Minutes of 964 Meeting of the Town Planning Board held on 20.8 ...

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33. In response, Mrs. Lai Chan Chi Kuen, Marion, said that:
(a) <strong>the</strong> operators <strong>of</strong> private columbaria who failed to obtain a licence might
apply for temporary exemption. During <strong>the</strong> time when <strong>the</strong>y were
temporarily exempted, <strong>the</strong>y could apply for regularising or rectifying <strong>the</strong>ir
breaches by way <strong>of</strong> applying for relevant planning permission and/or lease
modification. After <strong>the</strong> breaches had been regularised, <strong>the</strong>y could submit
an application for a licence. Operators <strong>of</strong> private columbaria had <strong>the</strong>
responsibility to comply with statutory and licensing requirements. For
those who did not comply, <strong>the</strong> Administration would have to deal with
<strong>the</strong>m under <strong>the</strong> statutory and licensing regimes. For those who did not deal
with <strong>the</strong> cremains in a satisfactory manner, for instance, closing down <strong>the</strong>
columbarium without agreeing beforehand with <strong>the</strong> descendants <strong>the</strong>
alternative accommodation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cremains, <strong>the</strong> Administration would
have to come up with suitable deterrent and remedial measures in
recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> interest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> patrons;
(b) <strong>the</strong> Administration would consider <strong>the</strong> suggestion <strong>of</strong> requiring operators <strong>of</strong>
private columbaria to consult DCs on <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong> columbarium
facilities;
(c) DCs’ support was crucial to <strong>the</strong> success <strong>of</strong> district-based columbarium
development schemes, and <strong>the</strong>ir involvement would promote public
acceptance. Whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> DCs should be involved in <strong>the</strong> management <strong>of</strong>
private columbaria entailed complex issues;
(d) <strong>the</strong> Administration would accord priority to <strong>the</strong> handling human cremains
first and <strong>the</strong> handling <strong>of</strong> pet cremains would be a matter <strong>of</strong> lower priority
now; and
(e) <strong>the</strong>re was a need to streng<strong>the</strong>n consumer education. The Administration
would work closely with <strong>the</strong> Consumer Council on this.