ENG-2003 — Page 232

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FOOD SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

As a means to further improve environmental hygiene, options that include an ex gratia allowance or relocation are offered to itinerant and cooked food stall hawker licence holders who surrender their licences.

Since mid-2003, the department has also assisted the Housing Department in clearing illegal cooked food hawker 'black spots' in public housing estates. The two departments carried out a total of 516 joint operations which resulted in 89 arrests and 687 seizures of abandoned hawker equipment and goods.

Slaughterhouses

At present, fresh meat in Hong Kong is supplied from three privately operated slaughterhouses: Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse and Cheung Chau Slaughterhouse. The FEHD assumes the role of the managing authority to monitor and oversee the operation of these slaughterhouses.

During the year, to enhance food safety and public health protection, 35 978 animal health certificates and 27 639 admission forms for local pigs were verified and 65 667 urine and tissue samples were collected from slaughterhouse animals for testing for veterinary drug residues. A total of 2 156 864 pigs, 45 318 cattle and 4 267 goats were slaughtered and examined in the three slaughterhouses. Meat supplied from slaughterhouses is subject to inspection by health inspectors and only meat fit for human consumption is released for sale in the market.

Since its formation in January, the department's Intelligence Unit has achieved. encouraging results in cracking down on illegal slaughtering activities. As a result of covert surveillance, six successful raids were mounted against such activities, leading to the arrest of six culprits and the seizure of 1 800 kilograms of pork.

With regard to meat smuggling, staff of the Intelligence Unit worked jointly with the Customs and Excise Department in conducting 15 large-scale raids, resulting in 15 arrests and the seizure of 38 947 kilograms of smuggled meat.

Public Education

The FEHD operates the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre in Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui and the Communication Resource Centre at the Public Health Laboratory Centre in Shek Kip Mei to educate the public on the importance of food safety and environmental hygiene through multimedia interactive exhibits and library materials.

Outreaching programmes, including talks and various health education activities, are organised to disseminate messages on personal hygiene, food safety and measures that help to maintain a hygienic living environment. During the year, more than 2 700 health talks were given for food handlers, school children, foreign domestic helpers, the elders, new arrivals and other members of the public.

Primary Production

Agriculture and fisheries industries are relatively small sectors in Hong Kong. The Government does not give direct subsidies to the local agriculture and fisheries. industries or attempt to protect them from the free operation of market forces. Instead, the AFCD focuses on helping the industries to improve the quality of their output and enhance their productivity and competitiveness.