In light of the latest local epidemic situation and the special work arrangements for government employees, the Planning Department (PlanD) announced today (January 24) that the department will provide basic public services starting from tomorrow (January 25) until further notice.

     The Planning Enquiry Counter (PEC) on the 17th floor of North Point Government Offices (NPGO) will maintain public services, including to make available documents required under the Town Planning Ordinance for public inspection and other counter services. Meanwhile, the PEC on the 14th floor of Sha Tin Government Offices will be temporarily closed and no public services will be provided.
 
     In view of the need to reduce flows of people and social contact, visitors are encouraged to make appointments before visiting the PEC to facilitate control of the number of visitors at any one time. Members of the public are encouraged to make enquiries through the telephone hotline (2231 5000) or email (enquire@pland.gov.hk), and can visit the PlanD's website (www.pland.gov.hk) for general planning information.
  
    The receipt and dispatch counter of the department (18th floor of NPGO) will continue to maintain services during office hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).

     City Gallery will be temporarily closed until further notice. All educational activities and docent services will be cancelled during the closure period.

     For enquiries, please call the hotline 2231 5000 during office hours or visit the PlanD's website.

     The Tsuen Wan District Office together with the Tsuen Wan Police District and the Department of Health (DH) conducted an enforcement operation today (January 24) at two buildings in Tsuen Wan, which were included in a compulsory testing notice earlier. The operation started at around 7am and ended at around 9am today.
 
     Starting from around 7am today, persons subject to compulsory testing of Sea Crest Villa Phase 2 Block 5 and Block 6, 18 Castle Peak Road-Tsing Lung Tau, Tsuen Wan, were requested to provide the SMS notification received through a mobile phone or related certification containing the results of COVID-19 tests, to show that they had taken such tests as required pursuant to the compulsory testing notice of the two buildings within the specified period issued by the Government earlier on. The Government arranged for staff to verify the testing certifications of the persons subject to compulsory testing at the entrances/exits of the two buildings, and conducted checks in the buildings to verify whether persons subject to compulsory testing had undergone testing in compliance with the requirement.
 
     During the operation, test records of around 180 persons were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. 

     The Government reiterates that the aim of issuing a compulsory testing notice is to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community as soon as possible to protect overall public health and safety. Persons subject to testing under a compulsory testing notice should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures, including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene, and, unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
 
     The Government wishes to thank all residents who had complied with the compulsory testing notice for their co-operation to fight against the virus together. The Government will continue to enforce the law strictly. All persons subject to compulsory testing should comply with the compulsory testing notice. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notice may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Non-compliance with the order is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     The Tsuen Wan District Office is grateful for the support and co-operation of the Police and the DH to enable the enforcement action to be carried out smoothly. The Government understands that the enforcement process may cause some inconvenience to the residents, but hopes that the residents can understand.

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (January 24) that all ex-gratia payments granted to the licensees affected by the cancellation of the 2022 Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs and the Fong Ma Po New Year Fair, together with the refunds of the stall licence fees, have been mailed to the affected licensees in crossed cheques.

     The Government announced on January 14 its decision to cancel the 2022 LNY fairs at 15 locations and the Fong Ma Po New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po in view of the developments of the COVID-19 epidemic. Apart from arranging full refunds of the stall licence fees for successful stall bidders in accordance with the licence agreement, the FEHD would also grant them ex-gratia payments pitched at 50 per cent of the stall licence fees under the fifth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. All payments have been mailed to the affected licensees in crossed cheques without the need for any application.

     All 950 stalls at the 15 LNY fairs and the Fong Ma Po New Year Fair at Lam Tsuen in Tai Po were let out last year through open auction. Based on the total auction amount of around $12.06 million, the ex-gratia payments disbursed amounted to over $6.03 million.

     As for the 2022 Che Kung Festival Fair, which was announced to be cancelled last Friday (January 21), the spokesman said the FEHD will aim at arranging full refunds of the stall licence fees and disbursing the ex-gratia payments, pitched at 50 per cent of the stall licence fees, amounting to over $590,000 for the 42 successful stall bidders under the same mechanism within this week.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announced today (January 24) the relevant per annum interest rate for the first interest payment of Silver Bond Series due 2024 (Issue Number 03GB2408R) (the Bonds) issued under the Retail Bond Issuance Programme of the Government Bond Programme.

     According to the Issue Circular dated June 29, 2021 for the Bonds, the first interest payment of the Bonds is scheduled to be made on February 10, 2022, and the relevant interest rate is scheduled to be determined and announced on January 24, 2022 as the higher of the prevailing Floating Rate and Fixed Rate.

     On January 24, 2022, the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate are as follows:

Floating Rate: +2.10 pre cent (Annex)
Fixed Rate: +3.50 per cent

     Based on the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate set out above, the relevant interest rate for the first interest payment is determined and announced as 3.50 per cent per annum.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority today (January 24) announced that, due to the epidemic situation, starting from tomorrow (January 25) all flat selection sessions for the Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2020/21 will be suspended until further notice. For enquiries, affected applicants may call the Housing Authority Sales Hotline on 2712 8000.