn't it?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, no. The question is whether the Chairman is willing to ask the legal adviser for advice on this topic.
CHAIRMAN (in English): With you around Peter, it should be unnecessary.
7. MR. JOHN WU MAN-KEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):- The records of the past six months reveal that the rates of use of Happy Valley Hockey Pitch and King's Park Hockey Pitch were relatively low:
The use percentage of hockey pitches from April 1990 to September 1990:
Happy Valley 39.20
Month
April May
King's Park
47.45
36.82
36.19
20.14
27.19
July
29.27
31.43
August
37.33
33.18
September
43.13
28.57
June
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