2001,
the second year of the setting up of the Food and
Environmental Hygiene Department as a new department,
has been both eventful and rewarding. Imbued with
the pride which this new identity gives us, we charged
ahead in the various fields of our work with renewed
vigour and commitment.
Knowing how close our work is to the lives of the
public, we seek continuous improvement to attain
a high standard of service. In 2001, of the 49 targets
we set for ourselves in the performance pledges,
we were able to exceed 29 and attained 18 of them.
Not content with this level of performance, we have
upgraded nine of these targets for 2002 so as to
strive for even better results.
On the environmental hygiene side, subsequent to
the launch of the Clean Hong Kong Programme in December
2000, we strengthened cleansing work in respect
of streets, public toilets and markets. This was
achieved through injecting additional manpower and
introducing new cleansing initiatives including
stationing cleaners in places with heavy pedestrian
flow, and cleaning up ¡§grey areas¡¨ such
as ungazetted beaches where hitherto no department
has assumed cleansing responsibility. With the help
of District Councils, we formulated District Action
Plans to tackle district hygiene blackspots.
The food safety scene has been equally active. To
raise our capability in food research to ensure
our food is fit for human consumption, we have established
a Food Research Laboratory to study nutrients in
local food, support dietary studies and risk assessment
projects. Aware of the public interest in and growing
prevalence of genetically modified food, we have
also set up a section to develop and co-ordinate
work in this area. Our web site launched in September
2001 on nutrient inquiry provides nutrient information
of some 1 000 commonly consumed food items to facilitate
the public to make healthy food choices.
You will read about much more of our work in this
annual report. As we keep emphasising all along,
your input and co-operation are vital in helping
to ensure safe food and a clean environment. With
your support, we would be moving ever closer to
realising our vision of building Hong Kong into
a world-class metropolis renowned for its food safety
and public hygiene!
The
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, set up
on January 1, 2000, serves the 6.7 million people
in the city with a wide spectrum of services, ranging
from food surveillance and certification to the
planning, co-ordination, and delivery of environmental
hygiene services and public education on safe food
and environmental cleanliness.
With an establishment of some 15 000 staff members,
the Department delivers the services through three
branches - Food and Public Health Branch, Environmental
Hygiene Branch as well as Administration and Development
Branch.
Calendar
of Events in 2001
January
1
The
Department introduces a tracing system of the source
of pork to identify batches of pig carcasses delivered
from the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse and Tsuen Wan
Slaughterhouse to retail outlets.
6
The
Department smashes a 300-square-metre unlicensed
meat roasting factory in Tai Tong, Yuen Long, which
is the largest unlicensed meat roasting factory
smashed in the year. About 5 000 kg of raw and roasted
meat, together with six roasting ovens and ancillary
paraphernalia are seized.
18
The
Department stages the Lunar Year Fair in 12 districts
for seven days.
20
The
Department stages the Che Kung Festival Fair in
Sha Tin for 19 days.
February
1
The
Department organises the first series of school
talks aiming at promoting students' awareness of
the importance of a clean Hong Kong.
26
The
Government launches a consultation exercise to gauge
views on the options proposed for labelling of genetically
modified food.
April
1
The
new air-conditioned Chai Wan Market opens for business.
9
The
Anti-mosquito Campaign 2001 is launched to arouse
public awareness of safeguarding personal health
and improving environmental cleanliness. The first
phase of the Campaign ends on May 5, which significantly
lowers the mosquito population.
19
The
Department releases results of a risk assessment
on aflatoxin contamination in food. Aflatoxins are
toxic substances commonly found in nuts products
and are carcinogenic in human.
28
District
Action Plans under the Clean Hong Kong Programme
with the full support of all District Councils are
put in place.
The
import of chilled pork produced by a slaughtering
plant in Thailand is suspended after a sample of
pork taken from an imported consignment at the airport
is confirmed with the presence of beta-agonist.
May
1-16
An
FEHD delegation visits food safety authorities of
the countries of the European Union and the Director-General
of the Health and Consumer Protection of the European
Commission.
16,
18 - 20
The
Department carries out depopulation of live poultry
at fresh provision shops and market stalls to eliminate
the risk of spread of the avian flu.
26
The
Chairman of the Steering Committee on Clean Hong
Kong, Dr Daniel Tse, joins with the Secretary for
the Environment and Food, Mrs Lily Yam, and other
members of the Steering Committee and its Publicity
and Public Education Group to witness the joint
cleansing operation of the Department and Marine
Department at the Victoria Harbour.
27
Sentinel
live chickens are placed at retail markets to test
for the elimination of avian flu virus.
28
The
Department announces the extension of rental freeze
for all public markets to the end of 2001.
June
2
The
Chairman of the Steering Committee on Clean Hong
Kong, Dr Daniel Tse, the Chairman of the Southern
District Council and other Government representatives
officiate at the Clean Hong Kong Beach Carnival
in Repulse Bay. More than 6 000 people from all
walks of life take part in the function.
12
Supply
of live waterfowl from the Mainland resumes after
the avian flu incident.
14
A
risk communication series on "Seasonal Food
Safety Tips" is launched to give advice on
food consumption.
15
Supply
of live poultry from the Mainland resumes after
the avian flu incident.
18
The
Department sets up a Genetically Modified Food Section.
The
Department implements the third phase (Enhancement
Phase) of the Anti-rodent Campaign for 2000-2001,
resulting in reduction of rodent population after
a six-week operation.
28
The
Food Hygiene Campaign, under the theme "Manage
Risk for Food Safety", kicks off.
July
12
The
Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) Bill,
providing for a fixed penalty of $600 for a number
of public cleanliness offences, is passed by the
Legislative Council. The offences include littering,
spitting, unauthorised display of bills or posters
and dog fouling in public places.
14
More
than 7 800 people take part in the Clean Hong Kong
Beach Carnival at the Golden Beach in Tuen Mun.
17
A
training programme to promote the adoption of the
Food Safety Plan for food handlers selling or manufacturing
siu mei and lo mei makes its debut.
20
About
400 Food and Environmental Hygiene Department staff
join hands with the Police in the biggest operation
ever mounted against illegal hawkers in Tin Shui
Wai, Yuen Long. Seventeen illegal cooked food stalls
are smashed and 36 tonnes of food and equipment
are carted away in 50 vehicles.
25
The
Department implements the monthly "Rest Day
Clean-up" policy on fresh provision shops and
market stalls selling live poultry as a preventive
measure against avian flu and to further improve
the hygiene condition of the shops and stalls.
27
The
Department releases results of a microbiological
risk assessment on siu mei and lo mei and gives
advice to the trade on measures to improve the microbiological
quality of siu mei and lo mei.
August
16,
21, 27
Three
fish tank water samples are separately found to
have Vibrio Cholerae which necessitate the closure
of two food premises and a market stall immediately
for thorough cleansing and disinfection.
31
The
Department starts the second phase of the Anti-mosquito
Campaign 2001 to combat dengue fever.
September
3
The
Department announces results of a risk assessment
of the microbiological quality of ice-cream and
advises the trade on the hygiene practices in manufacturing
and handling of ice-cream.
5
The
Department announces the food surveillance results
for the first half of 2001. The overall trend was
satisfactory with the unsatisfactory rates for both
microbiological examination and chemical analysis
continued to decrease. Food surveillance results
are important information used by the Department
to conduct risk assessment and to formulate appropriate
measures to enhance food safety.
14
The
Department sets up a web site "Nutrient Information
Inquiry System" (http://fehd-niis.gov.hk) to
provide nutrient information to the public and to
facilitate them to make healthy food choices. The
web site captures nutrient information of some 1
000 commonly consumed food items that are of relevance
and interest to the local community.
15,
16
Over
1 500 people from different sectors of the community,
organisations from private sector, green groups
and non-government organisations join hands with
the Department, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department and Marine Department to clean major
and minor ungazetted beaches in Tuen Mun, Tsuen
Wan, Sai Kung and the southern part of Hong Kong
and some marine parks. The activities are organised
in support of the International Coastal Clean Up
Day.
18
The
Department conducts a large scale clean-up operation
in a grey area in Lau Fau Shan, Yuen Long. The Department
has undertaken enhanced measures to clean grey areas
where the cleansing responsibility has not been
designated to a single department in the past.
An
Advisory Panel on Food Consumption Survey, comprising
academics, health professionals and statistician,
is formed to advise the Department on the methodology
and conduct of food consumption surveys in Hong
Kong. The information obtained from the surveys
will be useful for risk assessment and planning
of food safety control.
19
Upon
discovery of the first Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
case in cattle in Japan, the import of beef from
Japan is immediately suspended.
23
More
than 800 hikers and scouts take part in the Clean
Country Park Trails Day which also marks the launching
of the Clean Country Park Thematic Work Plan under
the Clean Hong Kong Programme.
The
Chairman of the Steering Committee on Clean Hong
Kong, Dr Daniel Tse, and the acting Secretary for
the Environment and Food, Mrs Stella Hung, officiate
at the "Swear-In" Ceremony of over 1 200
Clean Hong Kong Ambassadors.
28
The
Director meets with the Vice-minister of Ministry
of Health, Professor Wang Longde, and exchanges
views on the management of food and public health
matters.
October
2
The
Department supports the Green Power and over 2 000
volunteers to clean the Repulse Bay in support of
the 9th Clean Up the World in Hong Kong.
10
In
support of the Chief Executive's Policy Address
2001, the Department undertakes to create 2 600
jobs in the cleansing field so as to enhance the
overall cleanliness of the city and to create new
job opportunities.
18
The
Department announces a further extension of rental
freeze for all public markets to the end of 2002.
November
1
The
Food Research Laboratory Section, housed in the
Public Health Laboratory Centre, is set up. Installation
and commissioning of a range of state-of-the-art
equipment for chemical analysis of food is underway.
The Laboratory will conduct studies on the contents
of nutrients in locally available food items and
provide support to dietary exposure studies and
risk assessment projects.
9
The
Department releases test results on samples of hairy
crabs taken from markets. The results do not reveal
the presence of antibiotics. The move is in response
to a media report that samples of hairy crabs taken
from retail shops and analysed by a private laboratory
were found to contain antibiotics.
22
The
Department announces the extension of the freeze
on all fees and charges for the Department's services
(including those for various types of hawker licences)
to the end of 2002.
28
The
Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, visits Tsuen
Wan to see the work of cleansing workers in the
newly created jobs, including washing backlanes,
removal of gum dirt on pavements and illegal bills.
December
15
The
Department stages an exhibition at the 36th Hong
Kong Products Expo.
16
In
support of the Government's Waste Reduction Framework
Plan, the Department expands the recyclable waste
collection service in public places and increases
the collection points from 193 to 993.
17
The
Department launches a new phase of publicity for
the Clean Hong Kong Programme to showcase the visible
improvement.
18
The
Department releases findings of a risk assessment
of lap mei, which examined the risks associated
with the use of preservatives and colouring matters.
31
To
strengthen the control of vet drugs and agricultural
chemical residues in food, the first phase of the
Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation
2001, Cap. 132, comes into operation. Under the
newly amended regulation, the presence of seven
chemicals will be prohibited and the presence of
37 other chemicals in food will be restricted within
the stipulated maximum residual levels. Ten restricted
chemicals are included in the first phase of implementation.
The
Food and Public Health Branch has nine sections
responsible for a variety of tasks, including food
surveillance and certification; exercising import
control and conducting inspections and tests on
live food animals; as well as assessing risks from
certain categories of food and disseminating food
safety information. It also investigates outbreaks
of food-borne illness from food premises and stalls,
and advises on food standards and the prevention
and control of pests.
Safety
Control of Imported Food
With
most of Hong Kong's food supplies originating from
outside the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR), import controls are an important part of
the Department's work.
The control process, comprising a pre-entry licensing
system, verification of health documents, and surveillance
at import control points, basically applies to certain
categories of food considered high risk, including
game, meat, poultry, milk and frozen confections.
Safety
control of imported food in 2001
No.
of applications for import licence for frozen/chilled
meat and poultry approved
74
050
No.
of applications for import of game, meat and
poultry approved
4
191
No.
of applications for import of milk and milk
products approved
160
No.
of applications for import of frozen confections
approved
126
No.
of vehicles carrying vegetables inspected
at Man Kam To Food Control Office
75
353
As part of the day-to-day task of ensuring food
safety, close contact is maintained with local consulates,
food authorities in the Mainland and overseas, importers,
the Customs and Excise Department and other relevant
organisations.
Food
Surveillance
Daily
monitoring, testing and enforcement action are key
responsibilities to ensure the safety of food supply
in Hong Kong. Food samples are tested at every stage
of the supply process: from import and manufacture
to the wholesale and retail stages.
During the year, some 57 906 samples of food were
tested, representing eight samples for every 1 000
people in Hong Kong - much higher than the international
reference standard of three samples per 1 000 people.
Food samples undergo microbiological examination,
chemical analysis and radioactivity tests, allowing
an assessment as to whether or not they conform
to legal standards and labelling requirements.
The Man Kam To Food Laboratory provides expeditious
and comprehensive testing services, mainly on fresh
produce imported from the Mainland. The testing
services can be subdivided into two categories as
follows:
(i)
Analysis of pesticide residues in fresh vegetables.
Testing parameters include Methamidophos, Isocarbophos,
other Organophosphorus pesticides, Pyrethroids and
N-Methyl Carbamates.
(ii)
Analysis of veterinary drug residues in raw milk.
Testing parameters include Chloramphenicol, Tetracyclines
and Sulfonamides.
In 2001, the Man Kam To Food Laboratory has successfully
developed and validated new testing methods for
the determination of two fungicides, namely Carbendazim
and Thiabendazole in vegetables; and for the determination
of £]-lactams in milk. The scope of sulfonamides
that can be monitored in milk has also been increased
from six to 14 compounds. To cope with the requirements
of the new legislation for the control of veterinary
drug residues in food, a series of method development
projects in veterinary drug residues analysis are
currently underway in the Laboratory.
The data collected through the Food Surveillance
Programme serves an additional purpose. It is reviewed
and analysed regularly to facilitate topical studies
to assess the risk of specific foods and long-term
planning of food safety strategies.
Statistics
on the Food Surveillance Programme in 2001
A.
Testing of food samples
Testing
Number
Percentage
Chemical
(including toxicity)
Test reports received
Satisfactory
35
801
35
590
99.4%
Microbiological
Test reports received
Satisfactory
19
045
18
583
97.6%
Radioactivity
Test reports received
Satisfactory
1
840
1
840
100%
B.
Enforcement statistics concerning food labelling
No. of food labels inspected
58
230
No. of verbal and written warnings issued
1
294
No. of prosecutions taken out
110
Risk
Assessment
Determining
the potential risks from food-related hazards and
formulating risk management options play an important
role in safeguarding public health. Scientific evidence
derived from surveys and researches provides necessary
information for science-based risk assessment.
Studies
and Projects
As
part of its risk assessment work, the Department
conducts projects which involve a comprehensive
review and analysis of food-related hazards based
on available data, local food preparation practices
and surveillance findings.
Projects completed during the year were: "Aflatoxins
in Food", "Microbiological Risk Assessment
of Siu Mei and Lo Mei", "Microbiological
Quality of Ice Cream" and "Preservatives
and Colouring Matters in Chinese Preserved Meat".
In addition, a series of papers called "Risk-in-brief"
is produced, providing the public with results of
risk assessment on topical food safety hazards.
Several issues were released in 2001, and were posted
on the Department's web site. They included "Mad
Cow Disease", "Dioxins in Food",
and "Sweeteners in Food".
Food safety incidents, including recalls, originating
from outside Hong Kong are also assessed and monitored.
The potential risks to the local population are
assessed and action taken where necessary. Some
90 cases were assessed in 2001.
As part of the Department's efforts to promote nutrient
information to the general public and to facilitate
them to make healthy food choices, the Department
has set up an information system on nutritional
values of various food items at the Department's
web site (http://fehd-niis.gov.hk) for their reference.
The system, which is known as "Nutrient Information
Inquiry System", captures nutrient information
of some 1 000 commonly consumed food items that
are of relevance and interest to the local community.
Food
Standards
Setting
of food standards is an integral part of risk management
in food safety. In setting new food standards, scientific
evaluations performed by internationally recognised
authorities, such as the Joint Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO)/World Health Organisation (WHO)
Expert Committee on Food Additives, and the Joint
FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues serve as the
primary references.
Complementing these initiatives are a risk assessment
study assessing the dietary exposure of secondary
school students to dioxins and heavy metals in their
diet and the new Food Research Laboratory which
commissioned service in December 2001. The new laboratory
provides support to research and development with
laboratory data output for the assessment of dietary
exposure to chemical hazards. It also determines
nutritional composition of food.
The Department has drawn up a set of guidelines
on the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat food.
The guidelines are used by the authority in monitoring
food safety and can be used by the food trade as
a reference material in devising measures to improve
their food safety practices.
Genetically
Modified Food
Genetically
modified (GM) food is a new subject to many people.
To provide the public and trade with the most updated
information on this rapidly developing subject,
a Genetically Modified Food Section comprising a
multi-disciplinary team of medical and scientific
staff was established in June 2001. Educational
messages were conveyed to the target audience in
understandable language through a multitude of channels
including seminars, roving exhibitions, pamphlets,
and the Department's web site, aiming to enhance
public understanding of GM food.
Besides public education, the Section examines the
science behind biotechnology and studies regulatory
measures for GM food to safeguard public health.
In collaboration with the Government Laboratory,
the Department has been examining the methodology
and technology for testing GM ingredients in food,
including testing standards and protocols.
Risk
Communication
Risk
communication is an integral part, and arguably
the most important component, of the food safety
regulatory system.
As such, it aims to provide the trade and consumers
with clear perception of various kinds of risks
and encourage them to play their parts in enhancing
food safety. It also facilitates a positive and
timely response to potential safety hazards.
The Risk Communication Section handles enquiries
from the public on food safety issues and publicises
results of food surveillance and risk assessment
studies through the media, the "Food Safety
Express" web page, and the quarterly publication
of Food Safety Bulletins (Consumer and Trade Editions).
In addition, resource materials including pamphlets,
posters and videos on various topics of food and
public health are produced.
As part of a major initiative -- "Public Education
and Consultation Programme on Genetically Modified
Food", a public forum and a series of roving
exhibitions were organised to promote fruitful discussion
in the community about the consultation document
on labelling of GM food released in February 2001.
All sectors of the community, including the medical
profession, academic bodies, local consulates, legislative/district
councils, government sector, food trade, pressure
groups, media and the general public, actively participated
in the Programme.
The Risk Communication Section also plays an important
role in preventing vector-borne diseases. During
the year, an Anti-mosquito Campaign carrying the
theme of "Let's Remove Stagnant Water Eliminate
Mosquitoes for Healthy Living" was successfully
held in collaboration with other government departments.
The Campaign was launched from April to November
in two phases and targeted mainly at housing estates,
construction sites, public/private schools and hospitals.
Supported by talks, exhibitions and other educational
materials, the Campaign has enhanced public awareness
of the importance of mosquito control.
Summary
of risk communication activities in 2001
Item
2000
2001
No.
of educational / publicity programmes organised
10
10
No.
of resource materials (printed materials,
audio-visual materials) produced
50
65
Total
no. of attendance at public education / communication
activities
69
231
99
229
No.
of public enquiries handled
865
483
No.
of food licensees attending HACCP seminars
1
121
3
156
HACCP-based
Food Safety Plan
In
2001, the Department continued her effort in actively
promoting the adoption of Food Safety Plan (FSP).
FSP is a proactive food safety assurance model based
on the principle of Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point (HACCP).
The "Manage Risk for Food Safety" food
hygiene campaign held from June to October introduced
the concept of food risk and advocated FSP for risk
management in food preparation to the food trade
and the general public. The Department also devised
a special FSP promotion programme for the siu mei
and lo mei sector, a high-risk food business targeted
this year. Both managerial and operational staff
of the sector were invited to participate actively
in workshops and seminars. A total of 30 seminars
and workshops were organised for the food trade,
teachers and members of the general public. Roving
exhibitions were also mounted at various locations
throughout the HKSAR.
Management
of Food Incidents
Staffed
by doctors and nurses, the Food Incidents and Response
Management Section investigates food incidents,
including food poisoning outbreaks related to food
premises and carries out necessary follow-up actions.
To prevent future occurrences, emphasis is placed
on food, personal and environmental hygiene health
education for food handlers.
Food incident data are collated and analysed to
draw up targeted food safety education programmes
for the trade and general public. The number of
investigations carried out by the Section in relation
to food-borne diseases in 2001 was 699. Vibrio parahaemolyticus,
Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella have been identified
as the most common causative agents for food poisoning
outbreaks related to food premises.
Safety
Control of Live Food Animals
The
Veterinary Public Health Section (VPHS) is mainly
responsible for import control and conducting surveillance
progammes on those live food animals with public
health significance. Since the health status of
food animals may have direct impact on public health,
the task of VPHS is substantial.
To implement the concept of "feed to table",
veterinary staff pay visits to registered livestock
farms in the Mainland to ensure that good husbandry
practices are in place. In 2001, 33 million live
chickens, ducks, geese and other poultry were imported
into Hong Kong. Staff of VPHS performed quarantine
and inspection on these animals at various entry
points.
No.
of imported food poultry inspected and blood samples
tested in 2001
Type
of poultry
No.
of poultry imported
No.
of blood samples tested
No.
of animal health certificates verified
Chickens
and other poultry
33
205 775
229
108
15
760
Waterfowl
(Ducks
& Geese)
221
875
6
420
446
No.
of imported food animals inspected in 2001
Type
of animal
No.
of animals inspected
No.
of animal health certificates verified
Pigs
1
842 155
29
034
Cattle
50
468
3
710
Goats
4
262
42
No.
of pig urine samples collected for testing of beta-agonists
in 2001
No.
of pig urine samples taken for testing of
beta-agonists
85
318
Hong Kong had a second highly pathogenic avian influenza
outbreak in May 2001. To better prevent further
attacks, the Department has put in place a monthly
"rest day" programme in order to ensure
thorough cleansing and disinfection of poultry retail
outlets.
In 2001, the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Chemical
Residues) Regulation (Cap. 139) was introduced to
enhance effectiveness in the control of use of veterinary
chemicals in food animals. The new regulation prohibits
the use of certain chemicals including clenbuterol
and restricts the residue levels of a number of
antibiotics in food animals. To facilitate implementation,
every consignment of imported food animals must
be accompanied by an official animal health certificate
from a competent veterinary authority and with identification
marks so as to enable tracing back.
Besides, 455 samples of coral fish were collected
from retail and wholesale markets for ciguatera
analysis. Information regarding ciguatera outbreaks
and new harvesting zones was sent to importers and
fishermen advising them of fishing areas and species
which warranted special attention. Regular contacts
are maintained with the trade to facilitate the
tracing of coral fish consignments whenever necessary.
As for the export of animal products, 61 veterinary
health certificates were issued. The total value
of such products amount to HK$36 million for frozen
dim sum, chicken powder and moon cakes to European
Union countries, Australia, Canada, and the United
States.
Pest
Control
The
Department is the Government's advisor on pest control.
In the control of pests of public health importance,
the Department adopts an integrated approach, putting
equal emphasis on effective use of pesticides and
continuous improvement of environmental hygiene.
As a centre of expertise on pest control matters,
the Department regularly updates its control methodologies
and technologies, making reference to the WHO's
latest recommendations. The Department works in
close partnership with the trade and provides them
with professional support and advice.
Management
of Vector-borne Disease
Working closely with the Department of Health and
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation,
the Department serves as an executive arm in the
prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.
Upon notification of vector-borne disease, investigation
is initiated immediately, followed by appropriate
vector control measures.
Control
Programmes
Vector-borne diseases including malaria, dengue
fever, plague, urban typhus and hantaan disease
continue to pose threats to Hong Kong. Of particular
concern in 2001 was the threat of dengue fever.
Anti-mosquito
Campaign
The HKSAR was put on the alert, with threats of
dengue fever being imported from neighbouring areas.
With the launch of the Anti-mosquito Campaign 2001,
conducted in two phases, the population of Aedes
albopictus, a prevalent local vector able to transmit
dengue fever, was markedly reduced. However, the
community need to remain vigilant, as Hong Kong
is vulnerable to the spread of dengue fever. The
Department will continue placing emphasis on eliminating
breeding places for mosquitoes, particularly containers
disposed of improperly. For those who allow mosquitoes
to breed in their premises, legal action will be
taken.
Mosquito
control work
No.
of inspections made
No.
of mosquito breeding places found
No.
of warning letters issued
No.
of summonses taken out
87
636
26
655
457
351
In addition, a control programme has been put in
place against malaria transmissible mosquitoes,
covering a total of 647 streams. In line with the
Government's policy, malaria prevention work on
some streams were contracted out in late 2001 for
better use of resources.
Anti-rodent
Campaign
The Department continued its efforts in rodent control
and suppressing rodent activities in market buildings
and construction sites. Promoted through various
communication channels including theme talks and
exhibitions, the campaign had received substantial
media and public attention. A total of 10 834 rodents
were collected during the Reinforcement and Enhancement
Phases of the Anti-rodent Campaign 2000-01 mounted
in the year. On a regular basis, inspections and
disinfestation operations are carried out to contain
rodent problems. During the year, the Department
laid poison baits at 58 724 points and 3 247 traps,
disposing of 48 944 rodents.
Other
Control Programmes
Apart
from mosquitoes and rats, the Department also provides
disinfestation services to control other pests that
can spread diseases such as flies, fleas, mites,
cockroaches and ticks. Staff are deployed to patrol
refuse collection points, rear lanes and other trouble
spots to spray insecticides and remove items attracting
flies. The Department also provides services on
the knocking down of wasps upon the receipt of complaints.
Disinfestations
of arthropod pests
Arthropod
pest
Flies
Fleas
Wasps
Mites
Biting
midges
Cockroaches
Others
No.
of disinfestation operations by using pesticide
59
638
2
421
5
142
0
115
259
154
Risk
Assessment and Surveillance
Risk
assessment programmes have been put in place to
monitor rodent population in wharves and godowns;
and to monitor infestation of dengue and malaria
transmissible mosquitoes throughout the HKSAR.
Waterfront
plague surveillance
Rat-flea
Index
No.
of rodents collected
No.
of surveys at wharves and godowns
Stonecutters
Island Public Cargo Working Area
Wan
Chai Public Cargo Working Area
Stonecutters
Island Public Cargo Working Area
Wan
Chai Public Cargo Working Area
1.44
1.62
34
49
690
To
assess the risk of plague transmission, studies
have been carried out to assess the rat-flea situation.
During the year, wholesale markets were selected
for study.
Rat-flea
survey at wholesale markets
No.
of wholesale markets surveyed
Rat-flea
Index
No.
of rodents collected
2
0.31
22
Remarks:
It has been reported from the World Health Organisation
that Rat-flea Index greater than 1 represents a
potentially dangerous situation with respect to
increase plague risk for human.
Hong Kong is renowned for its vibrant international
airport. To ensure that the airport is free from
dengue fever and plague vectors, and in accordance
with international health regulations, monitoring
stations have been set up in the airport at Chek
Lap Kok. Monitoring figures in 2001 demonstrated
the effective control of these vectors.
The
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is the
licensing authority of food businesses and certain
trades in the HKSAR.
Licensing
Restaurants,
food factories, fresh provision shops, bakeries,
factory canteens, siu mei and lo mei shops, frozen
confection factories, milk factories and cold stores,
and so on are all required to obtain licences from
the Department. It also issues permits for the sale
of restricted foods such as frozen confections,
milk, non-bottled drinks, Chinese herb tea, cut
fruit, sushi and sashimi, oysters and meat to be
eaten raw, and food sold from vending machines.
Licences are only issued to food premises if they
conform to the prescribed safety and hygiene standards
laid down by law.
Trade licences are required for operating places
of public entertainment, such as theatres, cinemas
and entertainment machine centres, as well as commercial
bathhouses, private swimming pools, funeral parlours,
undertakers, slaughterhouses and offensive trades.
Provisional
Licence
To
facilitate the early set up of food business, we
operate a provisional licensing system. Under this
system, the Department issues a provisional food
business licence to premises which have satisfied
all essential health, building and fire safety requirements.
A provisional licence is valid for six months, during
which the licensee completes all outstanding requirements
for the issue of a full licence.
In 2001, 1 974 applications for provisional food
business licences were received, and 1 501 were
issued. A streamlined procedure has been introduced
since April 2000, whereby a case manager co-ordinates
the licensing process and new performance pledges
with reduced completion time have been set. In 2000
a Restaurant Licensing Resource Centre was also
opened to assist applicants. A more business-friendly
licensing service was commissioned in January 2001
when a new shroff office was set up to issue provisional
licences over the counter. The issuing time for
provisional licences has since been reduced from
seven working days to within one hour. On filing
report of compliance and production of the requisite
certificates of compliance, a licence applicant
may obtain a provisional licence over the counter
from the Provisional Food Business Licences Issue
Office.
Licences
Processed and Issued
During
the year, the Department received and processed
2 302 applications for food business licences (including
1 046 for restaurant licences), 1 589 applications
for restricted food permits, 925 applications for
places of public entertainment licences, and 51
applications for other trade licences. Licence applications
are handled by three licensing offices located on
Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and in the New Territories.
The Department also licensed five cinemas, seven
entertainment machine centres, seven commercial
bathhouses, 39 private swimming pools and four undertakers.
Liquor
Licensing
To
sell liquor, a licence is required from the Liquor
Licensing Board (the Board), an independent statutory
body established on January 1, 2000.
Staff from the Department provide executive and
secretarial support to the Board, which normally
meets twice every two weeks to deal with contested
cases. The Board regularly reviews the policy governing
the issue of licences and the control of licensed
premises in exercise of its powers under the law.
The Board has delegated its power of approving non-contested
applications for new issues, renewals, transfers
and amendments to the Director, Deputy Director
(Environmental Hygiene), Assistant Directors (Operations)
of the Department and the Secretary of the Board.
During the year, a total of 658 applications for
liquor and club liquor licences were received and
710 new licences were granted. A total of 4 567
liquor and club liquor licences were renewed.
The Board regularly arranges seminars on liquor
licensing with a view to enhancing the knowledge
of applicants and licensees of their legal liabilities
and the responsibilities for the proper management
of their premises. In 2001, 12 such sessions were
organised for 464 liquor licence applicants and
licensees.
Inspections
To
ensure that licensed food premises comply with the
requirements, conditions and hygiene standards prescribed
under the law, health inspectors perform regular
inspections and checks. In addition to routine inspections,
surprise inspections and formal inspections are
conducted. Premises issued with trade licences,
such as cinemas, commercial bathhouses and private
swimming pools, are also regularly checked.
Under the current Selective Inspection System, licensed
food premises are inspected at different frequencies
according to their past hygiene record. The system
aims to direct inspection resources towards those
premises with lower hygiene standards. The Department
has reviewed the system and considered that there
is room for strengthening the food safety aspects
in inspections and providing more health education
to restaurateurs. In this regard, a consultation
paper was published in January for public consultation.
The paper proposes to categorise food establishments
into different risk groups of varying inspection
frequencies and to conduct inspections on the basis
of a scoring system to enhance fairness and transparency.
The consultation ended on July 31, with a total
of 75 submissions received. The current inspection
system will be reviewed in the light of the views
collected.
Law
Enforcement
Food
business operators who breach the public health
law face prosecution. They will face the risk of
having their licences suspended or cancelled under
a Demerit Points System if they continue to violate
the law. The Department also cracks down on unlicensed
food businesses by taking out prosecutions and,
for persistent offenders, by summary arrest and
applying for closure of their premises.
To more effectively tackle unlicensed and unhygienic
food businesses, the Department has sought the support
of the Legislature for legislative amendments to
provide for a quick and effective mechanism to close
premises where unlicensed food business is conducted
or where an immediate health hazard is posed to
the public.
Statistics
on enforcement actions against licensed and unlicensed
food premises in 2001
Licensed
food premises
No.
of licensed food premises
17
654
No.
of inspections
403
408
No.
of prosecutions
4
411
No.
of suspension of licence under Demerit Points
System
288
No.
of cancellation of licence under Demerit Points
System
2
Unlicensed
food premises
No.
of unlicensed food premises under application
for licence
1
654
No.
of unlicensed food premises not under application
for licence
352
No.
of prosecutions
2
818
Summary
arrests -
No.
of raids carried out
579
No.
of persons arrested
260
No.
of Prohibition Orders granted during the period
303
No.
of Closure Orders granted during the period
0
The Department also mounted 36 operations against
unlicensed meat roasting factories in 2001, resulting
in 22 persons arrested, 16 076 kilograms of roasted
meat and 10 577 kilograms of raw meat seized.
Slaughterhouses
In
Hong Kong, fresh meat (i.e. beef, pork and mutton)
is supplied by three privately operated slaughterhouses.
They are located in Sheung Shui, Tsuen Wan and on
Cheung Chau. The Department is tasked with monitoring
and overseeing the smooth operation of the licensed
slaughterhouses and combating illegal slaughtering
activities.
To fulfil the Department's role in protecting public
health, all animals admitted to licensed slaughterhouses
for slaughtering are subject to both ante-mortem
and post-mortem inspections. This is to ensure meat
is fit for human consumption before release for
sale at markets. Meanwhile, staff mounted 153 operations
in the year on illegal slaughterhouses, resulting
in 13 prosecutions and the seizure of 13 185 kilograms
of pork, pig carcasses and live pigs. They also
conducted 11 702 surprise visits to fresh provision
shops and meat stalls to check if meat from unapproved
sources was being sold. Their action resulted in
three prosecutions.
The Department also ensures that enclosed type vehicles
with air-conditioning device are used for transporting
meat to retail outlets to enhance meat hygiene.
Maintaining
a clean and hygienic living environment for the
people of Hong Kong is one of the Department's key
responsibilities. The range of services it provides
in this respect covers street cleansing, waste collection,
the provision of toilets, public markets and crematoria,
and hawker management.
Street
Cleansing
A
departmental workforce of about 5 300 staff takes
up the daily task of sweeping and washing streets,
collecting waste and managing public toilets, public
bathhouses and waste collection points.
Street sweeping is an essential part of keeping
the city clean. Sweepers can be seen working from
daybreak until late evening. The frequency of sweeping
depends on the need in a particular area, and ranges
from once a day to eight times a day round the clock.
In the main commercial and tourist areas, streets
are swept about four to eight times a day.
A series of new cleansing initiatives addressing
district concerns have been implemented since November
2001 which include provision of static cleaners
at busy spots for the instantaneous removal of litter
on streets, removal of illegal bills or posters,
and roving cleansing teams for clearing hygiene
blackspots.
Complementing manual sweeping are 30 mechanical
sweepers used to cleanse highways, flyovers, central
dividers and other high-use traffic areas. Special
cleansing squads are deployed on a need basis to
hygiene blackspots. The squads have lorries, pick-up
vans and street-washing vehicles at their disposal
and are actively involved in major operations to
remove large abandoned articles and bulky items
that cannot be handled by street sweepers. They
also perform urgent clearances in the event of a
traffic accident or natural disaster.
To keep pavements, lanes, hawker areas and on-street
refuse collection points clean, street washing is
performed by departmental staff. A total of 65 street
washing vehicles operate day and night with frequency
varies from daily for busy thoroughfares and markets
and hawker areas to as necessary for village roads.
For trunk roads with very heavy traffic flows, street
flushing is achieved by means of spraying pressurised
water on to surface channels and central dividers.
Roadside gullies, meanwhile, are cleared manually
every two weeks. Larvicidal oil is added afterwards
as a precaution against mosquito breeding. Gully
traps on highways and flyovers are cleared once
every six weeks with specialised equipment. The
Department currently has 27 mechanical gully emptiers,
and they are normally employed after midnight when
traffic is light.
Refuse
Collection
Litter
containers provided by the Department can be found
at almost every bus stop, major road junction, ferry
concourse, transport interchange and Mass Transit
Railway/Kowloon Canton Railway exit in Hong Kong.
They are emptied at frequency commensurate with
usage. They range from four to eight times a day.
In total, there are more than 16 000 litter containers,
along with about 420 dog latrines and 434 dog excreta
collection bins for the convenience of dog owners.
To encourage feedback on the performance of our
staff and our contractors and to help determine
the frequency of bin emptying, a hotline number
2868 0000 is printed on all new litter containers.
Once street waste and waste from households has
been collected it is taken to any of the network
of 2 866 refuse collection points (RCPs). Different
types of RCPs are provided to meet local needs and
site constraints. They include 158 permanent off-street
RCPs, 97 temporary RCPs, 810 village-type RCPs,
and 1 801 bin sites. To further improve waste collection
services, the Department plans to build more off-street
RCPs equipped with features to minimise any environmental
nuisance to nearby residents. New RCPs, which are
designed to be visually attractive as well as odourless,
are equipped with water scrubber systems, vehicle
exhaust extraction systems and high pressure water
jet cleaners.
Household waste is collected at least once a day
at public RCPs, which generally operate from 7 am
to 3.30 pm but can stay open up to 11.30 pm in busy
areas. Waste collected at RCPs is removed by a fleet
of 387 refuse collection vehicles. About 5 964 tonnes
of household waste are collected daily - 1 292 tonnes
from Hong Kong Island, 1 889 tonnes from Kowloon,
and 2 783 tonnes from the New Territories and outlying
islands. Waste is then taken to refuse transfer
stations or landfills managed by the Environmental
Protection Department for disposal.
Waste
Reduction
In
support of the Government's Waste Reduction Framework
Plan 1998-2007, the Department has provided 993
recycling points in public places and government
venues for the collection of waste paper, aluminium
cans and plastic bottles. Space will be reserved
in new RCPs to set up a Material Recovery Point
for the separate collection and storage of recyclable
materials.
The support of the public for this initiative is
evidenced by the rise in the number of recyclables
collected. During the year, the average weight of
recyclable materials collected per month was 6 737
kilograms of waste paper, 636 kilograms of aluminium
cans and 1 787 kilograms of plastic bottles.
In response to the Government's initiative on waste
reduction and environmental protection, the Department
is now exploring the feasibility of using retread
tyres for its vehicle fleet. The plan not only aims
to reduce the number of used tyres and the maintenance
cost of vehicles but also achieves the purpose of
waste reduction. In the initial stage, only refuse
collection vehicles are selected for trial. If successful,
the arrangement will be extended to other types
of vehicles.
Public
Toilets and Bathhouses
The
Department has embarked on a refurbishment programme
to upgrade old public toilets. During the year,
facilities at 64 toilets (38 in the urban area and
26 in the New Territories) were upgraded under the
scheme. The Department remains committed to seeing
further improvements in hygiene, safety and comfort.
A free toilet paper scheme will be expanded from
the present 256 conveniences to all toilets with
attendants.
Public toilets are primarily provided at ferry concourses,
bus termini, picnic areas, tourist spots and other
busy areas. Altogether, 292 public toilets are managed
by the Department - 99 on Hong Kong Island, 67 in
Kowloon, and 126 in the New Territories and on outlying
islands. In addition, there are 583 aqua privies
in the New Territories and on outlying islands.
Public bathhouses, meanwhile, are provided in some
older districts where poor housing accommodation
still exists. There are 37 public bathhouses - 11
on Hong Kong Island, 15 in Kowloon and 11 in the
New Territories and on outlying islands.
Sanitary
Nuisances
The
Department deals with environmental nuisances such
as dripping air-conditioners, accumulation of refuse,
and defective plumbing and consequential water seepage
in buildings with the issue of advisory letters
and statutory Nuisance Notices.
Litter
Offences
All
officers of the Health Inspectorate, Supervisory
and Hawker Control Grades of the Department are
empowered to issue summonses against litter offenders.
Apart from the day-to-day enforcement action, anti-littering
blitz operations are also conducted. During the
year, a total of 28 720 summonses were issued, with
offenders fined a total of $15.67 million. The average
fine imposed by the Court was $551. Another 14 172
verbal warnings were administered to litter offenders.
The Legislative Council passed the Fixed Penalty
(Public Cleanliness Offences) Bill on July 12, 2001.
The new law covers offences of littering, spitting,
unauthorised display of bills and posters as well
as dog fouling in public places. Anyone who commits
the offences will be liable for a fixed penalty
of $600. The Department and other departments concerned
have been preparing for the implementation of the
fixed penalty system in 2002, including training
front-line staff, developing computer system, and
launching publicity programmes.
Hawker
Management
As
part of the Department's policy of reducing street
hawking, no new licences are issued and eligible
licensed hawkers are being relocated into public
markets and cooked food centres/markets. In addition,
incentives are offered to encourage hawkers either
to give up their licences or to move into the above
venues. As a result of these measures, the number
of licensed hawkers - both fixed-pitch and itinerant
- fell to 8 874 by the end of 2001.
During the year, 43 itinerant hawkers voluntarily
surrendered their licences in return for either
$30,000 ex-gratia payment or operating a vacant
fixed pitch or a market stall at a concessionary
rent. Meanwhile, 10 cooked food stall licensees
voluntarily surrendered their licences for $60,000
ex-gratia payment as part of an on-going buy-back
scheme.
The management and control of hawkers rests in the
hands of a trained staff force of about 2 600, who
are assigned to 194 hawker control teams. Support
facilities include control centres and seized goods
stores. When necessary, hawker-handling centres
are set up in police stations to facilitate charging
formalities of arrested hawkers.
Environmental hygiene staff inspect fixed pitches
regularly to ensure that the licensing conditions
and relevant legislative provisions are observed.
They also take necessary management actions on itinerant
hawkers whenever they are found plying their trade
in streets. Where necessary, they take enforcement
action to deter irregularities; such action resulted
in 3 012 convictions in 2001.
In December, the Department has revised the enforcement
strategies against hawking activities by taking
a more tolerant approach to hawkers in view of the
prevailing economic condition.
Public
Markets and Cooked Food Centres/Markets
The
provision of public markets and cooked food centres/markets
plays an important part in improving the overall
environment in Hong Kong. There are 81 public markets,
with 14 778 stalls offering commodities ranging
from fresh food to household items, and 1 026 stalls
in 37 cooked food centres and 24 free-standing cooked
food markets. One new market in Chai Wan was opened
in April, with another four under planning or construction.
The public markets and cooked food centres/markets
will, as far as practicable, be air-conditioned
to provide a clean and pleasant trading environment.
All stalls are let through auction, with stallholders
entering into a tenancy agreement. Under the existing
policy, the majority of stallholders are enjoying
a reduction in rent. The legacy of different regional
practices is now being reviewed, with a view to
creating a streamlined, common set of policies for
markets and cooked food centres/markets.
Market staff make daily checks to ensure stallholders
observe the relevant provisions in their tenancy
agreements and the law. Health inspectorate officers
also conduct regular inspections to meat, poultry,
fish and cooked food stalls to ensure that the food
is clean and wholesome through observance of relevant
codes of hygiene practices and legislation. Whenever
conditions warrant, they take enforcement action
for contravention of relevant legislation. In 2001
there were 2 350 convictions.
Cemeteries
and Crematoria
The
Department provides efficient and dignified cremation
or burial services through six crematoria and 11
public cemeteries. It also manages and monitors
28 private cemeteries. It is the Government's policy
to promote cremation over burial, and during the
year more than 81 per cent of all cadavers - 26
937 - were cremated. Some 137 939 niches are provided
at reasonable prices for the storage of ashes in
eight Gardens of Remembrance.
After six years, human remains buried in public
cemeteries have to be exhumed, to be either cremated
or reburied in an urn cemetery. Three service halls
in the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour are provided
at no charge for bereaved families as "farewell
pavilions". Owing to the low utilisation rate
of the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour and the high
demand of funeral services, the Department will
contract out the funeral services of Hung Hom Public
Funeral Parlour in early 2002.
In view of the ageing population and increasing
demand for cremation services, plans are in hand
to upgrade cremation facilities.
New
Facilities
Funds
have been secured for reprovisioning four existing
cremators at the Kwai Chung Crematorium. The new
facilities will be commissioned in 2002. Whenever
practicable, environmentally friendly facilities
with increased capacity and speed for cremation
will be introduced to enhance efficiency and minimise
environmental nuisances. In this connection, the
Department is actively planning for the replacement
of cremators at the Fu Shan Crematorium and the
Diamond Hill Crematorium.
There is also a phased programme in place to upgrade
service halls of crematoria. Refurbishment of the
christian service halls in the Cape Collinson Crematorium
will commence soon.
For public convenience, booking of cremation sessions
at six public crematoria at Cape Collinson, Diamond
Hill, Fu Shan, Wo Hop Shek, Kwai Chung and Cheung
Chau can be made in person at Wu Chung House in
Wan Chai and Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices in
Kowloon.
The
Administration and Development Branch provides various
back-up and support services to the entire Department.
These include, inter alia, staff management and
development, financial management, information technology,
planning of capital works projects and public education
on environmental hygiene and food safety.
Grade
Management
There
are three major departmental grades in the Department,
viz. the Health Inspector Grade, the Hawker Control
Officer Grade and the Foreman Grade. There are two
Grade Managers, one for the Health Inspector and
the other for the Hawker Control Officer and the
Foreman Grades. The Grade Managers are responsible
for human resource management matters such as manpower
planning, career development, postings, promotions
and training.
The Health Inspector Grade comprises six ranks viz.
Senior Superintendent, Superintendent, Chief Health
Inspector, Senior Health Inspector, Health Inspector
I/II and Student Health Inspector. They are responsible
for various environmental hygiene and food safety
functions, for example, district hygiene, licensing,
prosecution, meat inspection, cleansing service,
pest control, hawker control, market management,
management of cemeteries and crematoria, food control
and health education, and so on.
The Hawker Control Officer Grade comprises five
ranks viz. Principal Hawker Control Officer, Chief
Hawker Control Officer, Senior Hawker Control Officer,
Hawker Control Officer and Assistant Hawker Control
Officer. They are responsible for controlling and
containing on-street hawking activities, managing
hawker permitted places and taking law enforcement
action against illegal hawking activities.
The Foreman Grade comprises four ranks viz. Senior
Overseer, Overseer, Senior Foreman and Foreman.
They are mainly responsible for supervising the
work of minor staff in market management, street
cleansing, waste collection, pest control, cemeteries
and crematoria services as well as monitoring the
performance of cleansing contractors. They are also
empowered to take legal action against litter offenders.
Training
Vocational
and general training is provided to staff to equip
them with the necessary knowledge and skills to
carry out their duties, and to help them gain the
pre-requisite qualifications for promotion and to
enhance professionalism.
Staff are provided with in-house programmes, locally-commissioned
public programmes and overseas programmes, with
an evaluation system in place to measure the effectiveness
of each programme.
In-house programmes are organised to enhance officers'
functional and core competence. They are either
designed, administered, conducted and evaluated
by staff of the Training Section or co-ordinated
by the Training Section and conducted by the Civil
Service Training and Development Institute.
Besides, local institutes help administer and conduct
locally-commissioned and public programmes. Some
of these programmes lead to the award of qualifications
which are pre-requisites to appointment, confirmation
or promotion. Also overseas programmes are organised
to enhance skills and knowledge in functional competence,
when expertise in organising such programmes is
not available in local institutes.
Management
Services
Management
studies and statistical surveys help facilitate
the Department in providing efficient and effective
public services, in monitoring the standard of quality
performance, and in formulating policy.
The Management Services, Survey and Statistics Section,
comprised of the Management Services Unit and the
Survey and Statistics Unit, is responsible for the
provision of management consultancy studies and
opinion surveys.
Major projects completed during the year by the
Management Services Unit included "Comprehensive
Review of Hawker Control Operations", "Foreman
Grade Review", "Review of Returns of Environmental
Hygiene Branch" and "Review of the Frequency
of Mechanised Gully Cleansing Service".
At the same time, new management consultancy studies
started in the year include "Review of Manual
Street Sweeping (Town Beat) Services", "Review
of Street Washing Services", "Review of
Health Inspector Grade", "Staffing Review
of Ganger Grade", "Review of Pest Control
Operations", "Review of Mechanised Street
Sweeping Service" and "Review of Mechanised
Gully Cleansing Service".
Besides, it assists clients in the Department in
implementing recommendations in various review reports,
maintains and upgrades the bar-coding file management
system to enhance office efficiency, and renders
contribution to departmental form design.
The Survey and Statistics Unit completed a number
of surveys in 2001 such as "Survey on Food
Safety", "Clean Hong Kong Survey",
"Survey on Demolition of Yee Kuk Street Public
Toilet", "Study on Market Facilities in
Central", and "Survey on FEHD Public Toilets".
There are also new surveys being carried out or
planned in the year, including "Survey on New
Trade Types for Vacant Stalls in Kowloon City Market",
"Survey on the Demand on Market Facilities
in Siu Sai Wan and Tung Chau Street Area",
"Survey on Consumer Food Purchasing Habits",
"Longitudinal Survey on Clean Hong Kong Programme
(Phase 1 and Phase 2)" and "Study on Meat
Consumption in Hong Kong".
Moreover, it compiles an annual statistical report
for the Department and offers technical advice to
clients of the Department on how to undertake statistical
surveys and analyse the data collected.
Financial
Management
All
matters relating to expenditure and procurement,
including payment processing, financial advice and
monitoring, are handled by the Finance and Supplies
Division.
In 2001, the Department spent $4,187 million. Of
this, $3,083 million was spent on salaries and allowances,
$1,041 million on general departmental expenses
and $63 million on capital expenditure.
By activities, the majority of the expenditure ($2,003
million) was spent on environmental hygiene. This
was followed by $1,350 million for market management
and hawker control, $335 million for food safety
and public health, $289 million for administration
and development, $177 million for monitoring the
food trade, and $33 million for public education
and community involvement.
Expenditure control is exercised through a two-tier
budget officer framework. In most cases, tier one
budget officers are division heads and tier two
budget officers are section heads. At the beginning
of each financial year, the Director allocates to
tier one budget officers the provision necessary
to carry out duties under their purview. Tier one
budget officers then sub-allocate their budgets
to tier two budget officers serving in the same
division.
Expenditure can only be incurred within the limits
approved by the Legislative Council. When incurring
expenditure, budget officers have to ensure that
expenditure is charged against subheads strictly
according to their ambits, and that strict economy
is exercised.
In 2001, the Department was responsible for government
revenue amounting to $695 million. The majority
of revenue ($329 million) came from the rents of
some 13 000 stalls in markets managed by the Department.
This was followed by $234 million from licences
and permit fees for food-related businesses. Other
sources of revenue included fees for cemeteries
and crematoria services ($53 million), fees for
meat examination ($32 million) and other miscellaneous
services ($47 million).
Information
Technology
In
the continuing pursuit of excellence in the provision
of services, the Department has placed great emphasis
on applying information technology (IT) to its internal
operations. Today, IT has been employed in most
areas of the Department's work, including the management
of personnel, finance and inventory, capital projects,
transport, markets and hawkers, as well as in training,
cemeteries and crematoria services, licensing and
prosecution, food information, hotline services,
research and analysis, and so on.
The Department fully supports the Government's IT
initiatives. Sophisticated technologies (including
digital certificates and encryption algorithms)
and operation procedures are being used to protect
sensitive electronic information. An extensive management
system facilitating the optimal use of the Department's
software asset, which combines special computer
software and tailored policies and procedures, has
been set up. E-payment option is already available
to facilitate payment of market stall rental. On
top of the Department's mature fixed computer network,
mobile computing is being introduced to further
enhance efficiency in field operations. In the latter
half of 2001, a study was mounted to examine the
Department's position in e-Government. A number
of improvements have been identified for follow
up action to be taken, such as to realise potential
of IT-enabled business transformation, to consider
implementing knowledge management and formal data
management framework.
The departmental web site (www.fehd.gov.hk) is enriched
and updated continuously. The web pages have been
re-structured to facilitate access by people with
disabilities. The public may send in enquiries,
comments and complaints via the Department's web
site; obtain and return the Access to Information
request form electronically. To ensure that every
enquiry and complaint received from the public is
followed up thoroughly and promptly and to monitor
relevant statistics, the process is now facilitated
by a centralised computer system. The computerised
cemeteries and crematoria services now cover burial
services, thereby further enhancing the Department's
operational efficiency.
In the efforts to keep enhancing the operation through
the use of information technology, the Department
is currently undertaking several major information
technology projects related to the impending enforcement
of the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences)
Ordinance, the further automation of licensing activities,
and market rental collection and control, and so
on. The Department will spare no effort to explore
using state-of-the-art information technology to
improve the quality and efficiency of the services.
Capital
Works
In
the 2001 Government's Capital Works Resource Allocation
Exercise, the five-year allocation on food and environmental
hygiene services capital projects is about $3,531
million. Out of the total allocation, about $1,894
million have been earmarked for new projects whilst
about $1,637 million are to meet expenditure for
projects under construction or projects that have
been completed with outstanding accounts.
Markets
A
new market, provided within a complex building in
Chai Wan, was completed in early 2001. Three markets
to be provided in multi-functional complexes in
Tai Po, Luen Wo Hui and Tai Kok Tsui are under construction.
Construction of a new market in Aldrich Bay Reclamation
Area is scheduled to commence in early 2002.
Improvement works to the San Hui Market in Tuen
Mun and the Tai Po Temporary Market in Tai Po were
completed at the end of 2001. Besides, conversion
works to the West Block of the Centre Street Market
in Sai Ying Pun were completed while those to the
East Block are in progress. The Department is also
carrying out improvement works to two markets, namely
the Tung Yick Market in Yuen Long and the Yeung
Uk Road Market in Tsuen Wan.
Nineteen air-conditioning retro-fitting projects
for existing markets and/or cooked food centres
are under active planning. District Council consultations
will be conducted in early 2002. If everything goes
smoothly, retro-fitting works will commence in 2003
at the earliest for completion in 2004 or 2005,
depending on the scope and complexity of individual
projects.
About 30 market venues are lined up for general
improvement works which will be implemented by phases
starting from 2003.
Markets/Cooked
Food Centres (CFC) under the Air-conditioning Retro-fitting
Projects
