In response to media enquiries regarding the appearance of the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Index of Bills of the Gazette published on August 9, a Government spokesman made the following response:

     The Gazette concerned sets out the dates of the first publication in the Gazette for bills that the Government introduced into the Legislative Council for first reading in 2019.  The Government has clearly indicated on many occasions that all legislative work in relation to the amendment of the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance has completely stopped.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 9) visited a transitional housing project operated by Lok Sin Tong in Kowloon City, and took the opportunity to visit Wong Tai Sin Police Station and the Wong Tai Sin Disciplined Services Quarters to meet police officers of the district and learn more about the damage to the facilities of the quarters by violent protesters earlier.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, Mrs Lam was briefed on Lok Sin Tong's project to convert Lok Sin Tong Primary School after its closure at the end of this month into transitional housing. The school, together with the adjacent Lok Sin Tong headquarters and clinic, is a project under application for the Special Scheme on Privately Owned Sites for Welfare Uses of the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Social Welfare Department to be redeveloped into a building for provision of social services, including facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. During the period for technical assessments before demolition, the vacant school can be used for transitional housing for about three years. With the support and technical advice of the Transport and Housing Bureau, Lok Sin Tong received funding support from the Community Care Fund approved by the Commission on Poverty to convert the school into about 50 units, each of which will be able to accommodate a grass-roots family of three or four. There will also be shared spaces for activities and provision of community-based support services. The project is expected to commence in October this year and be completed in the first half of next year.

     They also received a briefing on Lok Sin Tong's other transitional housing projects. Lok Sin Tong has launched transitional housing projects since 2017. Three projects in Kowloon City and To Kwa Wan with a total of 75 units are in operation. In addition, projects in Ho Man Tin and To Kwa Wan are under planning and are expected to provide over 100 units.

     "Housing is a livelihood issue that the grass roots are most concerned about. I proposed in my first two Policy Addresses a number of short, medium and long-term measures to increase public housing supply. Before new supply of public housing becomes available, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will make full use of existing land and housing resources and take up the role of a facilitator to assist non-government organisations to make available transitional housing in order to alleviate immediately the poor living conditions of grass-roots families. I am grateful to Lok Sin Tong for responding positively to this government initiative," Mrs Lam said.

     Mid-last year, the Transport and Housing Bureau set up a task force to provide one-stop co-ordinated support to facilitate the implementation of transitional housing projects by the community, including offering advice on relevant administrative or statutory procedures, and assisting organisations in applying for appropriate funding. As of July 2019, 11 major non-profit-making operations or social enterprises were providing some 610 transitional housing units. The task force is currently assisting in the planning of more than 10 projects, and eight of them which have been announced will provide about 880 units in total.

     Mrs Lam and Mr Chan then took the opportunity to visit police officers at Wong Tai Sin Police Station. Accompanied by the Director of Architectural Services, Mrs Sylvia Lam, and the Government Property Administrator, Mr Vincent Liu, they inspected the damage to the Wong Tai Sin Disciplined Services Quarters adjacent to the police station by a mob earlier. Mrs Lam noted that units on or below the fifth floor of the two buildings of the quarters were severely damaged. Many windows of the flats facing the street were broken and items inside the flats including beds, wardrobes and floor tiles suffered various degrees of damage. The outer walls of the quarters were defaced with graffiti and the gate was vandalised, scaring residents including many children. While expressing her gratitude to police officers for their dedication to duty in defending Hong Kong's law and order through days and nights, Mrs Lam said she was outraged by the malicious attack by a mob on residences. She has asked the Government Property Agency and the Architectural Services Department to repair the damaged areas as soon as possible, and in particular to consider enhancing security at the quarters to restore calm to the daily lives of the police officers and their families.

          

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session this afternoon (August 9). It was also attended by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau; and representatives of the commercial sector:
 
Reporter: The people who you've just met are not the people who are protesting. Do you really think meeting the business sector and other people behind closed doors is going to solve the current issues? Also, if you have noticed, one of the slogans protesters have been chanting is "If we burn, you burn with us". Their incentives are, they're motivated by bringing down the economy. Is what you've just said proof that their tactics have worked? Are you worried that by saying that more people will just be doing the same thing and disrupting traffic and the economy to achieve their goals? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: First of all, I and my Principal Officials have been meeting different sectors in Hong Kong as part of our work to engage them to discuss what we should do during this political crisis and to prepare for the Policy Address. This afternoon's session was entirely devoted to the economic sectors, but it doesn't mean that we are not meeting with other people. I think we are meeting with the teachers, we are meeting with the medical sector, and I'm meeting with the members of the Legislative Council as well. But the economy is something very important for every one of us in Hong Kong, unless a small minority of people, as you have said, they did not mind destroying Hong Kong's economy, they have no stake in the society which so many people have helped to build, and that's why they resort to all this violence and obstructions causing huge damage to the economy and to the daily life of the people. I am indeed very worried about this situation and that's why I appeal for calm, calmness and rationality, to help us to overcome this situation. And this is also the consensus view of 33 members from the business sector that they have told us during the session we just had with them.
 
Reporter: Hi there, thank you for this. Can I ask, why do you keep giving press conferences if you aren't going to outline further solutions? Your critics have said that you haven't outlined any solutions to the political crisis yet and you've declined to have an independent inquiry.
 
Chief Executive: As you notice since Monday this week we have put in place two regular press conferences. One is by the Police to give you an account of what has happened over the last 24 hours, especially to provide clarifications. That is very important because we are confronted with so many misrepresentations, misperceptions, misunderstandings, rumours, speculations or even fake news circulating around. To have the Police coming out on a daily basis to explain and clarify is one of the important parts of our strategy, so that people will not get too fearful and too worried, and to maybe misunderstand the situation.
 
     The second that we have put in place is interdepartmental press briefing or media standup like this to talk about the non-police elements, because as this situation spreads, we are now facing a lot of issues not confining to the police operations. We have economic issues, we have transport disruption issues. We may also have, sooner or later, some medical and health issues as a result of this political crisis. As far as political solution is concerned, I don't think we should just make concessions in order to silence the violent protesters; we should do what is right for Hong Kong. And at this moment, what is right for Hong Kong, as we have heard all our 33 business representatives told us, is to stop the violence, and to say no to the chaotic situation that Hong Kong has experienced in the last few weeks so that we can move on. And when we move on we will hope that we could tackle the more fundamental and deep-seated problems that may have surfaced as a result of this particular situation.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (August 9) that in light of possible mass gathering activities in Tai Po District tomorrow (August 10), Fu Shin Sports Centre, Tai Po Sports Ground, Tai Po Swimming Pool and Tai Po Civic Centre will be closed at noon tomorrow, while Tai Po Hui Sports Centre, Tai Po Sports Centre, Kwong Fuk Football Ground, Kwong Fuk Park Football Pitch and Tai Po Public Library will be closed at 1pm. Subject to the situation in the vicinity, more cultural and leisure facilities in the same district may also be closed early and at short notice to ensure the safety of venue users. Members of the public who plan to go to those venues in the district are advised to contact the venues concerned in advance.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 9) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit. The case is detailed below:
 

     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)," a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     "As the Hajj pilgrimage will begin soon, pilgrims visiting Mecca in Saudi Arabia should be vigilant against MERS. Those with pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, chronic renal disease and immunodeficiency, are more likely to develop severe infections if they are exposed to MERS-CoV. Pilgrims should hence consult healthcare providers before travel to review the risk and assess whether a pilgrimage is advisable. Pilgrims visiting Mecca may refer to the DH's advice. If pilgrims feel unwell during the two weeks after returning to Hong Kong, they should wear a surgical mask and seek medical attention immediately and inform a doctor of their recent travel history," the spokesman added.

     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.
 
    Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.