Correctional officers at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre recently received intelligence that a remand person in custody attempted to disseminate the message of "Hong Kong independence" inside the institution, suspected to have violated of the National Security Law. The institution management immediately monitored the target person in custody and locations.

     Correctional officers launched an operation this morning (December 29) to search the person in custody and his cell and found wording suspected of advocating "Hong Kong independence" on the wall of the cell. The institution management immediately put the person in custody under separation for investigation.

     The CSD has reported the case to the Police for follow-up.

     The CSD emphasised that to ensure a safe and secure custodial environment, any persons in custody found to have committed illegal acts such as disseminating the message of "Hong Kong independence" will be handled seriously with zero tolerance.

     The person in custody was remanded for the offence of incitement to secession in November 2020.
     

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, at a media session today (December 29) on the quarterly land sale programme for January to March 2021:
 
Reporter: Firstly, about the annual target for private residential flat, you said you are confident we are getting closer to the target, but would you worry that the tender could be rejected in the coming quarter considering economic downturn? Secondly, for the year, the revenue from the land sale is actually lower than last year. Looking forward to 2021, do you think we can have a rebound? Can I also ask a little bit about the Sham Shui Po century-old reservoir? Does the Government think it needs to be declared as a monument and do you have any idea on how it needs to be preserved?
 
Secretary for Development: On the site at Bishop Hill, I think what we should now do is to await the evaluation by the experts who would then report to the AAB (Antiquities Advisory Board). The AAB will give a grading. Going forward, the Government will then consider what exactly to do with the site, having regard to AAB's recommendation. 
 
     In terms of overall direction, we do have a stance. We believe the site should be preserved. It should not be further demolished, and what has been demolished should be restored. And then, we should find a purpose for the site, which not only reflects the historic value of the site but should also be able to further the enjoyment of the people of Sham Shui Po and of Hong Kong. 
      
     There are many examples of success in the past. An example is our R-Scheme, the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, which we are able to preserve the building, the structure or the site and at the same time allow the public to have reasonable access to the site and enjoy the site. That will be the direction going forward. Exactly what to do will have to be determined having regard to the recommendation of the AAB, on that I do not wish to speculate. 
      
     Your question about the overall target, every year we take all sources of supply in the whole, and then we will come up with a figure which we hope can be as close or exceed the target as possible. For this year, at this moment where we are standing now, we are over 99 per cent completion of the target. We are not yet there. We are 30 units short of the target. Whether we can have those 30 units in the coming two months is something I do not wish to speculate but let's see what the market does. 
      
     On the revenue side, there are land parcels to be sold in the coming quarter which will go into the figures for the entire financial year. That is something which will be announced in the financial budget, again I do not wish to speculate on that at this point in time. 
  
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is the transcript of the opening remarks by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, at a media session today (December 29) on the land sale programme for January to March 2021:
      
     In the fourth quarter, the Government will sell by tender three residential sites, one each at the Peak, Kai Tak and Kwu Tung North New Development Area. Together, these sites are capable of providing about 2 240 flats.
      
     The site on Mansfield Road at the Peak will be able to provide around 135 units. The Kwu Tung North site is the first site to be sold by tender in the Kwu Tung North New Development Area, and is capable of providing about 1 330 units. The site at Kai Tak is capable of providing about 775 units.
      
     The MTR Corporation Limited plans to sell by tender in the fourth quarter Package 6 of the Wong Chuk Hang Station project, which will produce about 750 units.  
      
     In addition, five private development and redevelopment projects are expected to complete their lease modification processes in the fourth quarter and will produce a supply of 1 815 units.
      
     Taking all sources of private housing land supply into account, the total supply in the fourth quarter would be about 4 800 units, the highest amongst the four quarters.  
      
     Together with the supply of about 8 070 units from the first three quarters, the total private housing land supply of the financial year will reach about 12 870 units, which is very close to our annual target of 12 900.
      
     As regards commercial land, we will sell by tender in the fourth quarter the Caroline Hill Road site in Causeway Bay, providing about 100 000 square metres of gross floor space. 
      
     Looking ahead, the Government will continue to increase land supply through a multi-pronged approach to meet the housing, economic and social development needs of our community.
      
     Thank you.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital made an announcement today (December 29) on a nursing staff member preliminarily testing positive for COVID-19:
 
     A nursing staff member of a male rehabilitation ward preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19 last night (December 28). A patient in the same ward tested positive for COVID-19 earlier (on December 23) and the nurse concerned had assisted that patient to collect a deep throat saliva specimen. She wore a surgical mask and gloves at the time. In view of the short duration, she was classified as "other contact" and was put under medical surveillance. She was arranged to undergo a COVID-19 test on December 24 and the test result was negative. She was arranged to undergo a COVID-19 test again on December 28 and presented with fever on the same day. Her test result was positive. She is currently receiving treatment under isolation in Queen Elizabeth Hospital with stable condition.
 
     The hospital's infection control team has conducted contact tracing and noticed that the nurse concerned was equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment during duty and did not perform any high-risk medical procedures. No patient was hence identified as a close contact. Five healthcare workers who had a meal with the nurse were identified as close contacts and will be arranged to undergo quarantine. They underwent COVID-19 tests on December 24 and 28 and the test results were negative.
 
     In addition, five healthcare workers from other hospitals had attended a gathering with the nurse. As a result, they were identified as close contacts and will be arranged to undergo quarantine.
 
     The hospital has arranged thorough cleaning and disinfection in the ward concerned and has again reminded staff to avoid gathering and having meals together. The hospital will continue to closely monitor the health conditions of staff members and patients and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.

     The Government announced today (December 29) the quarterly land sale programme for the fourth quarter of 2020-21, i.e. January to March 2021.

     "In the fourth quarter of 2020-21, the Government will sell by tender three residential sites, one each at the Peak, Kai Tak and Kwu Tung North New Development Area. The total estimated flat yield is about 2 240 units," the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, said.

     In the coming quarter, the MTR Corporation Limited plans to tender Package 6 of the Wong Chuk Hang Station project, which is capable of providing about 750 units.  
      
     On private development and redevelopment projects, five projects are expected to have their lease modification processes completed in the fourth quarter, capable of producing 1 815 units. 
         
     "The private housing land supply in the fourth quarter has a capacity to produce about 4 800 units in total. Together with the land supply of about 8 070 units from the first three quarters, the private housing land supply from different sources in the 2020-21 financial year will reach about 12 870 units, which is very close to our annual target of 12 900 units," Mr Wong said. 
                  
     As regards commercial land, the Government will put up for sale in the fourth quarter the Caroline Hill Road site in Causeway Bay, providing about 100 000 square meters of floor space. 
      
     The Government would continue to increase land supply through a multi-pronged approach in order to maintain a sustained and stable supply and meet the housing, economic and social development needs of Hong Kong people.

     The list of the sites to be tendered in January to March 2021 is attached. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will announce the detailed land sale arrangements before individual sites are tendered.