$200 fine for spitting

2003-06-27 08:04

Hong Kong - Hong Kong is issuing spot fines of nearly $200 for people caught spitting in the street in a move to make the city more hygenic after the devastating SARS outbreak, officials said on Friday.

More than 100 fixed penalty notices for spitting, littering and stubbing out cigarettes on the street were issued on the first day of the crackdown on Thursday, a government spokesperson said.

The penalty of is more than double the previous penalty. The increased fines were introduced as one of a raft of anti-Sars measures.

Hong Kong people are notorious for spitting in the streets and routinely toss rubbish onto pavements and gutters, despite a series of government information campaigns to try to curb the practices.

Some people issued with tickets on Thursday complained bitterly that the fines were too high. One Filipino maid issued with a fine for littering told reporters she only earned $400 a month. "How can I afford a fine that amounts to half a month's wages?" she asked.

Hong Kong was taken off a World Health Organisation list of Sars-affected places this week but experts warn the virus will return next winter and the city must take safeguards against a fresh outbreak. - Sapa-DP

- SAPA