HONG Kong's health and welfare chief has checked out a girls' remand home following revelations of unhygienic and crowded conditions there.
The South China Morning Post yesterday reported allegations by a staff member of the Ma Tau Wei Girls' Home that 90 per cent of the 200 inmates had venereal diseases.
The staff member said the girls, many of them arrested in karaoke bars which serve as fronts for sex deals, were living in smelly, cockroach-infested rooms.
Legislators and welfare groups were quick to voice concern and a joint visit was made yesterday by the Secretary for Health and Welfare Elizabeth Wong Chien Chi-lien and legislator Emily Lau Wei-hing.
It is understood Mrs Wong, who could not be reached last night, was very concerned about the situation and would try out every possible measure to improve the home's conditions.
Ms Lau said: ''I am very worried about the situation because if the police continue to raid karaoke lounges, more places for inmates would be needed. Something must be done to solve the problem.'' ''We visited the (four-person) bedrooms which still have to be shared by five to six girls. Many inmates could only have meals inside their rooms.'' However, she said she did not find the home as unhygienic as described by the staff member. ''What I saw is that the place was not very unhygienic and the girls seemed to be quite cheerful.