HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
55
IIV. MOTIONS
((1) MR. Wong Kwok-hing moved the following motion:—
'In order to plug the loophole of cinemas operating illegally while their license applications are being processed, RESOLVED that the Council urge the Urban Services Department, in collaboration with the departments concerned, to speedily consider amending the relevant legislation so as to ensure the public's safety; a provisional cinema license should be issued to those cinemas that fulfill the basic licensing requirements, while legislative amendments should be made to empower the authority to close those unlicensed cinemas that do not meet the basic licensing requirements.'
He said (in Cantonese):—After the recent series of fires, members of the public are more concerned about fire safety in public entertainment premises. They are especially concerned about unlicensed cinemas. This problem has not yet been solved.
At present, we have 8 unlicensed cinemas in the territory. They have not yet been issued with licenses by the municipal councils for various reasons. From what I know, 5 of them are in the urban area and 3 in the New Territories. When the audience go to these cinemas, they get into a place of public entertainment without safety guarantee. In case of an untoward incident, the consequence could be very serious. As such cinemas are operating without a license, they cannot take out insurance. It follows that employees of these places are not covered by labour compensation. Through the discussions by the Public Health Select Committee in the past, we have information to suggest that the existence of unlicensed cinemas is mainly due to 5 reasons:
(1) Applicants altered the plans during the process of application or failed to complete requirements for modifications in time so that the issue of a license was delayed. Basically, such cinemas could satisfy license requirements.
(2) Issue of licenses were delayed for various reasons. Cinema operators felt dissatisfied over this too.
(3) The failure of the licensing authorities to take hardline actions in prohibiting the operation of unlicensed cinemas resulted in some applicants being not keen to improve facilities so as to obtain licenses. Of the 8 unlicensed cinemas now in operation, 1 applied for a license back in 1994, 2 applied this year and the other 5 put in their applications in different months last year.
(4) For certain outstanding procedures or circumstances, some of the applicants cannot get licenses although they have already complied with fire safety requirements. Under the present system, the Department is not empowered to issue provisional licenses to cinemas for them to operate within a limited period pending the issue of a full license as in
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
55
IIV. MOTIONS
((1) MR. WONg Kwok-hing moved the following motion:—
'In order to plug the loophole of cinemas operating illegally while their license applications are being processed, RESOLVED that the Council urge the Urban Services Department, in collaboration with the departments concerned, to speedily consider amending the relevant legislation so as to ensure the public's safety; a provisional cinema license should be issued to those cinemas that fulfill the basic licensing requirements, while legislative amendments should be made to empower the authority to close those unlicensed cinemas that do not meet the basic licensing requirements."
IHe said (in Cantonese):—After the recent series of fires, members of the public are more concerned about fire safety in public entertainment premises. They care especially concerned about unlicensed cinemas. This problem has not yet Ibeen solved.
At present, we have 8 unlicensed cinemas in the territory. They have not yet Ibeen issued with licenses by the municipal councils for various reasons. From what I know, 5 of them are in the urban area and 3 in the New Territories. "When the audience go to these cinemas, they get into a place of public entertainment without safety guarantee. In case of an untoward incident, the <consequence could be very serious. As such cinemas are operating without a license, they cannot take out insurance. It follows that employees of these places are not covered by labour compensation. Through the discussions by the Public Health Select Committee in the past, we have information to suggest that the existence of unlicensed cinemas is mainly due to 5 reasons:-
(1) Applicants altered the plans during the process of application or failed to complete requirements for modifications in time so that the issue of a license was delayed. Basically, such cinemas could satisfy license requirements.
(2) Issue of licenses were delayed for various reasons. Cinema operators felt
dissatisfied over this too.
(3) The failure of the licensing authorities to take hardline actions in prohibiting the operation of unlicensed cinemas resulted in some applicants being not keen to improve facilities so as to obtain licenses. Of the 8 unlicensed cinemas now in operation, I applied for a license back in 1994, 2 applied this year and the other 5 put in their applications in different months last year.
(4) For certain outstanding procedures or circumstances, some of the applicants cannot get licenses although they have already complied with fire safety requirements. Under the present system, the Department is not empowered to issue provisional licenses to cinemas for them to operate within a limited period pending the issue of a full license as in
Page 57 of 654
Page 57 of 654
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