Police today (January 22) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tuen Mun.

     Lai Wai-man, aged 31, went missing after he was last seen in Yau Oi Estate on December 29, 2019. His family made a report to Police on December 31.

     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 115 kilograms in weight and of fat build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short black hair.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories North on 3661 3113 or 6273 5787 or email to rmpu-ntn-1@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan; and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko, met the media today (January 22) on a suspected pneumonia case of novel coronavirus infection. Following is the transcript of remarks made by Professor Chan:

Reporter: When will the quarantine camp be ready? Has the airline company been notified? Has the hotel been notified?

The Secretary for Food and Health: As I have said earlier, the Steering Committee in accordance with the Serious Response Level under the Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance at the last two meetings has already alerted the relevant departments, for example, those which are providing the holiday camps. We have also walked through the situation when we have the first imported case. So everybody is ready.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (January 22), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health (DH) the admission of 18 patients (10 males and 8 females, aged 3 to 90) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of "Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent". Specimens of the patients concerned have been sent to the DH for testing. 27 patients are still under isolation, 24 patients are in stable condition. Three patients are in North District Hospital with two in critical condition and one in serious condition due to their underlying diseases.
      
     The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.
 

     The Commissioner of Police (CP), as a department head, attended the meeting of the Tsuen Wan District Council today (January 22) in the hope of enhancing communication with the District Council as well as strengthening ties and understanding between the Police and the district.
      
     The Government expresses regret over the unfounded allegations against the CP and the Police as well as the insulting words by a number of District Council members at the meeting and in the impromptu motion. As a result of the situation, members of the Government walked out of the meeting.
      
     The Government urges those District Council members to focus on livelihood issues and discuss matters rationally. The Government hopes that it can work with the District Council under the principle of mutual respect and rational discussion.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (January 22) launched a two-month public consultation on proposals for making rules relating to contractual stays on termination rights in financial contracts for authorized institutions under the Financial Institutions (Resolution) Ordinance (Cap. 628) (the Ordinance). 
      
     The Ordinance, which came into effect in 2017, establishes a cross-sectoral resolution regime for financial institutions that is in line with international standards. It confers on the Monetary Authority, as the resolution authority for the banking sector entities in Hong Kong including all authorized institutions, statutory responsibilities and powers to enable it to manage the failure of an authorized institution in an orderly manner that avoids disruption to financial stability, while seeking to protect public funds.
      
     Disorderly termination of contracts by counterparties of a financial institution in a resolution would cause significant contagion effect to the financial markets, posing wider risks to the stability and effective working of the financial system. To address these risks, the Ordinance contains a provision that provides a resolution authority with the power to suspend (i.e. "stay") for a specified period the termination right of a counterparty to a qualifying contract under certain circumstances. For ensuring the effective implementation of this provision, a resolution authority may make rules that impose a requirement for contractual recognition of the temporary stay power under the Ordinance.
      
     The consultation launched today sets out detailed proposals for the stay rules the Monetary Authority intends to make, which will require the entities subject to the rules to adopt appropriate provisions in certain financial contracts to the effect that the parties to the contracts agree to be bound by a temporary stay that may be imposed by the Monetary Authority under the Ordinance. The proposals are designed to be aligned with the relevant principles set by the Financial Stability Board. In drawing up the proposals, the HKMA has taken these principles into account, and made reference to the approaches adopted in key jurisdictions.  
      
     Subject to the outcome of the public consultation, the intention is to introduce the rules as subsidiary legislation under the Ordinance into the Legislative Council for negative vetting in the 2020/2021 legislative session.
      
     The consultation paper can be downloaded from the HKMA’s website. Interested parties are invited to send their written comments by mail to Consultation on Contractual Stays, Resolution Office, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, 55th Floor, Two International Finance Centre, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, or by e-mail to resolution@hkma.gov.hk on or before March 22, 2020.