T he road and the pavement are blocked by so many people shouting and drinking alcohol that neither residents nor traffic can get past. One bar even has little tables on the traffic railings. I want to ask Dr Ko if bars are allowed to serve food and alcohol to people standing in the streets. I want to know if bars are allowed to attach tables to the pavement railings to serve food and alcohol.
I was so fed up with the loud music that two weeks ago I called the police twice within three days. I complained about the loud music from Wyndham Street and from a live band at a bar below the LKF Hotel. The police were very helpful but admitted their hands were tied. When your hands are tied it means you don't have the power to do much. The policeman said telling the bar owners to stop the music was only a short-term solution because the music would return later the same night. He suggested I inform the district council. The Environmental Protection Department said its hands were also tied because the bars were collectively making noise. To take action it must identify which bar was bothering me! The Liquor Licensing Board told me to call the police! So you see, Dr Ko, the noise law is a big, fat joke because no one in the government wants to take responsibility.
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我不認識食物及衞生局局長高永文,但希望他讀這篇文章。我想讓他知道,近日(lately)我夜夜難眠(sleepless nights)。最近有多份報紙報道高醫生造訪酒吧區,了解樓上酒吧對居民構成的危險與噪音。我願他不是在做騷。如果高醫生真的關心居民,他好應找個周末的深宵,到訪蘭桂坊酒店附近的雲咸街,我就住在那兒,敢肯定他必會被眼前情景嚇倒——所有酒吧都備有擴音器,播放震耳欲聾(ear-splitting)的音樂。
所有的道路和行人通道都被那些吵鬧又醉酒的人堵塞着,沒有任何車或人可以經過。有一間酒吧甚至在路旁的欄杆上放小桌子。我想問問高醫生,酒吧給站在街上的人奉上食物與酒精飲品,是容許的嗎?我想知道,酒吧是否已獲得批准,可以在行人通道的欄杆上安裝餐桌,供應食物和酒精飲品?
我已經受夠了那些嘈吵的音樂,兩星期前,我三天內報了兩次警,投訴雲咸街和蘭桂坊酒店地下一間酒吧的現場樂隊演奏所製造的嘈吵音樂。警察很熱心幫忙,但坦承他們愛莫能助(their hands were tied)。When your hands are tied即是說你無能為力。警察說,要求酒吧東主停止音樂只是治標不治本,因為同一晚那些音樂又會「死灰復燃」。他建議我通知區議會。環保署則說他們也是愛莫能助(hands were also tied),因為酒吧在集體製造噪音,只有先辨別是哪一間酒吧在滋擾我,才能作出行動!酒牌局則着我報警!所以,高醫生,甚麼噪音管制也只是個天大的笑話,因為政府裏人人都想置身事外呢。mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧