Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ4: Fixed penalty notices
Following is a question by Ir Dr Hon Ho Chung-tai and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (October 8):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the total number of fixed penalty notices issued since the fixed penalty for littering was increased to $1,500 on June 26, this year, and the percentage of notices issued to tourists;
(b) of the aggregate amount of fixed penalties not paid by the tourists served with the said notices before their departure, as at the end of September this year; and
(c) whether it has received complaints from tourists that the authorities have not promoted awareness of the new penalty for littering; and whether the Government will enhance awareness of the penalty among tourists?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) Since the new fixed penalty for public cleanliness offences took effect on June 26, 2003, the seven enforcement departments have issued 6 267 fixed penalty notices as at September 25, of which 205 notices (3.3 per cent) were issued to tourists.
(b) Over 50 per cent of the aforesaid notices issued to tourists were already paid as at September 30. The penalties not yet paid amounted to some $150,000. The actual payment rate will probably be higher as the statutory time limit for payment (i.e. 21 days) has yet to expire for some of the lately issued notices.
(c) The Administration has so far received no representation from tourists complaining about inadequate publicity of the new penalty for cleanliness offences.
Publicity and education are indeed a key element of our strategy to prevent tourists from committing cleanliness offences. We have been alerting tourists to the need to keep Hong Kong clean and the heavy penalties for breaching cleanliness laws. A wide variety of publicity and educational measures have been launched by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in collaboration with Immigration Department, Home Affairs Department, Tourism Commission, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Travel Industry Council, Hong Kong Association of Registered Tour Co-ordinators, Hong Kong Federation of Hotel Owners, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, etc. These measures include putting up posters and distributing leaflets in simplified and traditional Chinese characters and English; broadcasting voice messages in Putonghua, Cantonese and English at immigration control points; disseminating messages through tour coordinators, travel agencies and hotels; and displaying publicity materials at tourist spots. The departments and agencies concerned will keep up these tourist-oriented publicity and educational efforts.
End/Wednesday, October 8, 2003
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