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SFH on measures to prevent avian influenza
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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session after attending radio programmes this morning (June 28):

Reporter: (about chicken farmers' plan to take their chickens with them to participate in July 1 rally)

Secretary for Food and Health: The chicken farmers have applied to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to have a release licence for chickens. But we have already said that this cannot be granted. I hope that they will not do anything that is unlawful. Of course we will allow any type of demonstration in a non-violent manner. More important, we hope they would engage us and discuss with us on the various issues that they are concerned about.

Reporter: (about enforcement actions against chicken farmers' protest)

Secretary for Food and Health: No, Hong Kong is a free place and anybody can demonstrate on July 1 or any other time as long as they get permission from the Police.

Reporter: Given the loss of contact with some of the retailers, will there be any disruption or delay in the reopening of retail outlets?

Secretary for Food and Health: Right now, among the 64 markets, 12 have passed the sanitation and hygiene tests. We feel that more (markets) will be upcoming. Colleagues of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will be contacting all the stall owners to ensure that they will do their job. We have also asked the trade to cooperate to contact those owners who might be out of town to come back in time to cleanse their stalls so that they can comply with the hygiene condition for lifting the ban.

Reporter: (about reopening of retail outlets)

Secretary for Food and Health: If one stall is not thoroughly cleansed and still have perhaps any chicken debris and excreta there, we will not be able to lift the ban. This is a very important aspect. That is why we have through our staff and the trade themselves appealed to them that they should all come back and do the cleansing as soon as possible.

Reporter: (about compensation package)

Secretary for Food and Health: We started off with the retailers because they are more ready to talk. As I said earlier, we look at about 90 per cent of acceptance as the compensation package will be considered and taken to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on July 4. We are waiting for the response of the retailers at this point of time.

Reporter: (about no live poultry at retail outlets overnight)

Secretary for Food and Health: The managers and our health inspectors will go to the stalls every day around 8pm to ensure that all live chickens will be culled and properly stored or sold by that time. This is some extra work for our market managers but this is important that we have to enforce this regulation.

Reporter: (about inspecting live poultry retail outlets)

Secretary for Food and Health: It is something that we will start on July 2. This is a very important enforcement. We will mobilise as many staff as possible to do this.

(Pls also refer to the Chinese session of the transcript)

Ends/Saturday, June 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 13:41

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