Govt To Review Laws To Better Tackle Hygiene Issues

The government on Wednesday said it will launch a comprehensive review of the city’s hygiene laws to better keep Hong Kong clean.

The territory-wide cleanup was the focus of the second round of informal "antechamber talks" at the Legislative Council, held between Chief Secretary Eric Chan and legislators.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the government’s number-two official said authorities will continue to work on fine-tuning the cleanup campaign.

His deputy Warner Cheuk, who's overseeing the operation, said there's a need to review hygiene laws.

"We will be looking at whether the existing legislation is adequate, in terms of empowering government departments to properly carry out their duties, and also the adequacy of the penalty," he said.

"We will take a holistic view, and if necessary, we will propose changes to existing legislation, or even we will explore the prospect of enacting a new legislation."

In response, the DAB said officials need to prioritise certain areas when considering law changes. For example, the party said keeping construction waste off the streets should top the agenda.

One of its lawmakers, Elizabeth Quat, also proposed tapping into smart technology to gauge the effectiveness of the cleanup operation.

"My suggestion is to have the Hong Kong government build a platform... to let citizens report directly to the app, to capture images about the cleanliness of every single street," she said.

Jeffrey Lam from the Business and Professionals Alliance, meanwhile, said authorities should install monitor systems not only in back alleys, but across all 18 districts of the city.