Battle to clean up hygiene black spots goes online
Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk says a website highlighting public hygiene black spots and showing what has been done to improve them will go online soon, in the next step in the government's efforts to clean up Hong Kong's streets.  In an article for the Ta Kung Pao newspaper on Wednesday, Cheuk said officials would not relent in their battle to improve hygiene, despite the fact that a three-month clean-up campaign launched in August had now concluded.  "To further strengthen the monitoring of the programme's effectiveness, we will launch a website within the month to list all hygiene black spots for members of the public to compare the situation before and after the operation. They can also report recurrent cases and suggest new black spots," he wrote.  The deputy chief secretary has been overseeing the clean-up operation, taking long walks on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon to inspect the situation in October and declaring the streets much cleaner. In his article, Cheuk also said officials hoped a proposed increase in the fine for illegal shop extensions would come into effect in the middle of the year. That would mean retailers who allowed their businesses to spill out onto pavements or other public areas would risk a HK$6,000 penalty, up from the current HK$1,500.  He said officials are also seeking to amend the law to give Food and Environmental Hygiene Department officers the power to remove obstructions under certain circumstances.  Cheuk also said the authorities would take action to combat possible problems arising from cross-border trading activities after the resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland, including checking on street cleanliness in North District, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun.  The minister chaired an inter-departmental meeting ahead of the resumption of quarantine-free travel earlier this month to address the issue of parallel traders – people who buy large quantities of goods in Hong Kong for resale on the mainland.  Meanwhile Cheuk said the administration planned to table a bill to refund stamp duty on home purchases for new arrivals who subsequently become permanent residents to the Legislative Council in March. The initiative forms part of the government's effort to trawl the world to find talented people to move to Hong Kong.