Fresh rounds of the Amusement Game Centres (AGCs) Subsidy Scheme and the Mahjong/Tin Kau (MJ/TK) Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme under the Anti-epidemic Fund are open for application starting from today (December 30). The AGCs Subsidy Scheme provides a one-off subsidy of $100,000 to each of the eligible operators of AGCs licensed under the Amusement Game Centres Ordinance (Cap. 435), eligible operators of e-sports venues that have been duly exempted (or have applied for but not yet obtained exemption) from the same ordinance and eligible operators of internet computer services centres registered with the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department. On the other hand, the MJ/TK Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme provides a one-off subsidy of $100,000 to each eligible holder of an MJ/TK licence issued under the Gambling Ordinance (Cap. 148). The two subsidy schemes aim to provide immediate financial relief to licence holders or persons-in-charge of the premises concerned whose businesses have been ordered to close since early December 2020 under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F).

     The application forms and guides to application for the two subsidy schemes can be downloaded from the website of the OLA (www.hadla.gov.hk) or obtained from the office of the OLA. Eligible licence holders or persons-in-charge of the premises should submit their applications to the OLA. The deadline for application is January 30, 2021. Upon receipt of completed application forms and the required supporting documents, the disbursement of subsidies could generally be made in around two weeks.     

     The address of the OLA is Rooms 2503-05, 25/F, AIA Tower, 183 Electric Road, North Point, Hong Kong. For details, please contact the OLA at 2116 5230 (AGCs Subsidy Scheme) or 2117 2977 (MJ/TK Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme), or visit the website of the OLA. 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     The third quarter 2020 issue of "Quarterly Supplement to Statistical Digest of the Services Sector" is published by the Census and Statistics Department today (December 30). The publication provides up-to-date quarterly statistics (from the second quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2020) for the more important statistical series on 14 major service industries/domains of Hong Kong.

     The above publication is now available for download free of charge at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp70.jsp?productCode=B1080008). Enquiries can be directed to the Logistics and Producer Prices Statistics Section of the Department (Tel: 3903 7257 or email: services@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Cinemas Subsidy Scheme under the further round of injection into the Anti-epidemic Fund is open for applications from today (December 30) to January 12, 2021.

     The Scheme will provide a one-off subsidy of $100,000 per screen to each existing cinema licensed as a place of public entertainment with commercial operation in November 2020. The maximum subsidy for a cinema circuit is $3 million.

     The application details of the Scheme are available at Create Hong Kong's website (www.createhk.gov.hk).

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Cold Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Cold Weather Warning is in force, they should take appropriate precautions such as reminding employees who have to work outdoors or in remote areas to wear appropriately warm clothing, and make arrangements for employees to rotate from outdoor to indoor or sheltered work sites as far as possible. Employees should take note of the weather report, wear appropriately warm clothing and be mindful of their health conditions. They should notify their supervisors and seek medical help immediately if feeling unwell, such as having cold limbs and body shivering.