The hawker control team would probably be asked to issue fixed-penalty tickets to litterbugs if such a system were introduced, an official said yesterday.
Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan said: 'There are 2,700 of them. We have to think of whether the resources are best utilised in deciding who is to perform the job.' At present, the hawker control team and 1,600 foremen and department heads are responsible for charging litterbugs.
The department may start the fixed penalties this year, although there is controversy surrounding the plan.
Some officers have been accused of colluding with a syndicate alleged to have supplied scapegoats for arrest and prosecution in hawker cases.
A report on preventing such corruption is to be completed by the end of April.
