The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority published today (February 15) the credit card lending survey results for the fourth quarter of 2021. &… read more
The Government yesterday (February 14) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 8pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Aberdeen (i.e. Wah Yu House, Wah Fu (I) Estate, Aberdeen) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from February 1 to February 14, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 16, 2022.
The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise in respect of Wah Yu House “restricted area” at around 12:15pm today (February 15) and carried out enforcement action in Wah Yu House afterwards to ascertain that all people in Wah Yu House had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation in respect of Wah Yu House ended at around 2pm today.
In this exercise, the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health mobilised around 170 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including canned food, instant noodles and corn soup, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of persons subject to compulsory testing.
The Housing Department has set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 12:15pm today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 2pm. Test records of about 130 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminded the households at Wah Yu House, who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will 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 order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 is 95.1 (down 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more
The Buildings Department approved 15 building plans in December, with five on Hong Kong Island, three in Kowloon and seven in the New Territories.
Of the approved plans, nine were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, one was for commercial development, and five were for community services developments.
In the same month, consent was given for works to start on three building projects which, when completed, will provide 5 335 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 80 units, and 63 858 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for three building projects.
The department also issued 11 occupation permits, with five on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and two in the New Territories.
Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 89 544 sq m involving 1 762 units, and 70 568 sq m was for non-domestic use.
The declared cost of new buildings completed in December totalled about $6.2 billion.
In addition, 11 demolition consents involving 11 building structures were issued.
The department received 2 597 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in December and issued 801 removal orders on UBWs.
The full version of the Monthly Digest for December can be viewed on the Buildings Department’s homepage (www.bd.gov.hk). read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
| Tender date | : | February 15, 2022 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | Q2207 |
| Issue date | : | February 16, 2022 |
| Maturity date | : | May 18, 2022 |
| Amount applied | : | HK$157,089 MN |
| Amount allotted | : | HK$62,195 MN |
| Average yield accepted | : | 0.16 PCT |
| Highest yield accepted | : | 0.18 PCT |
| Pro rata ratio* | : | About 40 PCT |
| Average tender yield | : | 0.19 PCT |
| **************************** | ||
| Tender date | : | February 15, 2022 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | H2236 |
| Issue date | : | February 16, 2022 |
| Maturity date | : | August 17, 2022 |
| Amount applied | : | HK$29,100 MN |
| Amount allotted | : | HK$14,000 MN |
| Average yield accepted | : | 0.31 PCT |
| Highest yield accepted | : | 0.34 PCT |
| Pro rata ratio* | : | About 42 PCT |
| Average tender yield | : | 0.34 PCT |
| **************************** | ||
| Tender date | : | February 15, 2022 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | Y2286 |
| Issue date | : | February 16, 2022 |
| Maturity date | : | February 15, 2023 |
| Amount applied | : | HK$12,900 MN |
| Amount allotted | : | HK$1,300 MN |
| Average yield accepted | : | 0.49 PCT |
| Highest yield accepted | : | 0.50 PCT |
| Pro rata ratio* | : | About 70 PCT |
| Average tender yield | : | 0.55 PCT |
| Tender date | : | February 22, 2022 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | Q2208 |
| Issue date | : | February 23, 2022 |
| Maturity date | : | May 25, 2022 |
| Tenor | : | 91 Days |
| Amount on offer | : | HK$56,432 MN |
| **************************** | ||
| Tender date | : | February 22, 2022 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | H2237 |
| Issue date | : | February 23, 2022 |
| Maturity date | : | August 24, 2022 |
| Tenor | : | 182 Days |
| Amount on offer | : | HK$13,000 MN |