ENG-1991 — Page 198

HEALTH

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The growing number of food establishments and the quantities and variety of food items available on the local market have increased the importance of law enforcement. Parallel to this is the increasing demand for services for health certification of foods for export and re-export.

The review of food legislation has been an on-going exercise with a view to ensuring that laws made are consistent with international standards, guidelines and recommendations based on scientific evidence. This is important in order to provide a high standard of public health protection and, at the same time, facilitate international trade in foods.

On the international scene, Hong Kong maintains close ties with the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and other international authoritative bodies on foods. As the bulk of the local food supply comes from China, Hong Kong has been working closely with the Chinese authorities towards promoting food safety and better food hygiene. Regular meetings are held with officials from the Guangdong and Shenzhen Commodities Inspection Bureaux. The subjects for discussion included preventing pesticide-tainted vegetables and uninspected pork carcases from being exported into Hong Kong.

Markets

The Urban Council operated 60 retail markets in the urban areas during the year. A total of 9 447 stalls offering a choice of commodities ranging from fresh food to household items -were provided in these markets.

Old and outdated markets have been replaced gradually by multi-purpose complexes with new markets and cooked food centres accommodated on the lower floors. On the upper floors, these complexes provide a variety of facilities for indoor sports activities, cultural and recreational pursuits. There are 14 such multi-purpose complexes managed by the Urban Council.

New markets with cooked food centres are built to meet consumer demand in the areas where they are situated and not just to meet hawker resiting commitments as was the case in the past. This approach, together with improvements in design, has been adopted in planning and building more pleasant and viable markets both for stall-holders and

customers.

A pilot scheme of contracting-out cleansing was introduced in the Po On Road Market. The scheme was successful and cost-effective, and will be extended to more markets.

The Kimberley Street Market in Yau Tsim District marked a new era in terms of market design. The market is in a modern hotel building with air-conditioning and relatively large market stalls, offering a wide range of food commodities for tourists and the public in a hygienic and comfortable shopping environment.

The Regional Council is responsible for the management of public markets within its region. In 1991, a new market with 240 stalls and 16 cooked food stalls was completed and commissioned on Cheung Chau Island. This brought the number of markets managed by the council to 46, providing a total of 5 308 goods stalls and 378 cooked food stalls. A new market with 34 stalls is under construction at Mui Wo, Lantau.

Following a recommendation by the council's Working Group on Design of Markets in the Regional Council area, a market complex in Shek Wu Hui will be provided with air-conditioning under a pilot scheme. Work on the market will start early in 1992 and is expected to be completed by 1994-5. Other recommendations aimed at improving the