Source:
https://scmp.com/business/economy/article/1696685/hong-kong-needs-modernise-its-liquor-licensing-arrangements
Business

Hong Kong needs to modernise its liquor licensing arrangements

Duty trip to liquor outlets in Singapore.

Hong Kong needs to modernise its liquor licensing arrangements

We've been reading the report of a "duty visit" by the Liquor Licensing Board to Singapore in 2012.

The group met with the Singapore LLB and the police and in addition we learn that "members also participated in night visits arranged by the Singapore authority to several entertainment outlets selling liquor to understand more about the operation of the business and the enforcement challenges".

The report notes that the visit "inspired" the Hong Kong LLB to consider a number of issues, none of which have seen the light of day or appear to have been discussed with the industry. Indeed the trip has all the hallmarks of a "jolly".

As for the "inspired proposals", these include the idea of granting liquor licences for 24 months as is done in Singapore compared with 12 months in Hong Kong. The government apparently is "actively considering the feasibility" as an "encouragement to properly operated premises".

The report goes on to note that outlets that sell liquor for consumption off the premises require a license in Singapore. The LLB, according to the report, proposes that the government should consider introducing a licensing regime to regulate retail liquor stores.

This it believes would deter the sale of liquor to minors and "may provide a level playing field for the trade". This would also enable the LLB to impose certain licensing conditions to shorten the hours of liquor sales at 24-hour convenience stores, supermarkets and wine merchants.

This may help in tackling the noise nuisance and other problems brought about by drinking in public places late at night. The report notes the issue requires "careful consideration" by the government and has thus disappeared into a bureaucratic black hole.

The LLB likes Singapore's zoning system which has different restrictions and conditions. This again needs "careful government consideration".

The licensing of the sale of food and beverages is another area where Hong Kong's arrangements are archaic and procedures that have been in place for several decades desperately need modernising to bring Hong Kong into the 21st century which is where it should be.

David Webb makes a disclosure

We see that shareholder activist David Webb has been active in the stock market recently.

His name surfaced on a disclosure of interest announcement on Thursday when a recent purchase of two million shares in Ming Fai International Holdings took his stake in the company to 5.24 per cent, and thus above the disclosure threshold. The shares rose 2.4 per cent yesterday while the Hang Seng index was down by less than 1 per cent. Ming Fai manufactures and sell products such as soaps, toothpastes and towels to hotels and airlines.

There has always been some interest in Webb's stock holdings since some years ago he used to provide a Christmas pick which invariably was a source of joy.

He experienced one of those "investor moments" in August last year when Arts Optical in which he had a sizeable stake soared 60 per cent earning him a paper gain on that day at least of HK$46.5 million.

Hedley memorial service

The University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health is organising a memorial service for Professor Anthony Hedley at 17.30 on Friday, February 6 at St John's Cathedral. Hedley, who died in December, was emeritus professor in the department and spoke out strongly in favour of restrictions on smoking in public and reducing their accessibility to children.