SCS visits Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (with photos)
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The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, visited the Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (November 4) to learn more about the work of frontline colleagues and to meet with its management and staff of various grades.
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, Mr Nip first met with the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Ms Irene Young, and the directorate staff to receive an update on the department’s work in ensuring food safety and maintaining public hygiene, as well as the challenges confronting them.
Mr Nip also met with staff representatives of various grades and frontline colleagues to exchange views on matters that concern them. Mr Nip also learnt about the implementation of the arrangements requiring members of the pubic to use the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application when entering government buildings or offices from the colleagues. He expressed understanding on the challenges faced by colleagues. He thanked and encouraged them to remain dedicated to their duties and rise to the challenges in the anti-epidemic work.
“Improving people’s livelihood is a priority for the current-term Government. The FEHD’s work such as street cleaning and licensing services is closely linked to people’s daily lives and members of the public can note its effectiveness immediately. As the backbone of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, I hope that civil service colleagues will uphold their professionalism and efficiency, and keep abreast of the times to better serve the public and meet various opportunities and challenges,” Mr Nip said.
At the Transport Section, Mr Nip was briefed on the newly introduced low-entry driver cab type refuse collection vehicles (RCVs), which can improve the safety of frontline cleaning workers and enhance their work efficiency. He was also told how the RCVs could help drivers and cleaning workers reduce the risk of sustaining injuries while getting on and off the vehicles. In addition, the RCVs are equipped with large windscreens and side windows to provide drivers with wider vision, thereby enhancing the safety of drivers and road users.
Mr Nip was also briefed by frontline colleagues of the Dead Removal Team on their daily work and work equipment. He also visited the Hawkers and Markets Section (Kowloon) to learn about its services, including hawker licence renewals, handling market stall tenancy agreements and the arrangements for the open auctions for vacant market stalls in the Kowloon region that are held from time to time.