The work of our department touches everyone in the community, whether it is through our efforts in helping to keep Hong Kong clean, combating dengue fever and avian flu or making sure the food we eat is safe and free from contamination. The challenges facing us in 2002 proved just as daunting as in past years. But I am pleased to report that with the dedication and a professional outlook of our staff, we were able to rise to the occasion and provide a whole range of services at a standard in keeping with our status as Asia's world city.

Nevertheless, in preparing my message, it is difficult not to make reference to events that were to unfold in the early part of 2003 that stretched our resources to the limit. Events that highlighted Hong Kong's true community spirit in fighting, and eventually overcoming, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). However, the way our staff tackled the many tasks in 2002 helped prepare us for what was to come. I would like to pay tribute to all our staff for the way they handled the situation during 2002 and for their efforts in helping the fight against SARS in the early part of 2003.

Maintaining a clean and hygienic living environment for the people of Hong Kong is one of our key responsibilities. Our Department went on high alert following an outbreak of dengue fever, and a territory-wide anti-mosquito campaign was quickly put into action. Thanks to the efforts of all parties, the outbreak was successfully curbed.

But the emphasis on a clean and healthy environment took on new meaning with the SARS outbreak, which prompted the establishment of Team Clean and the development of a comprehensive strategy to keep Hong Kong clean with the help of the entire community. Stricter enforcement is being taken against spitting and littering offences, illegal cooked food hawkers, dirty rear lanes and private roads, unhygienic market stalls, and dirty toilets and pavements in front of shops. Increased cleansing of streets in busy areas, cleansing of common areas of over 800 old private buildings, urgent clean-up of district hygiene blackspots, and strengthening enforcement action against food premises, are just some of the initiatives being undertaken by the Department to improve environmental hygiene and eliminate vermin. And there will be continuing efforts to change the mindset of the people to play their part in continuing to keep Hong Kong clean.

Last year, we were assisted in our efforts with the introduction of the fixed penalty system for common litter offences, carrying a fine of $600, which came into effect on 27 May. By the end of 2002, we had issued nearly 9,000 fixed penalty notices. Overall, the scheme was implemented smoothly and is now a welcome tool in improving the cleanliness of Hong Kong. At the time of writing this report, we were pleased that proposals to more than double the fixed penalty to $1,500, as part of the Team Clean crackdown on these offences, had been endorsed by the Legislative Council and put into effect.

The use of information technology (IT) helped with the implementation of the new fixed penalty scheme. In fact, IT has now become a significant part of our core business and is enabling us to deliver more and better quality services to the public and to co-operate more efficiently with other government departments. IT programmes were developed or enhanced to help strengthen the control on food sampling activities and mobile computing devices are being used in field inspections on the performance of cleansing contractors. This should provide useful information in the management of outsourced services.

In this regard, the Department is playing an important part in the government's general drive for greater cost effectiveness. By the end of 2002, we had successfully outsourced 160 contracts worth almost $1.9 billion for the provision of services by private contractors. The cleansing of public markets, buildings and streets, waste collection, security guard services, control of mosquitoes in streams, and the collection of recyclables are examples of the services we have contracted out. And we are ensuring the quality of the services by including measurable performance standards in the contracts, as well as safeguarding the rights and benefits of workers.

This is just a very brief synopsis of some of our work during 2002 and a pointer to things to come in 2003. Full credit goes to the staff and my predecessor for their dedication and the enthusiasm with which they tackled their many tasks during 2002 in helping to create a cleaner and healthier Hong Kong.

Gregory Leung
Director
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department