What?
What happened? Under Tuesday's government proposal, private urn facilities will have to obtain a five-year renewable permit from a new statutory licensing board established under the Private Columbaria Ordinance. The licence asks for operators to comply with planning and land rules. They also have to set up a maintenance fund and enter into standard business contracts with buyers.
How?
How will the measures affect operators? They will have 18 months to sort out any breach of land and planning rules. They will not be allowed to sell niches during that period.
However, exemptions will be given to three kinds of columbarium: those within cemeteries run by religious bodies; temporary storage provided by undertakers which are now regulated by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department; and columbaria that have existed for more than five years.
Who?