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(Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132, fish trucks depositing water constitutes an offence and staff of the Urban Services Department may prosecute offenders. In the past 3 years, there were altogether 5 prosecutions taken out against fish trucks for depositing dirty water in public places.
The question as to whether the existing legislative controls are adequate was considered by the Public Health Select Committee at its meeting held on 8 October 1997. Members generally felt that legislative controls could be strengthened. The Director of Urban Services was asked to submit a further paper for Members' consideration.
In response to the second part of the question, there are provisions under the Abattoir (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 and the Slaughterhouses (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 for the control of vehicles used for the delivery of dressed carcasses and offal so as to safeguard meat from contamination during transportation. In practical terms, in order to satisfy the requirements of the Urban Services Department, the compartment of the vehicle used for the conveyance of meat must be enclosed on all sides and the internal surface lined with smooth, impervious, non-absorbent and corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel. Unless it is fitted with a proper insulating and refrigeration system, the meat conveyance compartment must either be provided with sufficient insect-proof ventilating openings or with at least one electric propulsion/extraction fan at the front/rear of the compartment. Furthermore, the vehicle must be used exclusively for the transportation of meat and it must be kept clean and free from refuse, dirt or other offensive matter.
Because of close monitoring measures taken by staff of the Department, there has been no record of contravention of these provisions in the past three years.
For vehicles transporting cooked meat, there is no legislation governing the internal specifications of such vehicles. However, the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 provide sufficient legislative powers to control the protection of cooked meat, including while in transportation.
Mr. Li Wah-MING (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I have two follow-up questions. The first one is that in the past 3 years, there were only 5 cases in which fish trucks were prosecuted for the dripping of dirty water in public places. I would like to know whether the small number of prosecutions was due to shortage of manpower or in fact to the absence of such a problem, that is, the truck drivers are so self-disciplined that the trucks do not drip at all. I hope the Chairman of the Select Committee would follow up this and answer my question.
The second follow-up question is that in paragraph 4 in the reply document, it is stated that because close monitoring measures are taken by staff of the Department, there has been no record of contravention of the relevant provisions (that is, those governing vehicles transporting raw and cooked meat) in the past three years.
Page 286 of 654
Page 286 of 654
Page 286 of 654
Page 286 of 654
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
283
(Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132, fish trucks depositing water constitutes an offence and staff of the Urban Services Department may prosecute offenders. IIn the past 3 years, there were altogether 5 prosecutions taken out against fish Irucks for depositing dirty water in public places.
The question as to whether the existing legislative controls are adequate was considered by the Public Health Select Committee at its meeting held on 8 October 1997. Members generally felt that legislative controls could be strengthened. The Director of Urban Services was asked to submit a further paper for Members' consideration.
In response to the second part of the question, there are provisions under the Abattoir (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 and the Slaughterhouses (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 for the control of vehicles used for the delivery of dressed carcasses and offal so as to safeguard meat from contamination during transportation. In practical terms, in order to satisfy the requirements of the Urban Services Department, the compartment of the vehicle used for the conveyance of meat must be enclosed on all sides and the internal surface lined with smooth, impervious, non-absorbent and corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel. Unless it is fitted with a proper insulating and refrigeration system, the meat conveyance compartment must either be provided with sufficient insect-proof ventilating openings or with at least one electric propulsion/extraction fan at the front/rear of the compartiment. Furthermore, the vehicle must be used exclusively for the transportation of meat and it must be kept clean and free from refuse, dirt or other offensive
matter.
Because of close monitoring measures taken by staff of the Department, there has been no record of contravention of these provisions in the past three years.
For vehicles transporting cooked meat, there is no legislation governing the internal specifications of such vehicles. However, the Food Business (Urban Council) By-laws, Cap. 132 provide sufficient legislative powers to control the protection of cooked meat, including while in transportation.
Mr. Li Wah-MING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have two follow-up questions. The first one is that in the past 3 years, there were only 5 cases in which fish trucks were prosecuted for the dripping of dirty water în public places. I would like to know whether the small number of prosecutions was due to shortage of manpower or in fact to the absence of such a problem, that is, the truck drivers are so self-disciplined that the trucks do not drip at all. I hope the Chairman of the Select Committee would follow up this and answer my question.
The second follow-up question is that in paragraph 4 in the reply document, it is stated that because close monitoring measures are taken by staff of the Department, there has been no record of contravention of the relevant provisions (that is, those governing vehicles transporting raw and cooked meat) in the past
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