Press Releases
Third batch of columbaria sites released
The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, announced today (April 21)
that following the release of the first two batches of columbarium
facilities last year, comprising a total of 17 potential sites in 12
districts, the Government has identified seven more potential sites in the
remaining six districts for the development of columbarium facilities.
The seven potential sites are located in the Southern District, Kowloon
City, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long, Tai Po and Sai Kung. Details are as follows:
* Southern
- A site adjoining the Chinese Christian Cemetery at Pok Fu Lam;
* Kowloon City
- A vacant staff quarter (part thereof) inside a funeral parlour at 6 Cheong
Hang Road, Hung Hom;
* Tsuen Wan
- Two sites located at the Eastern and Western Ends of Sham Shui Kok Drive,
Siu Ho Wan, North Lantau;
* Yuen Long
- A site between San Tam Road and Mai Po Lung Road, San Tin;
* Tai Po
- A site at the southwestern corner of the Shuen Wan Ex-Landfill, near Tai
Po Industrial Estate; and
* Sai Kung
- A site at Area 132, Tsueng Kwan O, near the Tseung Kwan O Chinese
Permanent Cemetery
Dr Chow announced the above sites when he briefed the chairmen and vice
chairmen of the 18 District Councils today on the latest developments in the
columbarium policy review. To date, the Government has identified a total of
24 potential sites in 18 districts across the territory.
According to the public consultation on review of columbarium policy by the
Food and Health Bureau in July last year, a majority of the respondents
agreed that every district should collectively share responsibility for
developing columbarium facilities so as to increase supply and meet the
needs of the community.
"There is a broad consensus that public columbaria are essential facilities
for the community. The concept of district-based columbarium development
projects is supported to increase supply of these facilities," Dr Chow said.
He said that similar to the first two batches of potential sites, the
Government will carry out the technical feasibility studies related to the
seven new sites to ascertain their suitability.
"While the exact number of niches to be provided in each site depends on the
results of the technical feasibility studies, it is our aim to make full use
of each site.
"The relevant District Councils will be consulted before sites are confirmed
for columbarium development. The Government will also improve the outlook
and layout of proposed columbaria through flexible design in order to ease
the concern and anxiety of nearby residents. We would like to appeal to
District Councils and local residents for their understanding and support to
facilitate the Government to implement these columbarium projects
expeditiously," he said.
During the meeting, Dr Chow also introduced some preliminary proposals to
strengthen the regulation of private columbaria. Views collected from the
public consultation reflected that the public expressed strong support for a
licensing scheme to enhance regulation of private columbaria. At the same
time, different sectors held divergent views over the scope and intensity of
regulation under the licensing scheme and the arrangements for pre-existing
private columbaria.
"This is an important piece of legislation. We have to exercise prudence in
balancing the views of various stakeholders in order to forge a consensus in
the community. The Government plans to initiate a second public consultation
on a more detailed framework of the licensing scheme in the second half of
this year," Dr Chow said.
Dr Chow reminded members of the public who wish to purchase niches or store
cremains of the deceased at private columbaria of the importance of
obtaining from the operators full and complete information in order to check
whether the columbaria comply with all the relevant statutory requirements,
and land lease and/or town planning requirements. Members of the public
should also ascertain from the operators of private columbaria how such
operators would deal with the interests of their customers and users, such
as whether and how they would arrange refunding or otherwise compensate
their customers as well as handle the interred cremains should the
respective private columbarium ceases operation. Members of the public
should seek independent legal advice on their rights where necessary.
Ends/Thursday, April 21, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:26
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