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Secondly, whilst the Urban Services Department, like other government departments, has to face the constraints which ‘zero growth' imposes on its manpower establishment, there is nevertheless some flexibility within these constraints for limited additional resources to be provided. With a pragmatic combination of some degree of re-deployment, some new posts, sustained efforts to enhance efficiency, coupled with an appropriate regard for relative priorities, the Department is reasonably confident, at least at this stage, that it can meet all foreseeable additional commitments over the next few years.
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I have three supplementary questions. The first one is that it is very encouraging to see that the Council and the Department has recognized a very large hawking population in Sham Shui Po. The question is: would it be right to say that, comparing on district to district basis, Sham Shui Po actually has the largest hawking population in the whole of Hong Kong comprising probably about 3000 hawkers of which about 1300 are unlicensed and about 1700 are licensed hawkers. That's the first question. Would the Chairman of the MST S/C please confirm whether that is correct? The second question relates to a comprehensive reordering scheme and resiting scheme. Exactly what is the arrangement for such reordering scheme and whether such scheme would include dry goods hawkers in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street. The third question relates to re-deployment of GDT squads and resources. Exactly what is the plan for such re-deployment and from where such re-deployment will come from? Whether that is within the district or from without the district? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):-Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. CHEUNG has asked three questions. For question No. 1, Sham Shui Po is a district in the urban area where we have the largest number of hawkers. It has the second highest number of licensed hawkers and then has the greatest number of unlicensed hawkers. Sham Shui Po scores the first one. Out of the total number of 10,000 in the urban area, Sham Shui Po has 3000 hawkers. Concerning the reordering exercises, Mr. CHEUNG asks whether the dry goods hawkers will be affected by the scheme. The answer is in the affirmative. It is because in our comprehensive solution to the hawker problem in Sham Shui Po, first of all we have to resite the wet goods hawkers temporarily to the Nam Cheong Street and Tung Chau Street temporary markets. Regarding dry goods hawkers, they will be reordered on street. Concerning many hawking problems in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street, after we have drawn up a comprehensive plan with other Government departments, USD will inform the Sham Shui Po District Board as to whether hawkers in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street will be involved as well. Concerning the third question, in 1992 the re-deployment of GDT staff as well as other resources will come from two areas. I think councillors should remember that in 1988 when the Po On Road Market was opened in Sham Shui Po, 4 GDT squads were deployed to protect the Po On Road Market. At present, the hawker problem in the vicinity of the market is under control. We believe that in 1992 when the three markets are commissioned, the duties of the GDTs in Sham Shui Po will be restructured and the GDTs from the Po On Road Market will be re-deployed to control the hawking problem in the vicinity of the three markets. In addition, in the Kowloon Region, there are special GDT squads for the department to deploy to protect the three markets.
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commissioned, the duties of the GDTs in Sham Shui Po will be restructured and the GDTs from the Po On Road Market will be re-deployed to control the hawking problem in the vicinity of the three markets. In addition, in the Kowloon Region, there are special GDT squads for the department to deploy to protect the three markets.
12. MR. WONG SHUI-LAI asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Roast pig factories in the urban area particularly on the ground floor such as those 2 at Shan Wan (Sai Street and Hollywood Road) have created a lot of nuisance and environmental disturbance etc. to the upper floors, nearby residents as well as passers-by for many years. Even though the factories have done some improvement trying to reduce the nuisance after bitter complaints from the nearby public from time to time, it does not show any significant improvement at all.
I would like to know:
(a) Does the Council have any intention not to renew roast pig factories in the residential area by giving say half or one year notice to the factories operators to relocate to food factories or places where the operation would cause no more nuisance to the residents? If yes, when will this plan policy be implemented?
(b) When will the one at Sai Street be relocated within the possible shortest time limit? If not, please explain in full detail why not.
MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This two-part question concerns licensed pig roasting factories in residential area. The first part concerns Council policy on renewal of licences of such factories.
There is presently no intention to stop renewing licences of such pig roasting factories. The Public Health Select Committee respectively approved on 2 December 1989 and 7 March 1990 the establishment of a licence renewal review system for food business licences to deal with special cases. The following criteria was adopted for determining whether a review should be conducted before the renewal of a food business licence:
(a) The premises or the business by its nature of operation has resulted in widespread public concern, including concern of:
(i) a perceived fire hazard;
(ii) a perceived public health risk;
(iii) a nuisance; or
(iv) a perceived source of environmental pollution.
(b) The licence of the business operation was issued many years ago and the licensing requirements and conditions have not been modified, although the form of operation is no longer compatible with present standards and rules, or with the general development of the area within which the business operates.
(c) The business has significantly altered its method of operation or layout and has not taken adequate steps to comply with legal requirements, including licensing requirements/conditions.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Secondly, whilst the Urban Services Department, like other government departments, has to face the constraints which ‘zero growth' imposes on its manpower establishment, there is nevertheless some flexibility within these constraints for limited additional resources to be provided. With a pragmatic combination of some degree of re-deployment, some new posts, sustained efforts to enhance efficiency, coupled with an appropriate regard for relative priorities, the Department is reasonably confident, at least at this stage, that it can meet all foreseeable additional commitments over the next few years.
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I have three supplementary questions. The first one is that it is very encouraging to see that the Council and the Department has recognized a very large hawking population in Sham Shui Po. The question is: would it be right to say that, comparing on district to district basis, Shum Shui Po actually has the largest hawking population in the whole of Hong Kong comprising probably about 3 000 hawkers of which about 1300 are unlicensed and about 1700 are licensed hawkers. That's the first question. Would the Chairman of the MST S/C please confirm whether that is correct? The second question relates to a comprehensive reordering scheme and resiting scheme. Exactly what is the arrangement for such reordering scheme and whether such scheme would include dry goods hawkers in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street. The third question relates to re-deployment of GDT squads and resources. Exactly what is the plan for such re-deployment and from where such re- deployment will come from? Whether that is within the district or from without the district? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):-Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. CHEUNG has asked three questions. For question No. 1, Sham Shui Po is a district in the urban area where we have the largest number of hawkers. It has the second highest number of licensed hawkers and then has the greatest number of unlicensed hawkers. Sham Shui Po scores the first one. Out of the total number of 10 000 in the urban area, Sham Shui Po has 3 000 hawkers. Concerning the reordering exercises, Mr. CHEUNG asks whether the dry goods hawkers will be affected by the scheme. The answer is in the affirmative. It is because in our comprehensive solution to the hawker problem in Sham Shui Po, first of all we have to resite the wet goods hawkers temporarily to the Nam Cheong Street and Tung Chau Street temporary markets. Regarding dry goods hawkers, they will be reordered on street. Concerning many hawking problems in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street, after we have drawn up a comprehensive plan with other Government departments, USD will inform the Sham Shui Po District Board as to whether hawkers in Pei Ho Street and Apliu Street will be involved as well. Concerning the third question, in 1992 the re-deployment of GDT staff as well as other resources will come from two areas. I think councillors should remember that in 1988 when the Po On Road Market was opened in Sham Shui Po, 4 GDT squads were deployed to protect the Po On Road Market. At present, the hawker problem in the vicinity of the market is under control. We believe that in 1992 when the three markets are
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commissioned, the duties of the GDTs in Sham Shui Po will be restructured and the GDTs from the Po On Road Market will be re-deployed to control the hawking problem in the vicinity of the three markets. In addition, in the Kowloon Region, there are special GDT squads for the department to deploy to protect the three markets.
12. MR. WONG SHUI-LAI asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Roast pig factories in the urban area particularly on the ground floor such as those 2 at Shan Wan (Sai Street and Hollywood Road) have created a lot of nuisance and environmental disturbance etc. to the upper floors, nearby residents as well as passers-by for many years. Eventhough the factories have done some improvement trying to reduce the nuisance after bitter complaints from the nearby public from time to time, it does not show any significant improvement at all.
I would like to know:
(a) Does the Council have any intention not to renew roast pig factories in the residential area by giving say half or one year notice to the factories operators to relocate to food factories or places where the operation would cause no more nuisance to the residents? If yes, when will this plan policy be implemented?
(b) When will the one at Sai Street be relocated within the possible shortest time
limit? If not, please explain in full detail why not.
MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This two-part question concerns licensed pig roasting factories in residential area. The first part concerns Council policy on renewal of licences of such factories.
There is presently no intention to stop renewing licences of such pig roasting factories. The Public Health Select Committee respectively approved on 2 December 1989 and 7 March 1990 the establishment of a licence renewal review system for food business licences to deal with special cases. The following criteria was adopted for determining whether a review should be conducted before the renewal of a food business licence:
(a) The premises or the business by its nature of operation has resulted in
widespread public concern, including concern of:
(i) a perceived fire hazard;
(ii) a perceived public health resk;
(iii) a nuisance; or
(iv) a perceived source of environmental pollution.
(b) The licence of the business operation was issued many years ago and the licensing requirements and conditions have not been modified, although the form of operation is no longer compatible with present standards and rules, or with the general development of the area within which the business operates.
(c) The business has significantly altered its method of operation or layout and has not taken adequate steps to comply with legal requirements, including licensing requirements/conditions.
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