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The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, visited the fixed-pitch hawker areas on Bowring Street, Jordan, and Marble Road, North Point, today (September 3) to better understand the hawking business and hawker stall management, including the hawker stalls' structures and their modes of operation.
Dr Ko noted that following the fire in Fa Yuen Street last year, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) had strengthened its work in management and enforcement, relating to safety issues in particular, for the 43 on-street fixed-pitch hawker areas. These measures have included requiring stall hawkers to comply with the stall area of the pitches during and outside business hours, and enforcement actions against stall canopies constructed of combustible materials and the overnight storage of commodities outside the approved stall areas, in order to reduce fire risks. The Government has set up a Steering Committee, chaired by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, to formulate and oversee the implementation of specific measures to improve management and to reduce fire risks in each hawker area, etc.
In addition, Hawker Management Consultative Committees (HMCCs) covering all hawker areas have been set up. HMCCs provide a platform for two-way communication and for FEHD district staff and stakeholders to discuss day-to-day management and regulatory and safety issues, as well as to encourage self-compliance and good practices among hawkers. The FEHD will also implement on November 1 the mechanism for suspension of hawker licences against repeat offenders.
Dr Ko said that in order to improve and enhance the appearance, design and fire resistance capability of hawker stalls, as well as to help improve hawker areas' operating environment, the Government is planning to launch a five-year assistance scheme for hawkers operating in fixed-pitch hawker areas.
He said, "The scheme will cover some 4,300 on-street hawkers in the 43 fixed-pitch hawker areas. Most of these hawker areas are adjacent to residential, commercial and composite buildings. A one-off grant/ex-gratia payment (EGP) will be granted to hawkers who renovate their stalls at the same locations or relocate their stalls and to those who choose to surrender their hawker licences."
According to the preliminary plan, a grant will be given to hawkers in the hawker areas to renovate their stalls at the same locations with a view to reducing fire risks and better suiting their operational needs. A grant will also be given to hawkers who need to relocate their stalls to other locations in order to reduce fire risks to nearby buildings in the hawker areas. At the same time, the Government will provide guidelines and assistance to hawkers on stall design.
Dr Ko said in order to reduce fire risks, individual hawker stalls may need to be relocated. The Government will introduce a voluntary licence surrender scheme in order to speed up vacating space in the fixed-pitch hawker areas and facilitate the smooth relocation of individual hawker stalls. Through the scheme, elderly or other licensees who intend to close their business and who meet the eligibility criteria will be given an EGP when they surrender their licences.
The Government is working out details of the scheme, which is expected to be launched within six to eight months. In the meantime, the FEHD will brief district councils and Hawker Management Consultative Committees in a timely manner on the details of the scheme.
Dr Ko said, "We believe the above assistance scheme will not only improve hawker management and fire safety, but also enhance the operating environment of hawkers. Through the scheme, members of the public can also shop at the hawker areas in a more comfortable and safe environment."
Joining Dr Ko on the visit were the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Food), Mrs Marion Lai, and the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Ms Vivian Sum.
Ends/Monday, September 3, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:38
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