kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
Government announces measures involving over $130 billion to support enterprises, employees and the public
8.4.2020

In response to the challenges arising from the COVID-19 virus, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (April 8) announced a series of measures involving over $130 billion to help businesses stay afloat, keep workers in employment, relieve financial burdens of individuals and businesses and assist the economy to recover once the epidemic is contained. She said the measures announced today are a response further to the relief package in the 2020-21 Budget and the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. She said the Government needs to adopt bold and prompt measures given that a wide range of economic activities have been severely disrupted, many businesses are facing pressure to close down and massive staff layoffs are anticipated. The measures, which Mrs Lam described as unprecedented, include introducing an $80 billion Employment Support Scheme under which wage subsidies will be provided to eligible employers, and providing 16 types of support for specific sectors totalling $21 billion. In addition, the Government will enhance the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme, help the MTR Corporation to provide a 20 per cent fare discount, temporarily relax the monthly threshold of the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme, grant interest-free deferral of loan repayments to all student loan repayees, allow deferrals of tax payments, and more, benefiting many businesses and people. More information about the measures is set out in the Annex. The total cost of the package is $137.5 billion. Together with the $30 billion under the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund and the $120 billion in Budget measures, the total fiscal implication is $287.5 billion, representing 10 per cent of Gross Domestic Product. "Given the epidemic's catastrophic impact on Hong Kong's economy, the Government has to dig deep into its fiscal reserves accumulated over the years to help our businesses and people. With Hong Kong's fundamental strengths and our people's resilience, we are confident that our city can ride out this storm and Hong Kong can be relaunched," Mrs Lam said. Mrs Lam also announced that, to show solidarity with the people, the Chief Executive, the Principal Officials (the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 13 Bureau Secretaries) and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office will take a 10 per cent pay cut for the coming 12 months. Ends/Wednesday, April 8, 2020 Issued at HKT 23:40 NNNN
CE visits Po Leung Kuk to learn about anti-epidemic support services
31.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, went to the headquarters of Po Leung Kuk (PLK) in Causeway Bay this afternoon (March 31) to visit its mobile Chinese medicine clinic and learn about its support services for the underprivileged during the epidemic. Accompanied by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of PLK, Mr Ma Ching-nam, and the designated Chairman, Ms Daisy Ho, Mrs Lam visited PLK's mobile Chinese medicine clinic. She noted that there are a total of four mobile Chinese medicine clinics providing free medical services in about 20 districts across the territory during the epidemic. This is expected to benefit about 6 000 people. Welcoming the free Chinese medicine service, Mrs Lam thanked PLK for supporting the fight against the disease in various aspects, including loaning the PLK Jockey Club Pak Tam Chung Holiday Camp to the Government and distributing anti-epidemic packs to grassroots people. Mrs Lam said that many people are facing hardship amid the severe epidemic situation and that the Government will provide full support to them. She also urged the public to stand united, support each other and care more about the underprivileged sectors of the community during this period in order to overcome the epidemic together. Ends/Tuesday, March 31, 2020 Issued at HKT 19:48 NNNN
CE visits monitoring centre of Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
30.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited the new monitoring centre set up by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) at North Point Government Offices this afternoon (March 30) to encourage the hard-working OGCIO personnel and members of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) who are taking part in anti-epidemic work. Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi, and the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Victor Lam, Mrs Lam viewed the operation of the centre to learn about how the OGCIO has been assisting in the implementation of compulsory quarantine for persons arriving at Hong Kong from overseas through continuous improvements to the monitoring wristbands and the mobile app. Mrs Lam chatted with the centre's staff and noted that apart from OGCIO personnel, a number of ICAC members have also been taking part in the monitoring work at the centre. She expressed her gratitude to all public officers for taking the initiative to handle tasks in addition to their routine duties to help with the anti-epidemic work, demonstrating the commitment of the whole Government to fighting the disease together. Since the implementation of compulsory quarantine for persons arriving at Hong Kong from overseas, which has been in effect since March 19, the Department of Health has issued quarantine orders to 50 000 relevant persons. Thousands of personnel and volunteers from various government departments have been mobilised to carry out the quarantine work, including monitoring people under quarantine and providing various kinds of support to them. "Given the large number of people subject to compulsory quarantine, self-discipline and co-operation of people under quarantine are of utmost importance to the effectiveness of the measures. The Government will nonetheless exercise zero tolerance towards breaches of quarantine orders and stringent enforcement actions will be taken. I urge all people under quarantine not to defy the law for the sake of themselves and the community," Mrs Lam said. The magistrates' courts ruled on three cases of breaches of quarantine orders today. The three offenders were all sentenced to immediate imprisonment with the longest term being three months of imprisonment. The Government welcomed the judgments. Ends/Monday, March 30, 2020 Issued at HKT 21:45 NNNN
Submission of petitions before ExCo meetings to be suspended
29.3.2020

In view of the severe situation of the novel coronavirus infection, the arrangement for the Chief Executive to receive petitions outside the Chief Executive's Office before she convenes the Executive Council's meeting will be suspended on the Tuesdays of March 31 and April 7 to minimise group gatherings. During this period, members of the public can email their petitions to [email protected] or send them to the Chief Executive's Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Tamar, Hong Kong. The media session by the Chief Executive before the Executive Council's meeting will continue. As announced earlier, the relevant session will be relocated to the Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, which is more spacious. There will also be special arrangements on the number of media representatives and their seating until further notice. Ends/Sunday, March 29, 2020 Issued at HKT 16:01 NNNN
CE receives final report of Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project
27.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 27) received the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link (SCL) Project. Mrs Lam thanked the Chairman and Commissioner of the Commission, Mr Michael Hartmann, and Commissioner of the Commission Professor Peter Hansford for their dedicated efforts in completing the inquiry and preparing the final report on the expanded inquiry scope. The Government will carefully study the final report, and will consult the Department of Justice on the manner of the publication of the final report and other relevant matters. The Government will publish the report in an appropriate manner once a decision is made. The Commission was appointed on July 10, 2018, to inquire into the steel reinforcement fixing works and any other works which raised public safety concerns in respect of the diaphragm wall and platform slab construction works at the Hung Hom Station Extension under the MTR Corporation Limited's Contract No. 1112 under the SCL Project. The Chief Executive in Council approved on February 19, 2019, an expansion of the terms of reference of the Commission to cover the construction works at the North Approach Tunnels, the South Approach Tunnels and the Hung Hom Stabling Sidings under the same works contract and related matters. The Commission submitted an interim report on the original terms of reference to the Chief Executive on February 25, 2019, and the interim report, redacted as necessary given legal considerations, was released to the public on March 26, 2019. Ends/Friday, March 27, 2020 Issued at HKT 12:43 NNNN
CE visits temporary accommodation at Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre
25.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 25) visited the temporary accommodation at Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre to encourage the government staff and volunteers who are managing the site and inspect the accommodation facilities as well as the quarantine units under construction. Accompanied by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong; the Director of Architectural Services, Mrs Sylvia Lam; and the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Ms Ida Lee, Mrs Lam met with staff members of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) who are responsible for the daily operation of the temporary accommodation site. She listened to their briefing on the services provided to people under quarantine, including holding briefings, arranging rooms, distributing supplies and handling meals. She also chatted with a team of volunteers from the Customs and Excise Department to learn about their work in assisting in the management of the site. "Although disease prevention and control is not within the scope of work of the colleagues of the LCSD and the volunteers, they have been working as a team amid the COVID-19 epidemic and proactively took up the responsibility of managing the temporary accommodation, thereby contributing in the fight against the virus. They are heroes behind the scenes and I express my heartfelt gratitude to them," Mrs Lam said. Temporary accommodation is arranged for persons who enter Hong Kong from the Mainland or who have been to the Mainland in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong and are unable to arrange accommodation locally to undergo the 14-day compulsory quarantine period. Mrs Lam then inspected the temporary quarantine units being built with modular integrated construction (MiC) at the football pitch of the centre. She noted that 20 MiC units have been completed and some 70 units are under construction with installation of fittings expected to be completed in April. In view of the development of the disease outbreak, the Government has been actively looking for suitable sites and setting up more quarantine facilities as quickly as possible since late January. In addition to Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, quarantine facilities are also being constructed through the application of the MiC method at Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village in Chai Wan, the Junior Police Call Permanent Activity Centre at Pat Heung, Yuen Long and a government site at Penny's Bay, providing at least 1 000 units as quarantine facilities in total. The units can be completed and put into use from this month to around July in phases. Mrs Lam thanked colleagues of the Architectural Services Department, relevant government departments and the contractors for their hard work in building more quarantine facilities. They have strived to build the highest number of temporary units within short periods of time, demonstrating their spirit to fight the disease together. Ends/Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Issued at HKT 22:08 NNNN
CE visits Yan Chai Hospital Wong Wha San Secondary School
23.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Yan Chai Hospital Wong Wha San Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O today (March 23) to know more about e-learning matters arranged by teachers for students during the class suspension. She also thanked the teaching staff for supporting students to continue learning at home. Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, Mrs Lam listened to the briefing by the principal, Mr Yau Siu-hung, on the use of different e-learning software to maintain students' motivation and interest in learning during the class suspension period. Mrs Lam noted that the school has been making good use of information technology in teaching for years. Each student will be given a tablet computer during secondary one to facilitate their m-learning. She also observed teachers of the school conducting a real-time class for secondary six students through online video-conference software, and chatted with secondary one students during their online small group sharing session to learn about their coursework activities at home. Mrs Lam was pleased to note that besides e-learning, different schools have adopted other effective means to support students during the class suspension such as distributing coursework and other learning materials to students via emails, school websites, e-learning platforms or by post, and counselling students by telephone or communicating with students and parents through mobile applications to provide learning and emotional support for students. She said that the Government is also very concerned about the e-learning of students from grassroots families. Since the 2018/19 school year, the Community Care Fund has been providing subsidies to primary and secondary students in need under an assistance programme for purchasing mobile computer devices. The eligibility for applications has been extended to all primary and secondary schools which have implemented e-learning during the class suspension period in view of the epidemic. In addition, through the Anti-epidemic Fund, the Student Grant for the 2019/20 school year has been increased by $1,000 from $2,500 to $3,500 per student to help parents pay for expenses when purchasing devices for e-learning, etc. The grant is being disbursed progressively. Mrs Lam said that the situation of the disease is still severe and may last for a period of time. She appealed to schools, headmasters, teachers, parents and students to actively join in with the Government's work and fight the disease together. During the visit, Mrs Lam presented the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence (2018/2019) to the school teacher, Mr Foo Yun-wai, and visited the school hall which is a venue prepared for holding the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination. Ends/Monday, March 23, 2020 Issued at HKT 23:29 NNNN
CE visits Auxiliary Medical Service Headquarters
20.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) Headquarters in Ho Man Tin today (March 20) to thank the AMS personnel for their full support for the enforcement of the compulsory quarantine to safeguard public health. Accompanied by the Commissioner of the AMS and the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, and the Chief Staff Officer of the AMS, Mr Wong Ying-keung, Mrs Lam visited the AMS Headquarters to know more about the work of the AMS amid the epidemic. This included the assistance given to escort persons under quarantine to quarantine centres and the escorting of persons under quarantine with chronic illnesses for treatment or follow-up medical consultations as well as the collection of prescription medications for them. The AMS members also assist the Department of Health to provide medical services at quarantine centres. At the meeting with the front-line AMS personnel, Mrs Lam thanked them for fighting against the COVID-19 infection at the forefront, and for working hard to provide indispensable services to people under quarantine. She stressed that the Government will prioritise the provision of protective gear and equipment including surgical masks to them. The AMS is a brigade formed by volunteers which come from all walks of life including healthcare professionals working in public and private healthcare sectors. In times of emergency and natural disaster, the AMS supplements the regular medical and health services while it reinforces the regular ambulance services and provides first aid service at public functions in its daily operation. During the epidemic, more than 100 AMS members assist in the enforcement of compulsory quarantine matters every day. Mrs Lam said with the persistent and rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases globally, the Government is doing its utmost to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus from overseas to protect people's health, including the implementation of the compulsory quarantine commenced at 0.00am yesterday for all persons who have stayed in overseas countries and territories for any period during the 14 days preceding their arrival in Hong Kong. Stressing that the AMS provides vital support for the anti-epidemic work of the Government, she said the epidemic is expected to last for a period of time and that she hopes that members of the AMS will continue to rise to the challenge to protect people's health together. Ends/Friday, March 20, 2020 Issued at HKT 21:04 NNNN
CE visits self-help organisations for people with disabilities
14.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited two self-help organisations established by parents of people with disabilities and volunteers in Sham Shui Po this afternoon (March 14) and gave them face masks donated earlier by various sectors to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Accompanied by the Deputy Director of Social Welfare, Mr Lam Ka-tai, Mrs Lam met separately with the Hong Kong Joint Council of Parents of the Mentally Handicapped and the Intellectually Disabled Education and Advocacy League (IDEAL). She chatted with the chairmen and members of the organisations to learn about challenges facing them amid the COVID-19 epidemic and their views on rehabilitation services. While pointing out that, in the face of persistent tight supply of face masks, the HKSAR Government is required to address the needs of the health care workers and other front-line personnel taking part in anti-epidemic work first, she said a decision was nonetheless made earlier to pass all face masks donated by various sectors to the HKSAR Government to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) so that they can distribute them to underprivileged groups, in particular the elderly. Given that some patients' self-help organisations are also facing difficulties in procuring face masks for use by members, the Government has recently decided to expand the number of beneficiary organisations that can receive the donated masks from the Government to include about 94 self-help organisations currently under the Social Welfare Department (SWD) subsidy scheme for self-help organisations for persons with disabilities or chronic illnesses. The distribution of face masks will take into consideration the number of members of the organisations concerned, and the total number of face masks is currently about 850 000. The SWD will contact various self-help organisations on the arrangements. The Hong Kong Joint Council of Parents of the Mentally Handicapped and IDEAL are self-help organisations that were established by parents and volunteers in 1987 and 1989 respectively to provide various services for persons with intellectual disability to help in their integration into society. Mrs Lam said, "As mutual support from various sectors in the community is important in the fight against the disease together, the Government set up the public participation workgroup under the Steering Committee in relation to the COVID-19 virus. One of its initiatives is to distribute face masks to people in need and I have also participated in activities of the NGOs to distribute face masks on a number of occasions. Taking into account the 2 million- odd face masks given to over 30 charity organisations, more than 3 million face masks have been distributed. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to every donor." Members of the public are welcome to visit the following link for information on the activities of the public participation workgroup: www.hab.gov.hk/en/policy_responsibilities/District_Community_and_Public_Relations/working_group.htm . Ends/Saturday, March 14, 2020 Issued at HKT 22:15 NNNN
CE visits bus captains and Lands Department
13.3.2020

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited bus captains at the North Point Ferry Pier Public Transport Interchange and colleagues of the Lands Department (LandsD) in the same district this afternoon (March 13) to express her gratitude for their tireless efforts in their respective posts to fight the disease together amid the epidemic. Accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, and the Commissioner for Transport, Ms Mable Chan, Mrs Lam visited the North Point Ferry Pier Public Transport Interchange. She chatted with several bus captains to learn about their work situation and thanked them for standing steadfast at their posts amid the epidemic to continue to provide indispensable public transport services for the public. She was also briefed by the Managing Director of New World First Bus and Citybus, Mr William Chung, on various measures to step up cleaning and sterilisation of the bus compartments as well as efforts by the company to procure face masks for the bus captains. In order to ease the pressure on the franchised bus companies during the epidemic, Mrs Lam said that the Government, through the establishment of the Anti-epidemic Fund, has expanded the measure to provide a six-month fuel subsidy or a one-off subsidy to the transport trades announced by the Financial Secretary last October by reimbursing for the five franchised bus companies one-third of the actual fuel or electricity cost during the 12-month period between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, and the Director of Lands, Mr Thomas Chan, then visited the Survey and Mapping Office of the LandsD to thank colleagues for collaborating with relevant departments and a non-governmental organisation to launch the Interactive Map Dashboard in a very short period of time to disseminate consolidated information on COVID-19, demonstrating the achievements of the use of technology and the whole-of-government approach in Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work. Since its launch in February, the Dashboard has attracted about 12 million views, and Mrs Lam also views it every day. The Dashboard was jointly developed by the Development Bureau, the LandsD, the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the Smart City Consortium. All of them have been working together amid the epidemic using their own expertise and innovativeness to enhance the level of public services. Mrs Lam also noted that the spatial data currently on the Dashboard can be integrated into the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure which is planned to be launched by the LandsD in the end of 2022, where quality and up-to-date spatial data are exchanged in a readily accessible manner and members of the public can download the data as raw material for innovative uses through value-added products, fostering the smart city development of Hong Kong. Ends/Friday, March 13, 2020 Issued at HKT 21:02 NNNN