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170
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN (in English):-This comes to the second day of our Annual Conventional Debate and I will call on the speakers one by one according to the turn they have registered with me. The first one is Miss Christine TING.
MISS CHRISTINA TING YUK-CHEE (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in the 1993 Annual Debate, I sincerely called upon the Chinese and British Governments to keep in mind the long term interest of HK people, and the prosperity and stability of the territory and resolve their differences through negotiations so as to pave the way for the change of sovereignty. Regrettably, no consensus about Hong Kong's political developments has been reached after a whole year of talks. Not only that, representatives of both sides frequently make accusations against each other and wage a war of words. The situation is indeed worrying. As the Chinese saying goes, 'All things flourish in a harmonious home'. I hope that we can enjoy stability and prosperity in our home-Hong Kong-both before and after 1997, and that the concept of 'one country, two systems' and 'no change for 50 years' can materialize in Hong Kong. I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Chinese and British Governments once again to try their best to lay aside their prejudices and work towards maintaining the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. In doing so, they would benefit all people of this territory.
Unperturbed by the Sino-British political row, the Urban Council has been working quietly in the past year to provide more cultural, recreational and sports facilities for the people of Hong Kong. At the same time, improvements have been made to existing services. The aim is to enable all members of the public to relax themselves with the help of our facilities, such as the City Hall which has nearly reached the final stage of an over $70m renovation programme, and the recently commissioned Chai Wan Park and Quarry Bay Park which cost over 100m. Indeed the Council's sizable commitment towards capital works is commendable.
Mr. Chairman, as representative of the Eastern District Board, I would like to raise some issues concerning Urban Services in the District, in the hope that the Department will take appropriate actions.
(1) Hawkers and Markets
In March 1993, the Urban Council announced its decision to eliminate all Itinerant Hawker Licences by 1 April 1996. I strongly support this resolute measure as it will greatly improve the looks and environmental hygiene of our city. Having said that, I hope the Council can make arrangements for those who need to keep on hawking to continue their business in vacant and viable fixed pitches or market stalls. At present there are quite a number of non-viable fixed pitches or market stalls regarded by hawkers as 'dead stalls' and have thus been left vacant for a long period. The Department should take effective measures to improve the viability of such vacant stalls in order to attract those itinerant hawkers displaced by our IHL elimination policy. As things now stand, the Department has enormous difficulties in identifying new viable on-street sites. If no proper arrangements are made to resite the IHL holders, implementation of the policy will be adversely affected. Unlicensed hawkers pose another problem to the Council and many government departments. I welcome the creation of the Hawker Control Officer grade, a grade dedicated to the management and control of hawkers. I hope a sufficient number of officers can be recruited and adequate resources allocated so that they can effectively carry out enforcement duties according to the needs of each district. Take Eastern District as an example, there are, at present, only 11 GDT squads, which are definitely not enough to tackle the serious hawker problem in the District. Moreover, the existing establishment of the General Duties Team is inadequate to meet the needs arising from new housing estates and markets. Regarding markets, the UC Java Road and Electric Road Complexes have indeed provided an ideal shopping place for local residents and rectified the chaotic situation caused by on-street hawkers in the vicinity. However, the Department has not done enough to protect these markets. Unlicensed hawking near the markets poses a threat to the business to market stall operators, forcing some of them to trade on street, thus increasing the work pressure of the Department in the area of hawker control. At the same time, it also gives rise to complaints of lack of viability and drop of usage rate from the market stall operators. Therefore, I hope that with the new grade, we will give an entirely different picture in the work of hawker control. With the transformation of the population structure and improvement of standard of living, the Council should review the demand for market facilities and make appropriate adjustments in terms of quality and quantity. I hope that the redevelopment of Causeway Bay Market, and the construction of Chai Wan UC Complex and the proposed new Shau Kei Wan Market will be completed at an early date. Also, I am pleased to see that the installation of an air conditioning system at the cooked food centre in Sai Wan Ho UC Complex has been completed. I hope that such an improvement, i.e. the installation of air conditioning systems, can also be made at the cooked food centre in Java Road UC Complex as well as those in the UC Complexes in other districts.
(2) Food Premises and Health
Food has a direct effect on public health. The Department should strengthen its inspection work to ensure food hygiene and should also hold more health seminars for food premises. With regard to food premises repeatedly contravening relevant regulations, the Department should impose more severe punishment, for example, the extension of suspension period. The present penalty of 2 days' suspension (for new offenders) is inadequate to be an effective deterrent. The Department may, like the Consumer Council, consider publicizing the names and addresses of repeated offenders in order to achieve a deterrent effect. Moreover, the Department should expand its present establishment so that there will be sufficient manpower for food premises inspection to prevent the illegal extension of business which is usually found at night. Sometimes, we hear that people are taken ill after eating imported, pesticide-contaminated vegetables. I hope the Council will strengthen its liaison
Page 84 of 132
E
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
171
Page 84 of 132
Page 84 of 132
170
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN (in English):-This comes to the second day of our Annual Conventional Debate and I will call on the speakers one by one according to the turn they have registered with me. The first one is Miss Christine TING.
MISS CHRISTINA TING YUK-CHEE (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in the 1993 Annual Debate, I sincerely called upon the Chinese and British Governments to keep in mind the long term interest of HK people, and the prosperity and stability of the territory and resolve their differences through negotiations so as to pave the way for the change of sovereignty. Regrettably, no consensus about Hong Kong's political developments has been reached after a whole year of talks. Not only that, representatives of both sides frequently make accusations against each other and wage a war of words. The situation is indeed worrying. As the Chinese saying goes, 'All things flourish in a harmonious home'. I hope that we can enjoy stability and prosperity in our home-Hong Kong-both before and after 1997, and that the concept of 'one country, two systems' and 'no change for 50 years' can materialize in Hong Kong. I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Chinese and British Governments once again to try their best to lay aside their prejudices and work towards maintaining the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. In doing so, they would benefit all people of this territory.
Unperturbed by the Sino-British political row, the Urban Council has been working quietly in the past year to provide more cultural, recreational and sports facilities for the people of Hong Kong. At the same time, improvements have been made to existing services. The aim is to enable all members of the public to relax themselves with the help of our facilities, such as the City Hall which has nearly reached the final stage of an over $70m renovation programme, and the recently commissioned Chai Wan Park and Quarry Bay Park which cost over 100m. Indeed the Council's sizable commitment towards capital works is commendable.
Mr. Chairman, as representative of the Eastern District Board, I would like to raise some issues concerning Urban Services in the District, in the hope that the Department will take appropriate actions.
(1) Hawkers and Markets
In March 1993, the Urban Council announced its decision to eliminate all Itinerant Hawker Licences by 1 April 1996. I strongly support this resolute measure as it will greatly improve the looks and environmental hygiene of our city. Having said that, I hope the Council can make arrangements for those who need to keep on hawking to continue their business in vacant and viable fixed pitches or market stalls. At present there are quite a number of non-viable fixed pitches or market stalls regarded by hawkers as 'dead stalls' and have thus been left vacant for a long period. The Department should take effective measures to improve the viability of such vacant stalls in order to attract those itinerant hawkers displaced by our IHL elimination policy. As things now stand, the Department has enormous difficulties in identifying new viable
Page 84 of 132
E
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
171
on-street sites. If no proper arrangements are made to resite the IHL holders, implementation of the policy will be adversely affected. Unlicensed hawkers pose another problem to the Council and many government departments. I welcome the creation of the Hawker Control Officer grade, a grade dedicated to the management and control of hawkers. I hope a sufficient number of officers can be recruited and adequate resources allocated so that they can effectively carry out enforcement duties according to the needs of each district. Take Eastern District as an example, there are, at present, only 11 GDT squads, which are definitely not enough to tackle the serious hawker problem in the District. Moreover, the existing establishment of the General Duties Team is inadequate to meet the needs arising from new housing estates and markets. Regarding markets, the UC Java Road and Electric Road Complexes have indeed provided an ideal shopping place for local residents and rectified the chaotic situation caused by on-street hawkers in the vicinity. However, the Department has not done enough to protect these markets. Unlicensed hawking near the markets poses a threat to the business to market stall operators, forcing some of them to trade on street, thus increasing the work pressure of the Department in the area of hawker control. At the same time, it also gives rise to complaints of lack of viability and drop of usage rate from the market stall operators. Therefore, I hope that with the new grade, we will give an entirely different picture in the work of hawker control. With the transformation of the population structure and improvement of standard of living, the Council should review the demand for market facilities and make appropriate adjustments in terms of quality and quantity. I hope that the redevelopment of Causeway Bay Market, and the construction of Chai Wan UC Complex and the proposed new Shau Kei Wan Market will be completed at an early date. Also, I am pleased to see that the installation of an air conditioning system at the cooked food centre in Sai Wan Ho UC Complex has been completed. I hope that such an improvement, i.e. the installation of air conditioning systems, can also be made at the cooked food centre in Java Road UC Complex as well as those in the UC Complexes in other districts.
(2) Food Premises and Health
Food has a direct effect on public health. The Department should strengthen its inspection work to ensure food hygiene and should also hold more health seminars for food premises. With regard to food premises repeatedly contravening relevant regulations, the Department should impose more severe punishment, for example, the extension of suspension period. The present penalty of 2 days' suspension (for new offenders) is inadequate to be an effective deterrent. The Department may, like the Consumer Council, consider publicizing the names and addresses of repeated offenders in order to achieve a deterrent effect. Moreover, the Department should expand its present establishment so that there will be sufficient manpower for food premises inspection to prevent the illegal extension of business which is usually found at night. Sometimes, we hear that people are taken ill after eating imported, pesticide-contaminated vegetables. I hope the Council will strengthen its liaison
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