The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

     In view of the current widespread COVID-19 epidemic, the Office of The Ombudsman today (July 14) announced that the Office will temporarily suspend its walk-in reception counter service starting from tomorrow (July 15). Face-to-face meetings with the Duty Officer or case officers must be made by prior appointment.

     Members of the public who wish to lodge complaints or make enquiries are encouraged to contact the Office through other means (i.e. email, fax, hotline, voice message and online form).

     â€‹In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (July 14) announced that the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre and the Communication Resource Unit, Centre for Food Safety under the FEHD will be temporarily suspended from tomorrow (July 15) and their educational and outreaching programmes will be cancelled until further notice.

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (July 14) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, further measures have to be adopted to maintain social distancing. EPD public facilities will be temporarily closed from tomorrow (July 15) and visitor and education programmes at Community Green Stations (CGS) will be cancelled until further notice.
 
     EPD facilities to be temporarily closed from tomorrow include:
 

1. EcoPark visitor centre
2. T•PARK visitor centre and T•SPA
3. WEEE•PARK visitor centre
4. Environmental Resource Centres (namely Fanling Environmental Resource Centre, Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre and Mobile Environmental Resource Centre)
5. Facilities at restored landfills (namely Shuen Wan Restored Landfill – Golf Driving Range, Tseung Kwan O Restored Landfill – Football Training Centre, Gin Drinkers Bay Restored Landfill – Cricket Hong Kong Centre)

 
     All CGS will remain open to collect recyclables, but their kerb side collection service will be temporarily suspended until further notice.
 
     "We will inform members of the public who have made advance bookings for some of the EPD public facilities about the temporary closures via SMS, Facebook or other channels," the spokesman added.

     The Home Affairs Department will open 19 temporary night heat shelters tonight (July 14) for people in need of the service.
 
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The 19 night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai

     The Government announced today (July 14) that, in accordance with the relevant agreement on the Government's investment in Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (Cathay Group), Mr Carlson Tong and Mr Rimsky Yuen, SC, have been designated as the observers of the Board of the Cathay Group with immediate effect.
 
     "Mr Tong has been active in public and community services and possesses extensive knowledge and significant experience in the financial services sector. He was a Board Member of the Airport Authority Hong Kong and is familiar with the operation of the Hong Kong aviation industry. Mr Yuen is a seasoned legal expert in commercial and civil matters with vast experience in public services and administration. They are suitable candidates to serve as observers to the Cathay Group's Board. I am confident that they will help safeguard the Government's investment interest in the Cathay Group," the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said.
 
     The observers designated by the Government have no voting rights at Board meetings. They shall have the right to receive notice of Board meetings, attend and speak at all meetings of the Board, receive all information and papers distributed to the Board, and have access to management and to all information about the Company. 
 
     In June 2020, the Government decided to invest $27.3 billion in the Cathay Group through the Land Fund, comprising preference shares with detachable warrants of $19.5 billion and a bridge loan of $7.8 billion, with a view to upholding Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub amidst the threat arising from COVID-19. As part of the investment agreement between the Government and the Cathay Group, the Government may designate two observers to the Cathay Group's Board of Directors, until the Cathay Group repays the Government in full the drawn bridge loan and interest and redeems all preference shares from the Government.
 
     Mr Tong is a chartered accountant. He served as the Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission from 2012 to 2018 and was a member of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2020. He had been a Board Member of the Airport Authority Hong Kong since 2017 until he left the post in July 2020. He is currently the Chairman of the University Grants Committee and an Independent Non-Executive Director of Standard Chartered PLC. 
 
     Mr Yuen is a Senior Counsel with key areas of practice including commercial disputes and related matters. He was the Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government from 2012 to 2018. Mr Yuen is currently a member of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee.