'Room for improvement in public niches arrangement'

The Office of The Ombudsman has suggested 19 ways for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to better organize public columbarium niches. Ombudsman Jack Chan pointed out that only the Tsang Tsui Columbarium had monthly niche allocations, while other columbaria had to wait a year after missing the annual application period.

The Ombudsman recommended that the FEHD hold allocation exercises monthly, or at least quarterly. The FEHD agreed and is now implementing monthly allocations across all public niches starting this month. Chan criticized the FEHD for not rolling out the successful Tsang Tsui pilot scheme to other columbaria sooner. He urged the department to conduct regular reviews to better meet public demand and ensure efficient resource use.

Chan also noted a significant difference in processing times between online and paper/email applications. Many applicants were unaware of this, so the department needs to better educate the public and funeral industry. The FEHD launched a dedicated website for after-death arrangements, which Chan called a positive step. However, he noted inconsistencies and overlap between the dedicated site and the main FEHD website.

The ombudsman suggested consolidating the platforms for better clarity. On a positive note, Chan praised the FEHD's interdepartmental collaboration for building a one-stop digital platform for death registrations, cremation permits, and related services. He also commended the department's efforts in promoting eco-friendly funerals, with a rising trend in green burials.

The FEHD has accepted all recommendations and begun implementing the monthly allocation arrangement.