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The public consultation on the licensing scheme for private columbaria ended today (March 30). As at 5pm today, the Government had received a total of 153 submissions from individuals and organisations. Members of the public have contributed a wide range of views and suggestions during the three-and-a-half-month consultation period on various aspects including licensing conditions for private columbaria and their operation, as well as consumer protection.
The Food and Health Bureau published the consultation document on December 13 last year, proposing to formulate a new piece of legislation entitled the Private Columbaria Ordinance, under which all private columbaria, unless exempted, shall be subject to regulation under the licensing scheme. A statutory Private Columbaria Licensing Board would also be set up as the licensing authority.
During the consultation, officials of the Food and Health Bureau widely consulted different sectors of the community through various channels, including the relevant Legislative Council Panel, the relevant advisory bodies, all District Councils, the trade and other stakeholders to allow for more in-depth deliberation on the subject.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said, "The community in general supports a licensing scheme to enhance regulation of private columbaria. We will study and analyse views collected and embark on the relevant legislative exercise."
In order to help the public make informed choices when purchasing niches before the introduction of the licensing scheme, the Development Bureau has published and updated quarterly the relevant land/lease (user restrictions) and planning information relating to those private columbaria that are made known to the Lands Department or Planning Department, and those which the departments have reason to believe are operating as columbaria. The Development Bureau just published another update today.
Meanwhile, the spokesman reminded members of the public to obtain from the operators full and complete information prior to purchase. Such information includes how the operators would look after the interests of their customers should the columbarium concerned close down or be prohibited from operating, for example the handling of cremains already interred and whether there would be any refund or compensation. Members of the public should seek independent legal advice on their rights when necessary.
On supply of public niches, the spokesman said, "We will adopt all feasible measures to increase the relevant supply. The Government has been promoting the district-based columbarium development scheme and has identified 24 potential sites in 18 districts in Hong Kong for columbarium development. The Government is forging ahead with the technical feasibility studies on relevant sites and will consult relevant District Councils before the sites are confirmed for columbarium development."
The construction of a new public columbarium with 43,710 niches and a Garden of Remembrance in the Wo Hop Shek Cemetery is under way for completion in mid-2012. The construction works in Diamond Hill Columbarium for 1,540 new niches and Cheung Chau Cemetery for 990 new niches will also be completed in early 2012 and late 2013 respectively. Together with the supply of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries, there will be over 120,000 new niches in the coming five years (i.e. 2012 to 2016) to meet the overall public demand.
Ends/Friday, March 30, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:53
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