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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
4. MR. YIM KWOK-ON asked the following question (in Cantonese):—The Markets and Street Traders Select Committee of the Council has recently discussed the problem of environmental nuisance caused by unlicensed hawkers. At the meeting, the Department undertook to submit a plan regarding the restructuring of the General Duties Team in order to combat unlicensed hawkers effectively. May I ask: What are the results of the restructuring plan and when will it be implemented?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):--This question chiefly concerns the progress in the implementation of the new grade of the Hawker Control Officer.
The proposal to create a dedicated new grade to replace the existing Supervisory Grades staff to undertake hawker control duties was agreed in principle by the Urban Council and the Regional Council in November 1992. The formal creation of the new grade and posts was approved by the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service, subsequent to that the Legislative Council's Finance Committee approved the funding of those posts in July this year, following which the Administration and Finance Select Committees of the Council approved the creation of the necessary new posts in the Department.
To implement the new grade, the USD and the RSD set up a Joint Task Force headed by a Principal Executive Officer to plan, effect and co-ordinate the necessary arrangements. The tasks now being undertaken include, amongst other things, the setting up of selection and deployment boards, liaison with the staff unions and staff members, appointment arrangements and so on. Existing Supervisory Grades staff of the two Departments (USD and RSD) have already been formally invited to apply to join the new grade.
The exercise involves the filling of up to 2260 Hawker Control Officer posts. Initial selection and appointment exercise among suitable serving Supervisory Grades staff can be completed within about 6 months and the first batch of the new ranks will assume duty by the first half of 1994.
A detailed progress report on the implementation of the new grade is under preparation by the Department for submission to the next meeting of the Working Party to Review Hawker and Related Policies to be held on 30th September. This will provide the opportunity to examine progress in greater detail.
In addition to the current task of achieving implementation of the new grade as quickly as possible, funds will be sought for inclusion in the 1994/95 estimates to provide further resources to strengthen hawker control by creating additional posts for the further restructuring of the GDT teams.
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5.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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93
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM asked the following question (in Cantonese): Over the last few months, I have received submissions from market lessees of Po On Road Market on the following concerns:
(a) the increasing illegal hawking activities surrounding the market particularly with the developing trend of illegal extension of hawking activities on pedestrian pavements attached/detached to the nearby shops; (b) doubts on the viability of the market in view of continual drop in business turnover probably attributably mainly to:
(i) opening of the Lai Wan Market thereby reducing the number of residents of Mei Foo Sun Chuen purchasing in Po On Road Market; (ii) the reduction in population neighbouring the Po On Road Market due to public housing redevelopment;
(iii) extensive illegal hawking activities neighbouring the market creating unfair competition; and
(iv) inadequate commodity mix which creates severe competition among lessees and reduces attractiveness to residents.
I would like to ask what steps have been taken to protect the viability of Po On Road Market and alleviate the concerns of the market lessees?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question concerning Po On Road Market is divided into two parts. The first part refers to illegal hawking activities and shop extensions outside the market.
The area outside Po On Road Market is one of the major hawker blackspots in Sham Shui Po. The Department has consistently spared no effect in keeping the hawker situation in this location under control in line with the overall Departmental strategy which is to give high priority to market protection through the presence of GDT squads. In addition to daily static patrol market protection duties by GDT, regular raiding operations and joint USD/police special operations are also mounted to further deter illegal hawking. Over the past 6 months, 255 arrests of illegal hawkers and 62 seizures of hawking paraphernalia were effected. As regards pavement obstruction caused by extension of business by shop operators, this is primarily a street management problem. In addition to USD, other Government departments including the Police also have certain responsibilities. Concerning USD, regular operations are mounted by staff of the Hygiene Section, Cleansing Section as well as GDT squads. Over the past 6 months, a total of 92 summonses were issued specifically related to shop extensions.
The second part of the question concerns the viability of the Po On Road Market. In this regard, the Department has in hand a number of measures designed to bring about improvement. Firstly, a comprehensive survey has already been conducted. This is in anticipation of the forthcoming major
Page 42 of 132
92
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
4. MR. YIM KWOK-ON asked the following question (in Cantonese):—The Markets and Street Traders Select Committee of the Council has recently discussed the problem of environmental nuisance caused by unlicensed hawkers. At the meeting, the Department undertook to submit a plan regarding the restructuring of the General Duties Team in order to combat unlicensed hawkers effectively. May I ask: What are the results of the restructuring plan and when will it be implemented?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):--This question chiefly concerns the progress in the implementation of the new grade of the Hawker Control Officer.
The proposal to create a dedicated new grade to replace the existing Supervisory Grades staff to undertake hawker control duties was agreed in principle by the Urban Council and the Regional Council in November 1992. The formal creation of the new grade and posts was approved by the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service, subsequent to that the Legislative Council's Finance Committee approved the funding of those posts in July this year, following which the Administration and Finance Select Committees of the Council approved the creation of the necessary new posts in the Department.
To implement the new grade, the USD and the RSD set up a Joint Task Force headed by a Principal Executive Officer to plan, effect and co-ordinate the necessary arrangements. The tasks now being undertaken include, amongst other things, the setting up of selection and deployment boards, liaison with the staff unions and staff members, appointment arrangements and so on. Existing Supervisory Grades staff of the two Departments (USD and RSD) have already been formally invited to apply to join the new grade.
The exercise involves the filling of up to 2 260 Hawker Control Officer posts. Initial selection and appointment exercise among suitable serving Supervisory Grades staff can be completed within about 6 months and the first batch of the new ranks will assume duty by the first half of 1994.
A detailed progress report on the implementation of the new grade is under preparation by the Department for submission to the next meeting of the Working Party to Review Hawker and Related Policies to be held on 30th September. This will provide the opportunity to examine progress in greater detail.
In addition to the current task of achieving implementation of the new grade as quickly as possible, funds will be sought for inclusion in the 1994/95 estimates to provide further resources to strengthen hawker control by creating additional posts for the further restructuring of the GDT teams.
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5.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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93
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM asked the following question (in Cantonese): Over the last few months, I have received submissions from market lessees of Po On Road Market on the following concerns:
(a) the increasing illegal hawking activities surrounding the market particularly with the developing trend of illegal extension of hawking activities on pedestrian pavements attached/detached to the nearby shops; (b) doubts on the viability of the market in view of continual drop in business
turnover probably attributably mainly to:
(i) opening of the Lai Wan Market thereby reducing the number of
residents of Mei Foo Sun Chuen purchasing in Po On Road Market; (ii) the reduction in population neighbouring the Po On Road Market due
to public housing redevelopment;
(iii) extensive illegal hawking activities neighbouring the market creating
unfair competition; and
(iv) inadequate commodity mix which creates severe competition among
lessees and reduces attractiveness to residents.
I would like to ask what steps have been taken to protect the viability of Po On Road Market and alleviate the concerns of the market lessees?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question concerning Po On Road Market is divided into two parts. The first part refers to illegal hawking activities and shop extensions outside the market.
The area outside Po On Road Market is one of the major hawker blackspots in Sham Shui Po. The Department has consistently spared no effect in keeping the hawker situation in this location under control in line with the overall Departmental strategy which is to give high priority to market protection through the presence of GDT squads. In addition to daily static patrol market protection duties by GDT, regular raiding operations and joint USD/police special operations are also mounted to further deter illegal hawking. Over the past 6 months, 255 arrests of illegal hawkers and 62 seizures of hawking paraphernalia were effected. As regards pavement obstruction caused by extension of business by shop operators, this is primarily a street management problem. In addition to USD, other Government departments including the Police also have certain responsibilities. Concerning USD, regular operations are mounted by staff of the Hygiene Section, Cleansing Section as well as GDT squads. Over the past 6 months, a total of 92 summonses were issued specifically related to shop extensions.
The second part of the question concerns the viability of the Po On Road Market. In this regard, the Department has in hand number of measures designed to bring about improvement. Firstly, a comprehensive survey has already been conducted. This is in anticipation of the forthcoming major
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