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The Chairman of Team Clean, Chief Secretary for Administration Mr Donald Tsang, today (July 15) stressed the importance of public education and community support in continued efforts to keep Hong Kong clean and hygienic.
Speaking at the Naming and Launching Ceremony of 'Team Clean Express', Mr Tsang also called on the community to take part in the efforts and to help make Hong Kong a healthy, hygienic world city.
Mr Tsang noted that a number of the Team's short-term measures have made good progress.
For example, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has cleaned up common areas of about 350 old tenement buildings. The Buildings Department has inspected the external drainpipes of nearly 11 000 private buildings without Owners' Corporations and issued about 1 000 advisory letters calling on owners to repair faulty pipes.
"Furthermore, we have the strong support of District Councils, and conditions at hygiene blackspots are being gradually improved. A 'zero tolerance' approach is being adopted by law enforcement departments and this is working well," Mr Tsang said.
Mr Tsang said that public education and community participation were crucial in enabling the sustainability of these efforts.
"On civic education, Team Clean has produced a series of six TV Announcements in the Public Interest to promote messages of hygiene and health. We have collated information from various leaflets on personal and home hygiene and compiled a 'Keep Clean, Be Healthy' booklet. We will send this booklet to all households in Hong Kong shortly. We will also translate this booklet into various languages to cater for the needs of ethnic groups.
"I would like to thank the MTR Corporation for their generous offer of the 'Team Clean Express', so that we can spread the 'Live Hygiene, Live Health' message to various districts. The 'Team Clean Express' will run for one year."
The Chairman of MTR Corporation, Mr Jack So, said at the ceremony, "Keeping Hong Kong clean and ensuring a better environment for our future generations are everyone's responsibility. We at the MTR have long been committed to providing a clean and hygienic travelling environment for our passengers.
"SARS has served to reinforce just how important our commitment to cleanliness is for our passengers and for the long-term sustainability of our company. Together with our many service partners, we will continue to provide a clean, comfortable and litter-free travelling environment for everyone.
"We hope the 'Team Clean Express' will help to spread this message to all of Hong Kong." Mr So said.
End/Tuesday, July 15, 2003
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