Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing on Wednesday (April 9) said a survey on the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Charging Demonstration Scheme will be conducted anonymously at 14 selected premises in the third week after the demonstration scheme begins.
The demonstration scheme, which began on April 1, covers public and private residential buildings, restaurants, residential care homes, shopping malls and government buildings.
Cheuk, Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak today held a briefing session on the demonstration scheme for District Council (DC) members to introduce the background, objectives and details of the survey.
Cheuk said that as MSW charging directly affects the daily lives of seven million citizens, the Government must act cautiously and assess the process and practical operations of MSW charging, involving different participants in various scenarios as well as understand the issues or difficulties faced by the stakeholders and participants.
The survey aims to collect opinions and trial experiences from different stakeholders, including residents, cleaning workers, property management and business operators, so that the Government can have a comprehensive understanding of MSW charging's implementation status and relevant groups' readiness, and make practical arrangements and decisions.
At the briefing session, Cheuk also explained why respective DC members were invited to participate in the survey.
"It is hoped that they can collect opinions from members of the public more effectively, independently and objectively than government personnel, and reflect them to the Government faithfully."
He added that this task realized the purpose of reforming the DC to ensure effective communication between the Government and members of the public.
An interdepartmental task force led by Cheuk is responsible for overseeing and reviewing every aspect of the demonstration scheme.
As decided in previous meetings, the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), Home Affairs Department, Environment & Ecology Bureau and Environmental Protection Department will jointly conduct an opinion survey, while the HYAB will arrange for relevant DC members to conduct face-to-face interviews with selected respondents at selected premises.
The interdepartmental committee will summarise the results of the demonstration scheme and report to the Legislative Council in May to June.
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