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The Government announced today (December 1) that the voluntary surrender scheme for itinerant hawker licences (IHLs) would be extended by one year to December 31, 2009.
The voluntary surrender scheme for IHLs was introduced in 2002 and was valid for five years from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2007. It was extended in 2007 by one year to December 31, 2008.
Under the scheme, an IHL holder who voluntarily surrenders his licence may choose any one of the following options –
* to select a vacant fixed pitch and be regarded as a fixed pitch licensed hawker;
* to select a vacant stall in a public market and enjoy certain concessionary rental arrangements; or
* to receive an ex gratia payment (EGP) of $30,000.
"In view of the Government's current review of hawker licensing policy which may have implications for IHL operations, and the requests of several hawker associations to extend the validity of the voluntary surrender scheme, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has decided to extend the validity of the scheme by one year to December 31, 2009," a spokesman for the department said.
As at September 30, 2008, a total of 401 IHL holders had voluntarily surrendered their licences under the scheme. Among them, 320 opted for EGP, 58 selected vacant fixed pitches and 23 selected vacant public market stalls. At present, there are about 559 IHL holders remaining.
Ends/Monday, December 1, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:39
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