HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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operations, an average of 3 joint operations per month. That was on a low side. These illegal cooked hawkers have used a lot of kerosene fuel to operate some hot pot food establishments. They put the gases on the pavement and sometimes they even store the gases under the staircases. If it is not handled with care, fire is likely to occur easily with the approach of autumn. My first question: whether the number of the joint operations is on the low side? Secondly, on 6 December, Mr. CHAN Tak-chor paid a site visit to Mong Kok District to have a look on the situation. When he was asked if he was satisfied with the situation on that particular day, his answer was in the negative. I would like to know if he was not satisfied with it, what will he suggest to improve the situation?
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):—I think two questions have been asked by Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming. First, regarding the joint operations conducted with the Police, three times a month are really quite frequent. As we all know that such operations have to be backed up by the Police before they can be successful. Unfortunately, the Police does not always attach a high priority to such operations and also that the Central Government is tightening the belt. We have a zero growth policy and so we are worried that the numbers of joint operation may be reduced. Of course, I don't want to see that happening. As to the second question, it has to do with my visit to Mong Kok a few days ago. I went to Mong Kok District to take a look with Mr. YIM Kwok-on. I admitted that I wasn't very satisfied with the situation on this visit. I have raised this to the Department to see whether we can deal with the situation flexibly within the existing resources.
THE HON. LI WAH-MING (in Cantonese):--I have asked a similar question with regard to the Kwun Tong District and the answer given was more or less the same and I am not very disappointed. Three joint operations a month are actually better than that in Kwun Tong where there is only one joint operation in each month. Prosecutions arising from such joint operations are considered as significant deterrent against offenders. My question is: how are we to define as significant deterrent effect?
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese): I really can't define what is meant by significant deterrent effect because every night after joint operation, the situation has definitely improved significantly. But we can't station the GDTS on the ground to the early morning hours because this is a cat and mouse game. Actually not only in Mong Kok, but also in Ngau Chi Wan, Kwun Tong, and Daimaru, such situations exist. Our representative members are quite responsible as they have similar questions. But given our resources restraints and the zero growth policy and that the re-structure of GDTS is encountering some difficulties, I hope the Select Committee and the Working Party to Review Hawkers and Related Policies will spare a little more time to find out a solution.
MR. SAN STEPHEN WONG (in Cantonese): Actually I have a specific experience on the questions raised by Mr. YIM Kwok-on. Mr. Li Wah-ming has just pointed out that the joint operations taken by the Police have generated more prosecutions
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 101 of 126
181
operations, an average of 3 joint operations per month. That was on a low side. These illegal cooked hawkers have used a lot of kerosene fuel to operate some hot pot food establishments. They put the gases on the pavement and sometimes they even store the gases under the staircases. If it is not handled with care, fire is likely to occur easily with the approach of autumn. My first question: whether the number of the joint operations is on the low side? Secondly, on 6 December, Mr. CHAN Tak-chor paid a site visit to Mong Kok District to have a look on the situation. When he was asked if he was satisfied with the situation on that particular day, his answer was in the negative. I would like to know if he was not satisfied with it, what will he suggest to improve the situation?
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):—I think two questions have been asked by Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming. First, regarding the joint operations conducted with the Police, three times a month are really quite frequent. As we all know that such operations have to be backed up by the Police before they can be successful. Unfortunately, the Police does not always attach a high priority to such operations and also that the Central Government is tightening the belt. We have a zero growth policy and so we are worried that the numbers of joint operation may be reduced. Of course, I don't want to see that happening. As to the second question, it has to do with my visit to Mong Kok a few days ago. I went to Mong Kok District to take a look with Mr. YIM Kwok-on. I admitted that I wasn't very satisfied with the situation on this visit. I have raised this to the Department to see whether we can deal with the situation flexibily within the existing resources.
THE HON. LI WAH-MING (in Cantonese):--I have asked a similar question with regard to the Kwun Tong District and the answer given was more or less the same and I am not very disappointed. Three joint operations a month are actually better than that in Kwun Tong where there is only one joint operation in each month. Prosecutions arising from such joint operations are considered as significant deterrent against offenders. My question is: how are we to define as significant deterrent effect?
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese): I really can't define what is meant by significant deterrent effect because every night after joint operation, the situation has definitely improved significantly. But we can't station the GDTS on the ground to the early morning hours because this is a cat and mouse game. Actually not only in Mong Kok, but also in Ngau Chi Wan, Kwun Tong, and Daimaru, such situations exist. Our representative members are quite responsible as they have similar questions. But given our resources restraints and the zero growth policy and that the re-structure of GDTS is encountering some difficulties, I hope the Select Committee and the Working Party to Review Hawkers and Related Policies will spare a little more time to find out a solution.
MR. SAN STEPHEN WONG (in Cantonese): Actually I have a specific experience on the questions raised by Mr. YIM Kwok-on. Mr. Li Wah-ming has just pointed out that the joint operations taken by the Police have generated more prosecutions
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