Taze
200
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
constructive ideas to help solve the various social problems that have surfaced.
(2) Problems such as management, vicious cycle etc. are all minute details. Our present recommendation is to actively study the possibility of setting up a Hawker Permitted Area and an ‘Illuminated Night Fair'. Even if the motion is carried, there are still a lot of problems calling for further study and decision by the working group, such as the selection of suitable sites, the mode of management and the related policies. It is strange that even before the details are discussed, the Department should object to the motion on a number of negative hypotheses. Obviously the motive is that it is reluctant to take up follow-up action. I consider that the right approach is to find out how best to get things done rather than dampen the idea with all sorts of excuses. Furthermore, the idea of allowing hawking on fixed sites with a fixed mode of management is the exact solution to the problem of illegal hawking, which the Department will be facing and is getting more serious each day. For instance, management of hawkers will be more convenient in an Illuminated Night Fair. Departmental statistics show that there are about 13,000 licensed/unlicensed hawkers, who are peddling all over Hong Kong. An Illuminated Night Fair will attract these hawkers to one single site. With their business concentrated on one focal point, not only will hawking be more systematically and safely controlled, but the problem of obstruction to roads and pavements will also be eased. The most important point is that it will enable the Department to manage the hawkers effectively by concentrating its resources on one single place for effective control and management.
(3) Basically our proposal would not create more licensed or unlicensed hawkers. The space will be leased to existing licensed or unlicensed hawkers on contract term so that they may hold the stalls under provisional contracts. The Department will only provide the sites and management while the rest will be left to the stall-owners. Actually, similar to the operation of markets, the arrangement would not involve the issue of any new hawker licences. Neither would it increase in real terms the number of hawkers and encourage anyone who is not a hawker to become one permanently.
(4) Basically the Department will not be required to shoulder any liability for the closure of the Hawker Permitted Area, because what we propose now is a temporary measure, which will be implemented on a trial basis for one year. If the economic situation and unemployment problem improved next year, we would review the need for further operation. Stalls in the Illuminated Night Fair will be leased on contracts for one year after which we have the absolute administrative authority to decide renewal or otherwise. No liability for compensation or reprovisioning will be involved. As long as specific stipulation is made in the contract.
606
Taze
200
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
constructive ideas to help solve the various social problems that have surfaced.
(2) Problems such as management, vicious cycle etc. are all minute details. Our present recommendation is to actively study the possibility of setting up a Hawker Permitted Arca and an ‘Illuminated Night Fair'. Even if the motion is carried, there are still a lot of problems calling for further study and decision by the working group, such as the selection of suitable sites, the mode of management and the related policies. It is strange that even before the details are discussed, the Department should object to the motion on a number of negative hypotheses. Obviously the motive is that it is reluctant to take up follow-up action. I consider that the right approach is to find out how best to get things done rather than dampen the idea with all sorts of excuses. Furthermore, the idea of allowing hawking on fixed sites with a fixed mode of management is the exact solution to the problem of illegal hawking, which the Department will be facing and is getting more serious each day. For instance, management of hawkers will be more convenient in an Illuminated Night Fair. Departmental statistics show that there are about 13 000 licensed/unlicensed hawkers, who are peddling all over Hong Kong, An Illuminated Night Fair will attract these hawkers to one single site. With their business concentrated on one focal point, not only will hawking be more systematically and safely controlled, but the problem of obstruction to roads and pavements will also be eased. The most important point is that it will enable the Department to manage the hawkers effectively by concentrating its resources on one single place for effective control and management.
(3) Basically our proposal would not create more licensed or unlicensed hawkers. The space will be leased to existing licensed or unlicensed hawkers on contract term so that they may hold the stalls under provisional contracts. The Department will only provide the sites and management while the rest will be left to the stall-owners. Actually. similar to the operation of markets, the arrangement would not involve the issue of any new hawker licences. Neither would it increase in real terms the number of hawkers and encourage anyone who is not a hawker to become one permanently.
(4) Basically the Department will not be required to shoulder any liability for the closure of the Hawker Permitted Area, because what we propose now is a temporary measure, which will be implemented on a trial basis for one year. If the economic situation and unemployment problem improved next year, we would review the need for further operation. Stalls in the Illuminated Night Fair will be leased on contracts for one year after which we have the absolute administrative authority to decide renewal or otherwise. No liability for compensation or reprovisioning will be involved. As long as specific stipulation is made in the contract.
606
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.