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were conducted. But as hawkers are operating their business every day, 18 operations are obviously not a satisfactory figure.
Besides, the Housing Department has to train its staff to deal with the hawker problem. Nevertheless, they are not professional and also too small in number. There are only 75 of them altogether and they have to patrol every housing estate in the urban areas. Therefore, in my personal opinion, if the above situations do not show any significant improvements, the delegation of power should be terminated and the duties should be taken up by USD again.
Though I am new in the Urban Council, I have been a Councillor for quite some time now. I notice that the practice of giving face to each other among departments is rather common. Although this will help to get the work done more efficiently occasionally, it may not be necessarily so every time and sometimes it will even hinder the implementation of plans. An example of this is the control of illegal shop extensions by food premises in housing estates. Housing Department is always notified beforehand of any raiding operations to be conducted by Urban Services Department. In my opinion, the less people know about such operations, the more effective will the operations be. If prior notice is given to other departments, information leakage may result and effectiveness of the operation affected. It is fine for government departments to respect each other, but that does not mean notice should be given on every action to be taken. The Urban Services Department may think that housing estates are under the management of the Housing Department and rushing in without prior notice will cause embarrassment. But in my opinion, the departments should abandon the mentality of spheres of influence. The Government is formed by the citizens, and civil servants should serve the general public, not other departments. I hope the Department will review the appropriateness of the relevant administrative measures.
At present, the Estate Management Advisory Committee trial scheme is being implemented in 8 public housing estates. The Governor has pledged in the 1995 Policy Address that the scheme would be extended to all public housing estates by 1997. However, we should note that although many problems in the estates are related to urban services, no Urban Services Department officers are present at the meetings of the Estate Management Advisory Committees. In dealing with environmental hygiene problems, the Committee lacks the expert advice of Urban Services Department staff and therefore cannot effectively find solutions to the problems. I think the Department should take the initiative to liaise with the Housing Department to request for representation at the meetings of the Estate Management Advisory Committees so that we can talk with the residents directly with a view to creating a healthy environment for housing estates.
Mr. Chairman, what I have mentioned are only some of the problems in public housing estates which we should pay attention to. There are still other problems in public housing estates such as rodent and pest infestation, refuse collection, public toilet service and hygiene, etc., which this Council and the Department should take the initiative to tackle positively, exercising authority vested in us by legislation.
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were conducted. But as hawkers are operating their business every day, 18 operations are obviously not a satisfactory figure.
Besides, the Housing Department has to train its staff to deal with the hawker problem. Nevertheless, they are not professional and also too small in number. There are only 75 of them altogether and they have to patrol every housing estate in the urban areas. Therefore, in my personal opinion, if the above situations do not show any significant improvements, the delegation of power should be terminated and the duties should be taken up by USD again.
Though I am new in the Urban Council, I have been a Councillor for quite some time now. I notice that the practice of giving face to each other among departments is rather common. Although this will help to get the work done more efficiently occasionally, it may not be necessarily so every time and sometimes it will even hinder the implementation of plans. An example of this is the control of illegal shop extensions by food premises in housing estates. Housing Department is always notified beforehand of any raiding operations to be conducted by Urban Services Department. In my opinion, the less people know about such operations, the more effective will the operations be. If prior notice is given to other departments, information leakage may result and effectiveness of the operation affected. It is fine for government departments to respect each other, but that does not mean notice should be given on every action to be taken. The Urban Services Department may think that housing estates are under the management of the Housing Department and rushing in without prior notice will cause embarrassment. But in my opinion, the departments should abandon the mentality of spheres of influence. The Government is formed by the citizens, and civil servants should serve the general public, not other departments. I hope the Department will review the appropriateness of the relevant administrative measures.
At present, the Estate Management Advisory Committee trial scheme is being implemented in 8 public housing estates. The Governor has pledged in the 1995 Policy Address that the scheme would be extended to all public housing estates by 1997. However, we should note that although many problems in the estates are related to urban services, no Urban Services Department officers are present at the meetings of the Estate Management Advisory Committees. In dealing with environmental hygiene problems, the Committee lacks the expert advice of Urban Services Department staff and therefore cannot effectively find solutions to the problems. I think the Department should take the initiative to liaise with the Housing Department to request for representation at the meetings of the Estate Management Advisory Committees so that we can talk with the residents directly with a view to creating a healthy environment for housing estates.
Mr. Chairman, what I have mentioned are only some of the problems in public housing estates which we should pay attention to. There are still other problems in public housing estates such as rodent and pest infestation, refuse collection, public toilet service and hygiene, etc., which this Council and the Department should take the initiative to tackle positively, exercising authority vested in us by legislation.
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