Get Tougher With Park Singers, Demand Lawmakers

Lawmakers have called for even tough measures against park singers, saying the government's plans to make it easier to prosecute people don't go far enough.

The administration has proposed changing the law to allow more people to serve as witnesses to such noise pollution, including park staff and nearby residents, and not just members of the public who have been disturbed by the noise.

At a Legislative Council home affairs panel meeting on Monday, lawmakers complained that some groups that sing in public parks have long been a nuisance to visitors and people living nearby.

The councillors said they are happy the government is planning legal amendments, but that this won't stop the problem of noisy park singers.

Council Front's Au Nok-hin said this is because the maximum punishment of a two-week jail term or a HK$2,000 fine is far too lenient; and the amateur singers can earn much more money from their audiences.

"They receive red packets which [amount to] quite a large amount of money, around a thousand dollars or something," Au said, adding that he'd like to see fines of between HK$5,000 and HK$10,000, as well as park bans.

But the director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Michelle Li, said throwing offenders out of parks would be controversial. She also said it is not illegal for people to give money to amateur singers.

The director did say that the government will look into what extra measures could be taken, such as creating a blacklist.

Li also told lawmakers that the department will hire more people, especially in places where there have been many complaints regarding noise pollution, such as Tuen Mun Park and To Kwa Wan's Hoi Sham Park.

She said they are also looking into whether they can hire retired policemen to work as park guards.