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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Many hawker associations suggest to peg the rate of increase with inflation. On the face of it, this suggestion seems to afford protection to market stalls. However, it fails to take into account the factor of fair competition and will greatly affect the viability of some stalls at some unfavourably locations. Some stalls in markets are better located and their business get better and better. If the Urban Council does not increase their rent by a wider margin, such stalls will further lower the prices of their goods. Since their business turnover is higher, they are able to lower the prices further and this will attract even more shoppers and hence further increase turnover. By then, such stalls will seriously affect business turnover of stalls at less favourable locations, making business very difficult for them. So, when we consider the rental of stalls, we cannot brush aside business turnover and take inflation rate as the only factor. I feel that when we pin the rental level, we have to fully consider the following three factors:
(1) the business value of stalls;
(2) the attractiveness of stall rental to hawkers; and
(3) the Council's level of subsidy to market stalls.
We have to take the above three factors in balance and then formulate a reasonable rental policy so that market stalls will attract hawkers to do business there. Fair competition among stalls should be maintained and the Council's subsidy level should be kept at a reasonable level too. Finally, I call on my colleagues who are concerned with market stall rental to give their views in the hope that the Urban Council can formulate a fair and reasonable market rental policy. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
Chairman (in Cantonese): Before I call upon the next Member in line to speak, I would like to remind you that I have circulated to you all photocopies of a letter about this motion from the Stanley Market Traders Association and the Aberdeen Market Traders Association. Ms. Jennifer CHOW, you are next to speak.
Ms. JENNIFER Chow Kit-bing (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, recently, four of our new markets on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon were commissioned and they are all within our multi-purpose complexes. The passageways in new markets are very wide and advanced ventilation systems are in place to provide traders with a favourable business environment. They should satisfy our citizens' daily shopping needs. In fact, the Urban Council has been pulling down old style markets and building modern markets in recent years. The exercise has an important effect in improving outlook and environmental hygiene. They are attracting itinerant hawkers to move in, which helps to solve some of the hawker management problems.
However, we still have quite a number of old style markets with poor trading conditions and poor management standards. The serious problem of itinerant hawkers doing business on our streets directly affects the livelihood of
Page 175 of 498
Page 175 of 498
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Page 176
Page 175 of 498
Page
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
171
144
Many hawker associations suggest to peg the rate of increase with inflation. On the face of it, this suggestion seems to afford protection to market stalls. However, it fails to take into account the factor of fair competition and will greatly affect the viability of some stalls at some unfavourably locations. Some stalls in markets are better located and their business get better and better. If the Urban Council does not increase their rent by a wider margin, such stalls will further lower the prices of their goods. Since their business turnover is higher, they are able to lower the prices furthur and this will attract even more shoppers and hence further increase turnover. By then, such stalls will seriously affect business turnover of stalls at less favourable locations, making business very difficult for them. So, when we consider the rental of stalls, we cannot brush aside business turnover and take inflation rate as the only factor. I feel that when we pin the rental level, we have to fully consider the following three factors:
(1) the business value of stalls;
(2) the attractiveness of stall rental to hawkers; and
(3) the Council's level of subsidy to market stalls.
We have to take the above three factors in balance and then formulate a reasonable rental policy so that market stalls will attract hawkers to do business there. Fair competition among stalls should be maintained and the Council's subsidy level should be kept at a reasonable level too. Finally, I call on my colleagues who are concerned with market stall rental to give their views in the hope that the Urban Council can formulate a fair and reasonable market rental policy. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
Chairman (in Cantonese):-Before 1 call upon the next Member in line to speak, I would like to remind you that I have circulated to you all photocopies of a letter about this motion from the Stanley Market Traders Association and the Aberdeen Market Traders Association. Ms. Jennifer CHOW, you are next to speak.
Ms. JENNIFER Chow Kit-bing (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, recently, four of our new markets on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon were commissioned and they are all within our multi-purpose complexes. The passageways in new markets are very wide and advanced ventilation systems are in place to provide traders with a favourable business environment. They should satisfy our citizens' daily shopping needs. In fact, the Urban Council has been pulling down old style markets and building modern markets in recent years. The exercise has an important effect in improving outlook and environmental hygiene. They are attracting itinerant hawkers to move in, which helps to solve some of the hawker management problems.
However, we still have quite a number of old style markets with poor trading conditions and poor management standards. The serious problem of itinerant hawkers doing business on our streets directly affects the livelihood of
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Page 175 of 498
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