The Government today (July 11) again strongly appealed to all sectors of the community, including domestic helpers, to continue to fight the virus together. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) conducted joint operations with several government departments again over the past weekend (July 9 and 10) to carry out publicity and educational work at popular places in various districts where the public and domestic helpers commonly gather, appealing to them to raise awareness of epidemic prevention and urging them to comply with the various anti-epidemic regulations and restrictions, and other legislations.
The FEHD, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Labour Department, relevant District Offices, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Immigration Department, conducted joint operations at public places in various districts near popular gathering places of the public and domestic helpers during weekends and public holidays. Apart from arranging for cleaning contractors to strengthen the street cleaning services at the relevant spots, the FEHD also stepped up patrols to combat unlicensed hawking activities. Promotional leaflets in multiple languages were also distributed by the FEHD to appeal to the public and domestic helpers to maintain environmental hygiene and refrain from conducting unlicensed hawking activities. During the operations, a total of 22 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued by the FEHD to persons who breached public cleanliness offences, 30 seizures of hawker abandoned articles, including cooked food, were effected, and two prosecutions were also taken against licensed hawkers for breaching the Hawker Regulation (Cap. 132AI). The public and domestic helpers were also reminded by other government departments to comply with the regulations on mask wearing and the prohibition of group gatherings in public places. Having regard to the effectiveness of the operations in those two days, the relevant departments have successfully blocked illegal hawking activities (be these cooked food or otherwise) at such public places where congregation activities are common.
During the relevant operations since this year, a total of 230 FPNs were issued by the FEHD to persons who breached public cleanliness offences or caused obstruction in public places, 12 persons were arrested and prosecuted for illegal hawking in public places, 238 seizures of hawker abandoned articles, including cooked food, were effected. In addition, three prosecutions were taken against operators of restaurants for breaching the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) and two prosecutions were taken against licensed hawkers for breaching the Hawker Regulation.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The local situation of COVID-19 infection is still severe. Avoiding group gatherings is of utmost importance in preventing the pandemic from spreading in the community. Relevant departments will continue to step up publicity and education campaigns, and take stringent enforcement actions. All sectors must also stay vigilant, exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together."
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