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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

generally located close to public toilets, we must recognize that professional drivers are naturally reluctant to pay what are often high minimum parking fees in order to pay a quick visit to the toilet. As Members are no doubt aware there are a number of small public toilets throughout the urban area which tend to be used by professional drivers. Usually they are in quiet locations where the driver can conveniently park his vehicle for a few minutes while he goes to the toilet. The Department has undertaken to look at these toilets to see if there is scope to improve the current facilities.

With regards to public toilets located on upper floors, due to historical reasons or site constraints, some public toilets have to situate on the upper floors of Council's facilities. However, it is now the established Council policy to erect public toilets on the ground floor level wherever possible. In 1991, the Working Group on Public Toilets launched the Public Toilets Refurbishment Programme. So far, we have refurbished or rebuilt a total of 124 public toilets up to the Council's latest standard. Where possible, we have also taken the opportunity to relocate public toilets on upper floors to the ground floor level. I can assure Members that we will continue to pay special attention to this problem in the remainder of the Refurbishment Programme as well as in the design of any new Council projects containing a public toilet.

MR. DANIEL TO BOON-MAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask how we should handle the problem if the contractors or the departmental staff have carried out their duties but the public's civic-mindedness and culture about using public toilets remain unchanged. This is the first question.

I want to ask the Chairman whether the Working Group on Public Toilets led by the Chairman could promote civic education on the use of public toilets. If this could effectively be implemented, I am sure the problem would be solved from another angle.

CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-This is a proposition rather than a question. Anyway, I could take this opportunity to inform Members present that the last Working Group on Public Toilets did examine the following in detail. The first aspect was to improve the design. The second aspect was to improve the cleansing and maintenance services. The third aspect was that hopefully members of the public were more civic-minded about keeping public toilets as clean as possible after use. We consider that the absence of any one pillar of this 'basic triangle' would keep us from achieving the desired effect and fulfilling our objective. Accordingly, the Working Group has decided to promote civic education and carry out publicity on education activities in conjunction with the Health Education Resource Centre to remind members of the public of the need to keep public toilets as clean as possible after use. At the same time, we consider holding a toilet cleanliness and management competition, to which the relevant contractors will be invited so as to encourage them to further improve their services.

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