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be self-restricting, and we must not take such action before holding any discussions or having any proof or evidence that we can do such a thing. Lastly, I hope we will not merely be able to enjoy horse-racing and dancing as before, I hope we will be able to enjoy dancing, stage plays, do calligraphy and paintings, write books, perform music, and show films as usual.
Thank you, Chairman.
Mr. Tam Kwok-Kiu (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, my speech for this Annual Debate is made up of two parts. Firstly, I would like to talk on the problems of environmental health and urban services within the jurisdiction of the Housing Department; and secondly, I would like to express my views on the Statement of Aims for the current year.
At the Annual Debate of last year, I have already pointed out that I take special interest in the urban service and health problems within the housing estates of the Housing Department since our constituencies are mainly made up of public housing estates. Over the past year, although we put forward numerous suggestions in respect of the urban service and health problems of housing estates at various committees, especially the Public Health Select Committee and the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, little or even no improvement has been made in these areas. We can see that hawker control along the periphery of estate markets is still unsatisfactory. Hawkers operating in these areas are supposed to come from two sources: some are the market stall operators and some are illegal hawkers operating outside the markets. Their operation obviously affects the environmental health of the areas and poses obstruction to the passageways, thus creating a serious problem. Although the Urban Services Department and the Housing Department always stress that they will take joint actions to clear the illegal hawkers along the periphery of markets, we still find their work in this area unsatisfactory.
Secondly, we also find that the market stalls managed by the Housing Authority often mess up the external areas of the markets. It is obvious that wet stalls selling vegetables or cold meat along the periphery of markets not only make the floor of the markets very slippery, but also cause foul water to drain out and pollute the streets. After the loading and unloading activities of lorries at the markets or the operating hours of the stalls every day, garbage is dumped at the pavements or along the roads outside the markets. All these will seriously pollute the internal and external areas of the markets.
Thirdly, we can see that many food premises inside the housing estates illegally extend their area of operation, especially during the evenings. While we know that the Urban Services Department has made strenuous efforts to combat the illegal extension of shops in private premises, what has the Department done to suppress the illegal extension activities within the housing estates? I think the Department should review its work in this area. In fact, as
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be self-restricting, and we must not take such action before holding any discussions or having any proof or evidence that we can do such a thing. Lastly. I hope we will not merely be able to enjoy horse-racing and dancing as before, I hope we will be able to enjoy dancing, stage plays, do calligraphy and paintings, write books, perform music, and show films as usual.
Thank you, Chairman.
Mr. Tam KwOK-KIU (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, my speech for this Annual Debate is made up of two parts. Firstly, I would like to talk on the problems of environmental health and urban services within the jurisdiction of the Housing Department; and secondly, I would like to express my views on the Statement of Aims for the current year.
At the Annual Debate of last year, I have already pointed out that I take special interest in the urban service and health problems within the housing estates of the Housing Department since our constituencies are mainly made up of public housing estates. Over the past year, although we put forward numerous suggestions in respect of the urban service and health problems of housing estates at various committees especially the Public Health Select Commillee and the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, little or even no improvement has been made in these areas. We can see that hawker control along the periphery of estate markets is still unsatisfactory. Hawkers operating in these areas are supposed to come from two sources: some are the market stall operators and some are illegal hawkers operating outside the markets. Their operation obviously affects the environmental health of the areas and poses obstruction to the passageways, thus creating a serious problem. Although the Urban Services Department and the Housing Department always stress that they will take joint actions to clear the illegal hawkers along the periphery of markets, we still find their work in this area unsatisfactory.
Secondly, we also find that the market stalls managed by the Housing Authority often mess up the external areas of the markets. It is obvious that wet stalls selling vegetables or cold meat along the periphery of markets not only make the floor of the markets very slippery, but also cause foul water to drain out and pollute the streets. After the loading and unloading activities of lorries at the markets or the operating hours of the stalls everyday, garbage are dumped at the pavements or along the roads outside the markets. All these will seriously pollute the internal and external areas of the markets.
Thirdly, we can see that many food premises inside the housing estates illegally extend their area of operation especially during the evenings. While we know that the Urban Services Department has made strenuous efforts to combat the illegal extension of shops in private premises, what has the Department done to suppress the illegal extension activities within the housing estates? I think the Department should review its work in this area. In fact, as
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