Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Home Affairs Department will open 19 temporary night heat shelters tonight (June 30) 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 –
North District Community Centre
4/F, 2 Lung Wan Street, Sheung Shui
 
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 read more

     â€‹The Transport Department (TD) said today (June 30) that following the disbursement of over $1.8 billion of subsidies to the transport trades under the two rounds of the Anti-epidemic Fund, the fuel subsidy for public light buses and taxis under the first round of the Fund will be provided starting tomorrow (July 1).
      
     For a 12-month period between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, the Government will offer a subsidy of $1 per litre of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for public light buses and taxis, and reimburse one-third of the actual fuel costs for diesel public light buses and petrol taxis. It is expected that about 160 green minibus operators as well as some 60 000 taxi and red minibus drivers can benefit from the fuel subsidy.
      
     Having regard that the vast majority of taxi and red minibus drivers are rental car drivers who need to refuel at the LPG stations at their own expense, in order to relieve the economic pressure of these frontline drivers in a simple and direct manner, oil companies will provide drivers with instant discounts of $1 per litre at LPG stations, with no registration or application needed. The Government will reimburse oil companies for the actual amount of LPG subsidies offered to each taxi and public light bus driver. 
      
     As for petrol taxis and diesel public light buses, due to the relatively smaller number of drivers and operators, and considering that gasoline and diesel may stand a higher chance to be transferred than LPG, drivers/operators should apply for the one-third actual fuel costs reimbursement from the Government by using refilling receipts or monthly statements of fleet cards. Upon completion of the vetting process, reimbursement will be made by autopay, and applicants will be notified in writing. Application details are available at the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk).
      
     All oil companies will make appropriate arrangements at each filling station. Posters will be displayed and publicity leaflets will be distributed at the filling stations for drivers’ information.
      
     For details on the subsidies for transport trades under the Fund, please visit the TD’s website. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

     The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) was briefed today (June 30) on the proposal of revising the reference occupancy rate for franchised bus service frequency adjustment and the review of the use of electric mobility devices (EMDs) in Hong Kong.
      
     With a view to enhancing franchised bus service quality and providing more comfortable bus journeys for passengers, the Transport Department will adopt “four passengers standing per square metre” as the benchmark for service level through amending the reference occupancy rate for adjusting vehicle deployment/service frequency in the Guidelines on Service Improvement and Reduction in Bus Route Planning Programmes. Subject to the progress of bus procurement and bus captain recruitment by the franchised bus companies, the proposal will be implemented progressively from mid-2021.
      
     The TAC Chairman, Professor Stephen Cheung, said, “Members note that the riding habits of passengers have been changing and passengers generally look for more comfortable bus journeys nowadays. Members also welcome the proposed revision to the Guidelines which can provide more space for the standing passengers and improve the service level of franchised buses.”
      
     In recent years, the use of EMDs has become more prevalent in Hong Kong and there have been calls from the community for proper regulation. After taking into account the practices and regulatory requirements for EMDs in 12 jurisdictions/cities, a host of local factors and the benefits that EMDs may bring to their users, the Government proposes that, if properly regulated, motorised Personal Mobility Devices and Power Assisted Pedal Cycles may be used for short-distance commuting where the cycle track networks are more comprehensive. On the other hand, as motorised Personal Mobility Aids are for essential mobility of persons with disabilities and the elderly, their use on footpaths subject to speed control should be allowed. The Government has set up an inter-departmental task group to develop the regulatory framework and plans to conduct site trials in the Science Park and Tseung Kwan O in the second half of 2020.
      
     Professor Cheung said, “Members welcome the Government’s proposal of bringing the law up to date in order to provide a proper regulatory framework for EMDs on the one hand, and enable the regulatory authority to embrace new technologies and innovations for personal mobility on the other.” read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (June 30) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,081.9 billion as at May 31, 2020, HK$14.1 billion lower than that at the end of April 2020. Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$8.3 billion and foreign currency assets decreased by HK$5.8 billion.
 
     The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the mark-to-market revaluation on Hong Kong equities. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to the reduction in Fiscal Reserves placements, which was partly offset by an increase in unsettled purchase of securities and the mark-to-market revaluation on foreign currency investments.
 
     The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of May 2020 was HK$1,709.5 billion, increased by HK$0.9 billion, or 0.1 per cent, from the end of April 2020. The rise was mainly due to an increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness.
 
     The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$2.0 billion, or 0.1 per cent, to HK$1,914.2 billion. The increase was mainly attributable to the net income from investments and the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness. The backing ratio increased from 111.91 per cent at the end of April 2020 to 111.97 per cent at the end of May 2020.
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency.  For the month of June 2020, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:        The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced the results of the residential mortgage survey for May 2020.      … read more