← "Three Gorges: Tragedy and Triumph" | Return to Main Page | "Dam it" → | TrackBack (0)

May 23, 2006

You are on the invidual archive page of Down the tubes. Click Simon World weblog for the main page.
Down the tubes

The Standard reports on the exodus of expats from Hong Kong due to air pollution, with many heading to Singapore instead. But how could you leave a city where you can't vote for the Chief Executive but you can vote in something far more important. The SCMP reports:

When Hong Kong's 18 district councils were asked to enter their toilets for a city-wide cleanliness contest, Wan Chai, Yau Tsim Mong, Kwun Tong and Yuen Long did not even bother. The other 14 district councils, however, submitted 28 toilets for the contest organised by the Hong Kong Toilet Association (HKTA), Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and People's Health Actions, part of a campaign that aims to praise well-managed toilets and the hard work of their frontline cleaning staff, not to mention reminding the public about hygiene.

Those submitted include toilets renowned for their cleanliness, such as the ones in the Star Ferry car park in Central, Yee Kuk Street in Shamshuipo, Repulse Bay and Ngong Ping Road on Lantau Island.

From today until June 11, members of the public can vote for their favourite public toilet through the RTHK's website, while a panel of toilet experts headed by HKTA chairman Michael Siu Kin-wai and vice-chairman Lo Wing-lok will pick their favourites.

Mr Siu said the winning toilets should meet four criteria which are known as "Cash" - an acronym for comfort, accessibility, safety and hygiene. He said the design and hygiene of the city's public toilets had improved a lot in recent years. "Some toilets here even have devices to remind you to do something such as flushing water," Mr Siu said.

Voters are also encouraged to submit the address and a picture of any public toilet they believed needed urgent improvement. "We will pass the information to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for follow up," said the HKTA's Lo Wing-lok.

Who knew the city had a panel of toilet experts? Or that reminding people to flush was progress? I urge you to take part in this vital piece of democracy. If you don't speak up on the toilet issue, who will?

Ironically, in Singapore they can vote for their leaders (well, sort of) but not their toilets. Who's more civilised?

 posted by Simon on 05.23.06 at 08:22 AM in the Hong Kong category.




Trackbacks:

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.mu.nu/cgi/trackback.cgi/169172

Send a manual trackback ping to this post.


Comments:

Can us Americans simply flush the last ten years leaders down the toilet? Non-partisan - Assphants all.

 posted by: kennycan on 05.23.06 at 02:35 PM [permalink]

I regret to inform that the Lion City has a long tradition of toilet democracy. From a 1998 BBC report"callers to the Ministry of Environment's toilet hotline are asked to vote for their top five favourite toilets."

 posted by: myrick on 05.23.06 at 04:04 PM [permalink]




Post a Comment:

Name:


Email Address:


URL:


Comments:


Remember your info?







Disclaimer
All content, including comments, on this site operates under a Creative Commons Licence. The content except for quotes reflect my personal opinions and not those of my employer, family, co-workers, fellow Sydney Swans supporters or anyone else. The comments section is open but if you write it, you stand by it. I take no responsibility for comments. I may, at my sole discretion, moderate, alter or remove comments. I reserve the right to unashamedly change the rules as I go along. All emails are publishable unless otherwise marked. If you don't like it, use the little x in the top right of your browser.