The Government yesterday (January 26) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 8.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Wong Tai Sin District (i.e. Cheung Bor House, Choi Wan (I) Estate; see Annex) are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. The Government today (January 27) decided to extend the period of operation and aims at finishing the exercise at about 7am on January 28. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises and undergo two tests under designated arrangement (including the one conducted yesterday), until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained, and upon the agreement of the Secretary for Food and Health having regard to all the circumstances and the public interest of Hong Kong.
     
     The Government spokesman said, "Recently there are a couple of positive cases affecting residents of Cheung Bor House, Choi Wan (I) Estate and more preliminary tested positive cases have been identified under the "restriction-testing declaration" operation conducted yesterday. It is worrying to note that there are around 20 cases tested preliminarily positive or positive cases at Cheung Bor House . In view of the significant risk of infection at Cheung Bor House, Choi Wan (I) Estate, we consider it necessary to undertake determined action by extending the 'restriction-testing declaration' operation made earlier under Cap. 599J to January 28 to prevent the virus from further spreading."
      
     The Government has set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and requested persons subject to testing to undergo testing as designated on January 26 and January 27. Arrangements have been made for persons subject to testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons. As a mutant strain is involved, and having considered relevant infection risks, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.
      
     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. We sincerely appeal to the co-operation of residents of Cheung Bor House (including those who are at work and not currently at the premises) to return to their household and to comply with the testing arrangement. For those who have visited Cheung Bor House in the past two weeks for more than two hours, they should undergo testing on (1) January 26 to 28; (2) January 29; and (3) February 1 in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration is formally revoked."
      
     In order to maintain public and emergency services within the "restricted area", the Government and relevant working staff (such as healthcare officers and other officers of the Hospital Authority, testing service providers engaged by the Government, and cleaning service providers) are allowed to enter and leave the "restricted area" on condition that personal information and contacts are given, as well as certain infection control instructions are followed (including undergoing testing before leaving the "restricted area" without the need to wait for the test results). Separately, in the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees.

     If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow those persons to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. Such persons must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave their personal information for contact purposes.

     The Housing Department has set up hotline (Tel: 2751 4428) for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.

     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 27) reminded members of the public to continue to comply with various anti-epidemic regulations during the year end and the Lunar New Year (LNY) holidays, and appealed for their participation in the year-end clean-up campaign and efforts to maintain cleanliness in the household, the community and public places so as to reduce the risk of virus transmission and protect personal and public health.

     The spokesman said, "To tie in with the tradition of cleaning up before the LNY, the FEHD has commenced a year-end clean-up campaign from January 8. During the campaign period, the FEHD is stepping up the cleaning of venues and facilities under its management, including public markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, public toilets and refuse collection points. The FEHD is stepping up inspection of its markets and, apart from reminding stall tenants to clean their stalls thoroughly, the department is also implementing deep cleaning and intensive anti-rodent operations at the markets, during which market staff thoroughly clear the refuse and clean the passageways and drains in the markets every night after the markets are closed so as to eliminate the food sources of rodents. Numerous traps are also placed in market areas in the small hours in order to strengthen rodent control."

     In addition, the FEHD is rolling out the territory-wide anti-rodent campaign in two phases this year to continuously combat the rodent problem. The first phase was launched on January 3. During the campaign period, FEHD staff are stepping up rodent control work and inspections in target areas, including markets, municipal services buildings, hawker bazaars, lanes adjacent to food premises and other problematic spots and their peripheries. At the same time, the FEHD is also enhancing street cleaning services at target rear lanes as well as clearance of miscellaneous articles and waste in public markets and hawker bazaars in the vicinity of target rear lanes, so as to keep the environment clean. The department is also stepping up inspections of food premises and strengthening enforcement actions against food premises causing poor environmental hygiene conditions, food preparation and scullery at rear lanes and improper handling and disposal of rubbish so as to fortify the effectiveness of anti-rodent work at target rear lanes.

     As the LNY holiday is around the corner, the spokesman also reminded members of the public to pay attention to food safety and not to patronise unlicensed cooked food hawkers. Shop operators and other stakeholders should not place goods or articles in public places, as doing so causes obstruction. FEHD staff will, depending on the actual circumstances, take enforcement action against illegal cooked food hawkers, shop front extension and hawking activities causing street obstruction.

     The spokesman added, "During the LNY, the FEHD will enhance street cleaning services, such as increasing the frequency of street sweeping and refuse collection, as necessary. In addition, more manpower will be deployed to patrol and take enforcement action, including issuing Fixed Penalty Notices of $1,500, against persons found to have contravened the public cleanliness and obstruction regulation."

     The spokesman stressed that maintaining a clean and hygienic community hinges on the co-operation and participation of everyone. He called for the concerted efforts of every member of the public during the year end and the LNY holiday to continue to maintain environmental hygiene, comply with various anti-epidemic measures and fight the virus together.

    

     The Labour Department (LD) today (January 27) announced that O'Hotel and iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel will, starting from February 6 and March 1 respectively, be added as designated quarantine facilities (DQFs) providing an additional 491 rooms in total for quarantine of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) coming to work in Hong Kong. The total number of rooms of DQFs will be increased to 2 779. As for the Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong Sha Tin, which currently provides 500 rooms for quarantine of FDHs, the number of rooms provided will remain unchanged but the fee will be adjusted starting from March 8.
 
     Employers of FDHs and employment agencies (EAs) can, starting from the specified date and time tabulated below, reserve a room through the online booking system of the hotels concerned. Details are provided below:
 

  
     The LD spokesman said, "The Government understands the need of local families for FDHs. However, the local epidemic situation is evolving rapidly, and the Government must vigilantly uphold the policy of guarding against importation of cases. The Government will consider whether more DQFs can be provided having regard to the global and local epidemic situation. The hotels will adjust the number of rooms open for reservation each day having regard to the overall booking situation."
      
     Employers and EAs must register using the real name as shown on the valid passport of the residing FDHs. Rooms reserved are not transferrable. Reservation applications made under the name of another person or party will not be processed. When making the room reservation, the FDH's passport copy, a valid employment visa and a recognised vaccination record must be made available. The reservation process is completed upon issuance of a booking confirmation by the hotel. FDHs will need to provide the above documents for verification when they check into the facility.
      
     Employers and EAs should check the flight information and allow sufficient time for preparing the documents required and completing the procedures when arranging for their FDHs to come to Hong Kong. Payment will be refunded to the person making the reservation if a change or cancellation of room booking is required because an FDH has tested positive for COVID-19 before arrival in Hong Kong, or because of a change or cancellation of flights by the airline or a lockdown in the place of origin, provided that relevant supporting documents are submitted in advance. An FDH who does not have a booking confirmation by a DQF will not be allowed to board a flight for Hong Kong or may be denied entry into Hong Kong upon arrival.
 
     The above arrangement for quarantine at DQFs is applicable to FDHs who have stayed in a Group A specified place and have been fully vaccinated in regions where Hong Kong has reached a recognition agreement arrangement on their vaccination records (the currently applicable regions include Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, etc). For the full list of applicable regions, please visit: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/places_of_issuance_recognised_vaccination_records.pdf. A list of DQFs is in the Annex. 
 
     As for FDHs who have received full vaccination in Hong Kong and places of stringent regulatory authorities designated by the World Health Organization (including Thailand), they may undergo compulsory quarantine at a general designated quarantine hotel or a DQF.
      
     The dedicated FDH Portal (www.fdh.labour.gov.hk) set up by the LD provides information and useful links relating to the quarantine arrangements of FDHs. For enquiries, please contact the LD through its 24-hour hotline at 2717 1771 (manned by 1823) or by email to fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department today (January 27) announced an adjustment to the auto-LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations from February 1 to February 28, 2022, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contracts of the dedicated LPG filling stations.
 
     A department spokesman said that the adjustment on February 1, 2022, reflects the movement of the LPG international price in January 2022 and the movement in the Composite Consumer Price Index in 2021. The overall adjusted auto-LPG ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations will range from $4.22 to $4.80 per litre, representing a decrease of $0.16 to $0.17 per litre.
 
     The spokesman said that the auto-LPG ceiling prices were adjusted according to a specified pricing formula. The formula comprises two elements – the LPG international price and the LPG operating price. The LPG international price is the LPG international price of the preceding month. The LPG operating price is adjusted on the first day of February every year according to the movement in the Composite Consumer Price Index in the previous year. According to the information from the Census and Statistics Department, the year-on-year rate of change in the Composite Consumer Price Index for 2021 was +1.6 per cent. The LPG operating prices of dedicated filling stations also increased according to this rate by around $0.02 to $0.03 per litre.
 
     The auto-LPG ceiling prices for respective dedicated LPG filling stations in February 2022 are as follows:
 

 
     The spokesman said that the details of the LPG international price and the auto-LPG ceiling price of each dedicated LPG filling station have been uploaded to the department website www.emsd.gov.hk. They are also posted at dedicated LPG filling stations to enable the trades to monitor the price adjustment.
 
     Details of the pricing adjustment mechanism for dedicated LPG filling stations can also be viewed under the "What's New" section of the department website at www.emsd.gov.hk/en/what_s_new/current/index.html.
 
     The dedicated LPG filling stations at Fung Yip Street in Chai Wan and Yuen Chau Tsai in Tai Po are closed for renovation. For details, please refer to the announcement in the webpage of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) today (January 27) issued the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the Chief Executive (CE) Election according to the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance (Cap. 541).
 
     "The 2022 CE Election will be held on March 27. According to established practices, the EAC will review and update the Guidelines before every election," the EAC Chairman, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, said at a press conference.
　　
     "The Guidelines are prepared on the basis of the edition released in October 2016, with appropriate and necessary amendments. About 50 major amendments are primarily classified into three categories. The first category reflects the amendments to relevant electoral laws, including those under the Improving Electoral System (Consolidated Amendments) Ordinance 2021 (the Ordinance) by the Legislative Council in May last year which covers the method for the selection and the nomination procedures of the CE following the amendment of Annex I and Annex II to the Basic Law by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress last March. The second category is related to amendments made to align with the other election guidelines including the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the Election Committee Subsector Elections published last July and the Guidelines on Election-related Activities in respect of the Legislative Council Election published last October. The third category is the elaboration of new electoral arrangements and procedures, such as the arrangement for issuing ballot papers and the polling hours of the second round of voting if necessary. Most of the amendments are under the first and second categories."
　　
Method for selection of CE and nomination of candidate at CE Election
 
     The Ordinance has been published in the Gazette and came into effect on May 31, 2021, with amendments to the method for the selection of the CE and the nomination of candidates in the CE Election.
 
     According to the newly amended electoral laws, the CE shall be elected by the Election Committee (EC) members by secret ballot on a one-person-one-vote basis. A poll would be held in a contested election as well as in an uncontested election. The CE designate must obtain more than 750 valid votes in order to be returned in the election.
 
     A candidate for the office of the CE shall be nominated by not less than 188 EC members, of which the number of members of each of the five EC sectors should not be less than 15. An EC member may nominate only one candidate, and the nomination shall not be withdrawn or revoked.
 
     "The Guidelines also update the conditions for a person to be disqualified from being nominated as a candidate. As stipulated in Annex I to the Basic Law, the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC) is responsible for reviewing and confirming the eligibility of candidates for the CE Election. The CERC may request the Returning Officer (RO) to provide advice, and also make decisions pursuant to the opinion of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

     The nomination period of the 2022 CE Election will run from February 20 to March 5.
 
     Mr Justice Fung elaborated on the polling and counting arrangements for this election.
 
Polling arrangements
 
     The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will set up the main polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) for the EC members to cast their vote for the CE Election. A poll will be held irrespective of whether it is a contested election or an uncontested election.
 
     In a contested election, the first round of voting runs from 9am until 11am. A candidate who obtains more than 750 valid votes is elected in the election.
 
     "However, in an election with three or more candidates but no candidate obtaining more than 750 valid votes in the first round of voting, the second round of voting will be conducted. The second round of voting runs from 3pm until 4pm. In principle, the two candidates obtaining the highest number of votes will compete in the second round of voting." Details on the polling arrangements for a contested election can be found in Chapter 4 of the Guidelines.
 
     For an uncontested election in which there is only one validly nominated candidate, the polling hours are from 9am until 11am on March 27. If the candidate obtains more than 750 valid "support" votes, he or she is elected in the election.
 
     "An Electronic Poll Register system will be adopted in the CE Election for verifying electors' identity and issuing ballot papers at the main polling station to increase the efficiency and accuracy in the issuance of ballot papers. EC members should present the original of their Hong Kong permanent identity cards or a specified alternative document according to the law when collecting the ballot papers," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
Counting arrangements
 
     The central counting station will be set up at the HKCEC. The count will be conducted manually by counting staff in the presence of the candidate(s), or his/her/their election agent(s) or counting agent(s), if they are present. Members of the public and the media may observe the count at the counting station. A notice stating the maximum capacity of the public area will be displayed outside the counting station by the RO. For record purposes, a closed-circuit television system will be installed in the counting station (including the public area) by the REO to record the actual situation.
 
Epidemic preventive measures
 
     As in the Legislative Council General Election held last December, the REO will implement a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the polling and counting stations.
 
     "Due to the development of the epidemic, apart from complying with various epidemic preventive measures, we encourage EC members to use the 'LeaveHomeSafe' (LHS) mobile application when entering the main polling station to cast their votes. The REO will put up the QR code of the LHS mobile application outside the main polling station. However, it will not affect one's voting rights whether he or she uses the LHS mobile application or not," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
     Except for the exempted persons (i.e. persons aged below 12 or 65 or above, and those with disabilities that render use of the LHS mobile application difficult), all persons entering the central counting station and its media centre, including the public, the media, EC members, candidates and their agents, must use the LHS mobile application.
 
     "EC members who intend to vote but are currently not in Hong Kong should take note of the quarantine arrangements for inbound travellers. They should plan their itinerary as early as possible and allow sufficient time for quarantine arrangements, such as returning to Hong Kong at least 21 days before the polling day, so that they can exercise their voting rights on the polling day."
 
     The REO will continue to liaise with the Food and Health Bureau and the Centre for Health Protection, monitor closely the development of the epidemic, and make assessments on the epidemic situation.
 
Election advertisements
 
     The Guidelines have adjusted the deadline for candidates to upload the corrected election advertisement (EA) particulars. If the EA particulars posted on the Candidate's Platform or the Central Platform, or submitted to the RO, contain any error, all corrected EA particulars must be posted on the Candidate's Platform or the Central Platform, or submitted to the RO, within three working days after the polling day, which is one day more than the previous two-day limit. Relevant regulations on EAs can be found in Chapter 8 of the Guidelines.
 
Election expenses
 
     As stipulated in the Maximum Amount of Election Expenses (Chief Executive Election) Regulation (Cap. 554A), the Guidelines specify that the maximum amount of election expenses that can be incurred by a candidate in a CE election has increased from $15.7 million to $17.6 million. It is a criminal offence for a candidate to incur election expenses in excess of the prescribed maximum limit.
 
     The Guidelines also set out that a candidate must submit to the Chief Electoral Officer an election return before the expiry of the period of 60 days, previously 30 days, after the date on which the result of the election is published in the Gazette or the proceedings for the election are declared to have been terminated.
 
     The Guidelines illustrate that, for an incumbent CE seeking re-election for a second term, the subsisting law does not require him/her to resign or take leave before standing for the election. He/she should arrange for the resources himself/herself for his/her electioneering activities. However, if the use for private purposes of any security, transportation, secretarial services and living quarters made available with public resources is unavoidably involved in his/her election activities in certain circumstances because of the continued need to discharge his/her duties as the CE, he/she is required to apportion clearly the use of resources between the two different purposes, i.e. CE duties versus electioneering activities, and to include the relevant items in his/her election expenses and set out the items clearly in the election return.
 
Claim of support

     Mr Justice Fung reminded candidates (including an incumbent CE seeking re-election for a second term) to exercise due care in handling photographs in their EAs. If a candidate includes photographs with the appearance of other persons in their EAs and the publication of that EA implies or is very likely to cause EC members to believe that the candidate has obtained the support of the persons appearing in the photograph, prior written consent from the persons concerned must be obtained by the candidate before the publication of the EA.
 
     He added, "The Guidelines, which are prepared on the basis of the edition released in October 2016, are revised mainly to reflect the legislative amendments under the Ordinance, which have been discussed and passed by the Legislative Council, and to align with the amendments already made to other election guidelines. Therefore, we consider that there is no need to conduct public consultation on the Guidelines. The REO had submitted the advance copy of the Guidelines to the Legislative Council in mid-October last year, and made some amendments in view of the opinions of members."
 
     The Guidelines can be downloaded from the EAC website (www.eac.hk) and viewed at the REO and the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the District Offices.