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by even annual increases. This is the answer to the first part of the question. Secondly, as to whether there may be a reduction in rent, up to now, we have not had such a policy on reduction in existing rental. However, as indicated in paragraph 4 of my main reply, we will be looking at our existing policy at the Market Sub-committee of the MST Select Committee.
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):-When a new market is commissioned, hawkers will have to tender for stalls. Sometimes, the premium is quite high. Usually three years later, the R&VD will re-assess the rental. If the original tender price is too high, will this factor be taken into consideration when the rental is reassessed by the Rating and Valuation Department?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As to how the R&VD does its re-assessment, a reply maybe forthcoming at the Market Sub-committee meeting and I am sure Mr. CHAN will be able to get the information there. As mentioned in my reply to Mr. Fred Li's question, there will be a review of the existing policy at the Market Sub-committee.
(7) Ms. ANNA TANG
ANNA TANG KING-YUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese): Summer has come and food hygiene is the concern of the general public in their daily life. According to statistics, there is a trend of increase in the number of cholera cases. How does the Council, as the authority on hygiene problems, educate the public on the choice of hygienic food for the prevention of cholera?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-I would like to thank Ms. TANG for her question which is a very timely one. I am sure she will get an answer.
There is an old saying that disease comes from taking food. People contract cholera by eating food or drinking water contaminated by bacteria called 'Vibrio cholerae'. The key points to remember in the prevention of cholera are:
- thoroughly cook your food especially shellfish and leafy vegetables;
- ensure proper handling of food, for example, washing your hands before food preparation and after using the toilet;
- clean your cooking utensils thoroughly before and after food preparation;
- protect your food against contamination and keep it covered to avoid pests such as flies;
- keep your refuse and food waste under hygienic cover to prevent pest infestation;
- and some colleagues have said that after using toilets, you have to wash your hands, that is of course true;
- finally don't buy and eat food from illegal cooked food hawkers.
These are common senses but these are very useful especially you have to be careful with cooked food like some preserved jelly or hot food like the entrails of certain animals. We have to be careful with these sorts of cooked food.
The Health Education Unit of the Department of Health is entrusted by the two Municipal Councils to organise territory-wide publicity programmes throughout the year on all aspects of food hygiene, personal hygiene and environmental hygiene. This is especially important in summer. Cholera is given attention within these programmes and will certainly be emphasised during the hot summer months.
The publicity programmes include:
(a) release of announcements in the public interest, such as advising the public not to buy cooked food from illegal hawkers, through television and radio broadcasts;
(b) distribution of leaflets and messages relating to food hygiene and environmental hygiene through a variety of publicity campaigns and through the media;
(c) posters depicting the dangers of cholera and how to prevent it be widely displayed during the hot summer from July through September;
(d) recorded messages on food hygiene on a 24-hour phone-in device; and
(e) press releases on cholera prevention during the summer months.
At this time of the year, staff of the Department are particularly vigilant, and intensify law enforcement and cleanliness of licensed premises and clearance of illegal cooked food hawkers.
So for publicity and education, there should be four levels - first, personal hygiene; second, household hygiene; third, hygiene in the neighbourhood especially for the estates. There should be better co-operation with the departments. There should be more clean up operations; and fourthly, urban hygiene. The Authority has been strengthening its enforcement action and monitoring of hawkers, markets and food establishments. Thank you.
Ms. ANNA TANG KING-YUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank Professor Leung for his detailed answer. It is very informative. I have a follow-up question concerning enforcement. For the licensed establishments selling cooked or ready-made food, of course, the Department will monitor and take appropriate action. This is also applicable to unlicensed hawkers. But for those unlicensed establishments selling food on the street, what action will the Department take to tackle the problem?
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by even annual increases. This is the answer to the first part of the question. Secondly, as to whether there may be a reduction in rent, up to now, we have not had such a policy on reduction in existing rental. However, as indicated in paragraph 4 of my main reply, we will be looking at our existing policy at the Market Sub-committee of the MST Select Committee.
MR. CHAN TAK-CHOR (in Cantonese):-When a new market is commissioned, hawkers will have to tender for stalls. Sometimes, the premium is quite high. Usually three years later, the R&VD will re-assess the rental. If the original tender price is too high, will this factor be taken into consideration when the rental is reassessed by the Rating and Valuation Department?
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As to how the R&VD does its re-assessment, a reply maybe forthcoming at the Market Sub-committee meeting and I am sure Mr. CHAN will be able to get the information there. As mentioned in my reply to Mr. Fred Lr's question, there will be a review of the existing policy at the Market Sub-committee.
(7) Ms. ANNA TANG
ANNA TANG KING-YUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese): Summer has come and food hygiene is the concern of the general public in their daily life. According to statistics, there is a trend of increase in the number of cholera cases. How does the Council, as the authority on hygiene problems, educate the public on the choice of hygienic food for the prevention of cholera?
PROFESSOR LEUNG PING-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-I would like to thank Ms. TANG for her question which is a very timely one. I am sure she will get an answer.
There is an old saying that disease comes from taking food. People contract cholera by eating food or drinking water contaminated by bacteria called 'Vibrio cholerae'. The key points to remember in the prevention of cholera are:
-thoroughly cook your food especially shellfish and leafy vegetables;
ensure proper handling of food, for example, washing your hands before food preparation and after using the toilet;
-clean your cooking utensils thoroughly before and after food preparation; -protect your food against contamination and keep it covered to avoid pests
such as flies;
-keep your refuse and food waste under hygienic cover to prevent pest
infestation;
Page 34 of 115
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
-and some colleagues have said that after using toilets, you have to wash
your hands, that is of course true;
-finally don't buy and eat food from illegal cooked food hawkers.
These are common senses but these are very useful especially you have to be careful with cooked food like some preserved jelly or hot food like the entrails of certain animals. We have to be careful to these sorts of cooked food.
The Health Education Unit of the Department of Health is entrusted by the two Municipal Councils to organise territory-wide publicity programmes throughout the year on all aspects of food hygiene, personal hygiene and environmental hygiene. This is especially important in summer. Cholera is given attention within these programmes and will certainly be emphasised during the hot summer months.
The publicity programmes include:
(a) release of announcements in the public interest, such as advising the public not to buy cooked food from illegal hawkers, through television and radio broadcasts;
(b) distribution of leaflets and messages relating to food hygiene and environmental hygiene through a variety of publicity campaigns and through the media;
(c) posters depicting the dangers of cholera and how to prevent it be widely
displayed during the hot summer from July through September;
(d) recorded messages on food hygiene on a 24-hour phone-in device; and (e) press releases on cholera prevention during the summon months.
At this time of the year, staff of the Department are particularly vigilant, and intensify law enforcement and cleanliness of licensed premises and clearance of illegal cooked food hawkers.
So for publicity and education, there should be four levels-first, personal hygiene; second, household hygiene; third, hygiene in the neighbourhood especially for the estates. There should be better co-operation with the departments. There should be more clean up operations; and fourthly, urban hygiene. The Authority has been strengthening its enforcement action and monitoring of hawkers, markets and food establishments. Thank you.
Ms. ANNA TANG KING-YUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank Professor Leung for his detailed answer. It is very informative. I have a follow up question concerning enforcement. For the licensed establishments selling cooked or ready made food, of couse, the Department will monitor and take appropriate action. This is also applicable to unlicensed hawkers. But for those unlicensed establishments selling food on the street, what action will the Department take to tackle the problem?
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