STDC Minutes 3/2020 Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Sha Tin

STDC Minutes 3/2020

Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Sha Tin District Council in 2020

Date : 10 February 2020 (Monday) Time : 2:30 pm Venue : Sha Tin District Council Conference Room 4/F, Sha Tin Government Offices

Present Time of joining Time of leaving the meeting the meeting Chairman : Mr CHING Cheung-ying, MH 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Vice-Chairman : Mr WONG Hok-lai, George 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Members : Mr CHAN Billy Shiu-yeung 2:30 pm 6:28 pm Mr CHAN Nok-hang 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHAN Pui-ming 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHAN Wan-tung 2:30 pm 6:29 pm Mr CHENG Chung-hang 2:55 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHEUNG Hing-wa 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHIU Chu-pong 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHOW Hiu-laam, Felix 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr CHUNG Lai-him, Johnny 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr HUI Lap-san 2:55 pm 6:31 pm Mr HUI Yui-yu 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr LAI Tsz-yan 5:18 pm 6:30 pm Dr LAM Kong-kwan 2:30 pm 5:55 pm Mr LI Chi-wang, Raymond 2:30 pm 6:30 pm Mr LI Sai-hung 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr LI Wing-shing, Wilson 2:30 pm 5:18 pm Mr LIAO Pak-hong, Ricardo 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr LO Tak-ming 2:30 pm 6:28 pm Mr LO Yuet-chau 2:56 pm 6:31 pm Mr LUI Kai-wing 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Ms LUK Tsz-tung 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr MAK Tsz-kin 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr MOK Kam-kwai, BBS 2:30 pm 5:55 pm Mr NG Kam-hung 2:30 pm 6:30 pm Ms NG Ting-lam 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr SHAM Tsz-kit, Jimmy 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr SHEK William 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr SIN Cheuk-nam 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr TSANG Kit 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Ms TSANG So-lai 2:53 pm 6:31 pm Mr WAI Hing-cheung 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr WONG Ho-fung 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Ms WONG Man-huen 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr YIP Wing 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Mr YUNG Ming-chau, Michael 2:30 pm 6:31 pm Present Time of joining Time of leaving the meeting the meeting

Secretary : Mr YUEN Chun-kit, Derek Senior Executive Officer (District Council)/ Sha Tin District Office

In Attendance Title Ms CHAN Yuen-man, Amy, JP District Officer (Sha Tin) Mr WONG Tin-pui, Simon Assistant District Officer (Sha Tin) (1) Mr WONG Shek-hay, Sebastian Assistant District Officer (Sha Tin) (2)

Absent Mr TING Tsz-yuen (Application for leave of absence received) Mr YAU Man-chun ( ” ) Mr CHENG Tsuk-man (No application for leave of absence received) Mr YEUNG Sze-kin ( ” ) Mr MAK Yun-pui, Chris (Remark)

In Attendance by Invitation Title Dr CHUI Tak-yi, JP Under Secretary for Food and Health Ms CHAN Tsz-yan, Yandy Assistant Secretary for Food and Health (Food)1/ Food and Health Bureau Dr THAM May Ked Senior Medical and Health Officer (Government Vaccination Programme)/ Department of Health Ms LEUNG Hay-lin, Helen Senior Architect 41/ Housing Department Ms LI Fung-yuk Senior Housing Manager/Applications 2/ Housing Department

Action Welcome Remark

The Chairman welcomed Dr CHUI Tak-yi, Under Secretary for Food and Health, Ms Yandy CHAN, Assistant Secretary for Food and Health (Food)1 of the Food and Health Bureau (FHB); Dr THAM May Ked, Senior Medical and Health Officer (Government Vaccination Programme) of the Department of Health (DH); Ms Helen LEUNG, Senior Architect 41 and Ms LI Fung-yuk, Senior Housing Manager/Applications 2 of the Housing Department (HD) to the meeting.

2. Mr Michael YUNG pointed out that under the “Sha Tin District Council Standing Orders” (Standing Orders) Order 7(1), the Secretariat had to issue the notice of a meeting to Members five clear working days beforehand. He asked the Secretariat how to ensure that Members were aware of today’s special meeting, and how the audio recording and the minutes of the meeting would be handled to ensure that the meeting was valid and legitimate.

3. Mr Derek YUEN, Senior Executive Officer (District Council) of the Sha Tin District Office (STDO) responded that the Secretariat had issued the notice of the meeting to all Members by email this morning, and also notified Members of today’s meeting by phone. The

Remark : Mr Chris MAK had not submitted the application for leave of absence before the meeting. - 2 - Action Secretariat would, in accordance with the Standing Orders, arrange audio recording for the meeting and upload the recordings to the website of the Sha Tin District Council (STDC).

Application for Leave of Absence

4. The Chairman said that the STDC Secretariat had received the applications for leave of absence in writing from the following Members:

Mr TING Tsz-yuen He had to handle the matters of his office as his assistant was sick Mr YAU Man-chun Sickness

5. The Council unanimously approved the applications for leave of absence submitted by the Members above.

Discussion Item

Earmarking Chun Yeung Estate for Quarantine Use and Relevant Arrangement for Flat In-take of the Estate in the Future (Paper No. STDC 21/2020)

6. Dr CHUI Tak-yi briefly introduced the content of the paper, with the following main points:

(a) as of yesterday, there were 36 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hong Kong;

(b) the characteristics of the new cases included the significant increase in the number of family cluster cases, a large number of patients involved, and the newly confirmed patients being Hong Kong residents who did not have recent travel history or close contact with confirmed cases;

(c) experts of local universities and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) pointed out that there were mild cases in the community in which the patients had not visited the Mainland recently. Therefore, it was necessary to step up the anti- epidemic efforts;

(d) the anti-epidemic strategy included reducing the people flow between Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as the social contact between members of the public in Hong Kong;

(e) during the quarantine stage, hospitals would treat patients in negative pressure rooms. At present, the diagnosis of suspected cases was also conducted in negative pressure rooms;

(f) under the current practice, the CHP of the DH would request those people who had had close contact with patients of confirmed cases but displayed no symptoms to complete the 14-day compulsory quarantine;

(g) he pointed out that people who were arranged to stay in quarantine centres were not confirmed or suspected cases, but only close contacts and they displayed no symptoms; . - 3 - Action

(h) there was a specific definition of a close contact, which included household members and anyone who had been on the same public transport with the confirmed case, for example, passengers who had sat in front of or behind the confirmed case on a train or a plane;

(i) confinees showing symptoms would be admitted to hospitals promptly for quarantine and treatment, which helped prevent the spread of the epidemic;

(j) to plan ahead, the Government had been actively looking for locations suitable for quarantine use. Because of the rapid development of the epidemic situation, including the increase in the number of locally transmitted cases and the number of close contact of confirmed cases, the Government had to significantly increase the provision of quarantine facilities within a short period of time;

(k) the site selection criteria for quarantine centres considered by the Government included whether the facility could be ready for use shortly, the location, the environment, and the possible impact on the residents in the vicinity, etc.; and

(l) comprehensive quarantine arrangements were made for quarantine centres, and the operation followed the infection control guidelines, including law enforcement officers and healthcare staff being on duty round the clock, people under quarantine being not allowed to enter and leave the quarantine centres without written permission by health personnel, and the provision of transfer service to the people under quarantine leaving and entering the centre, who would not take part in any community activities.

7. Ms Helen LEUNG gave a brief introduction, with the following main points:

(a) Chun Yeung Estate was located in an elevated position in Fo Tan, at which 5 buildings were built on the hillside;

(b) the HD had taken the natural wind flow into account during the planning stage, and therefore there were ventilation breezeways between the estate and the industrial buildings and village houses in the vicinity, allowing breezes to pass freely;

(c) the units of the estate were equipped with toilets, kitchens and sufficient windows for natural lighting and ventilation;

(d) the Hong Kong Housing Authority had developed the “common W-trap pipe system” for public housing estate units, which could prevent the floor drains from drying and thus the spread of bacteria; and

(e) therefore, the estate was suitable for quarantine use shortly.

8. The Chairman said as Dr CHUI Tak-yi had to attend to other official duties related to the anti-epidemic effort, he would leave the meeting at 4:45 pm today. He asked Members to be concise when making a speech.

9. The views of Mr Felix CHOW were summarised below:

. - 4 - Action (a) he was dissatisfied that the Government chose a public housing estate, which was ready for intake, for quarantine use without any consultation;

(b) he said some prospective tenants had been waiting for public rental housing (PRH) units for 7 years, and he asked whether the Government would apologise to the affected prospective tenants;

(c) he asked whether the Government had considered other sites, for example, using cruise ships or the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort as quarantine centres;

(d) he expressed regret over Dr CHUI Tak-yi’s refusal to communicate with the residents; and

(e) he urged the Government to respond to the residents’ demand and withdraw the decision of using Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre.

10. The views of Mr CHAN Pui-ming were summarised below:

(a) he deeply regretted that the FHB, the DH and the Hospital Authority (HA) did not send any representatives to the STDC meetings twice to give an account of the anti-epidemic policy;

(b) he said using Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre affected not only villagers nearby, but also members of the public working in Fo Tan, as well as prospective tenants waiting for intake;

(c) he would like to know how the one-way permits issued by the Public Security Bureau on the Mainland and the entry visas issued by the Hubei Province would be dealt with; and

(d) he enquired about the entry arrangement for transit visa holders at those 5 control points, and the passenger traffic arriving in Hong Kong.

11. Mr SIN Cheuk-nam was dissatisfied that the Government did not consult the STDC about site selection of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use, the commencement of MTR, and the setup of a designated clinic in Ma On Shan, etc. He demanded that the FHB explain why Chun Yeung Estate was still requisitioned for quarantine use even after the Chief Executive had publicly stated that public housing estates would not be requisitioned for quarantine use.

12. The views of Mr MAK Tsz-kin were summarised below:

(a) he was extremely disappointed that he, as the DC Member of the constituency concerned, had enquired of the HD but got no reply, and did not know that Chun Yeung Estate was to be requisitioned for quarantine use until the morning of 8 February;

(b) he said some residences of Kwai Tei New Village and Wo Liu Hang Village were less than 30 metres away from Chun Yeung Estate. He requested officials to conduct an inspection with him after the meeting;

(c) he asked why the FHB did not consult the STDC or the affected residents first, but the gentry instead; . - 5 - Action

(d) he opined that the Government made the decision hastily and the 5 000 prospective tenants, who had been waiting for 7 years, hoping to move into PRH units at as early as possible, were disappointed;

(e) he said that on 28 January this year, the Chief Executive had announced that unoccupied public housing estates would not be requisitioned for quarantine use. He asked the FHB to consider requisitioning military camps for isolation and quarantine use;

(f) he strongly demanded that the FHB withdraw the decision; and

(g) he would propose a provisional motion later.

13. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) he understood the difficulties faced by the prospective tenants who were ready to move in. He asked the representative of the HD to give supplementary information on the related arrangement;

(b) because of the rapid change and the high possibility of further deterioration of the epidemic situation, from the standpoint of the public hygiene in Hong Kong, it was necessary to reserve sufficient and suitable sites for close contacts to be quarantined for the protection of public health;

(c) in terms of time, the physical environment and ventilation had to be considered when choosing locations for quarantine use in the short run;

(d) the FHB was at the same time planning for locations for medium-term use, including setting up structures on open space at existing campsites. But the construction and disinfection would take 1 to 2 months, and therefore the pressing problem could not be solved immediately;

(e) from the perspective of hygiene, the air in cruise ships or hotels was circulated inside the ventilation system and it was difficult to ensure that independent rooms would not be infected. He cited the cruise ship that was denied berthing in Japan as an example and said the rising number of confirmed cases had shown that it was not a safe quarantine option;

(f) due to the tight timeline, he had already explained to the residents in the vicinity, and DC Members yesterday, how the operation of the quarantine centre could protect residents;

(g) starting from midnight 8 February this year, all people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland should undergo compulsory quarantine;

(h) the concept of designated clinics was developed after Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to cope with epidemics, for example, swine flu. Among the existing over 70 general outpatient clinics, 18 of them were designed by engineers and were equipped with backup partitions and ventilation system for anti-epidemic purposes, with a view to better protecting users’ safety when respiratory tract infection cases were being handled; and . - 6 - Action

(i) there were over 4 800 units in total in the 5 buildings of Chun Yeung Estate, and the FHB would first requisition units that were not facing other residences to minimise the impact on residents in the vicinity.

14. Ms Helen LEUNG gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) as mentioned before, there were ventilation breezeways between the 5 buildings of Chun Yeung Estate, as well as between the estate and residences and industrial buildings in the vicinity. Therefore, with the existing Government’s resources, the estate could be requisitioned for quarantine use in a short period time; and

(b) for details including the screening of units, Members’ opinions would be considered as far as possible.

15. Ms LI Fung-yuk gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) she understood that the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate might be affected by the arrangement. However, taking into account the severity of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong, it was hoped that they could actively cooperate with the Government to fight against the disease. This would not only benefit confinees under quarantine, but also the public health of Hong Kong;

(b) when issuing the notice for advance allocation, the HD had already notified the applicants that the actual intake date was yet to be confirmed, and reminded them not to change jobs or arrange for school transfer too early;

(c) nevertheless, the HD was actively considering making special arrangements for those applicants who had accepted the advance allocation results, for example, if the applicants would like to move into other public housing estates, the HD would try to accommodate them if the situation and resources allowed; and

(d) the HD would contact and inform the affected prospective tenants as soon as possible.

16. The views of Mr NG Kam-hung were summarised below:

(a) at present, 3 quarantine centres were full and Chun Yeung Estate consisted of 4 864 units in total. He asked the FHB how many people were expected to be quarantined;

(b) he would like to know whether the HD was aware that Chun Yeung Estate would be used as a quarantine centre during the design stage or in advance;

(c) he asked why the FHB did not choose Tai Tong in Yuen Long, Caritas Jockey Club Siu Tong Camp (Lai Chee Cheong) or YMCA Wong Yi Chau Youth Camp;

(d) all hospitals were extremely busy at present. He would like to know from where the FHB would deploy healthcare staff to quarantine centres to take up the duty;

(e) he asked whether the design of the water drainage system and sewage drainage system of public housing estates could cope with the high-risk conditions; and . - 7 - Action

(f) if confinees under quarantine were sent to Chun Yeung Estate in phases, for how long the HD expected the estate to be used for quarantine use.

17. The views of Ms NG Ting-lam were summarised below:

(a) she would like to know if confinees who underwent quarantine in Chun Yeung Estate were confirmed with infection, how the trunk sewers would be handled;

(b) she asked whether the Government planned to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use until the epidemic was in control; and

(c) she asked whether the FHB had any indicators for the lifespan of the virus and the risk posed to the prospective tenants who would move in later.

18. The views of Mr Wilson LI were summarised below:

(a) he said the FHB did not answer all questions during yesterday’s discussion. He showed a list of questions to be answered:

“ A. Overall anti-epidemic strategy 1. the supply and demand for negative pressure isolation wards and quarantine centres 2. the estimated numbers of infection cases and close contacts of confirmed cases

B. Quarantine centres 1. site selection criteria for quarantine centres 2. potential locations of quarantine centres 3. environmental assessment, details on the location and orientation of units, etc. of Chun Yeung Estate 4. arrangement for the prevention of spread of the epidemic

C. Arrangement for residents of quarantine centre 1. clean-up after the end of requisition 2. the living arrangements for residents, e.g. school places, when the estate was requisitioned as a quarantine centre 3. the living and rental allowance for residents

D. Designated clinics 1. site selection criteria for designated clinics 2. how designated clinics and adjoining facilities (e.g. maternal and child health centres) were segregated 3. standard for the handling of suspected cases with mild symptoms, and standard for the treatment, isolation and quarantine of close contacts

E. Home quarantine 1. how to ensure that confinees stayed at their residences 2. communication mechanism between other government departments, housing estates, DC Members 3. means of contact of local communities 4. confinees were unable to contact the Social Welfare Department and the STDO

. - 8 - Action F. Entry to Hong Kong 1. arrangements for one-way permit holders”;

(b) he was dissatisfied that the FHB and the DH did not send representatives to the STDC meetings held on 23 January and in early February to give an account of the latest epidemic situation;

(c) he opined that no consultation had been conducted in respect of the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre, and thus the decision was unfair to the prospective tenants who had been waiting for years to move into PRH units, of which the intake was delayed;

(d) he said by publicly announcing that new public housing estates would not be requisitioned for quarantine use and then had her mind changed, the Chief Executive had set a bad example;

(e) he asked how the Government would help those prospective tenants who had already changed jobs or school;

(f) as regards there was only 1 confirmed case in his constituency, he thanked the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for stepping up cleaning in the past 14 days, and he urged the DH and the CHP to strengthen communication; and

(g) he hoped that the FHB would first carry out consultation and choose locations away from residences before making any decision.

19. The views of Ms WONG Man-huen were summarised below:

(a) she played an audio recording and the content was “as you know, there are public housing estates yet to be occupied in the coming year, and I think these estates are not suitable for use as quarantine centres.”, and asked whether the Government lied;

(b) she was dissatisfied that the FHB refused to meet the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate for 3 consecutive days;

(d) she criticised the CHP for its slow action as the DC Member of the concerned constituency was not notified until a resident had been put under quarantine for the 12th day, and only 161 compulsory quarantine orders were issued amongst the vast number of inbound travellers; and

(e) she would like to know what the Government’s overall anti-epidemic strategy was, the supply and demand for negative pressure isolation wards and quarantine centres, and the estimated numbers of infection cases and close contacts of confirmed cases.

20. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) the current estimates made by the experts of universities in Hong Kong or around the world were based on the calculation of mathematical modelling that included . - 9 - Action different hypotheses. As the epidemic situation was evolving, it was difficult for experts to have an accurate estimation of the number of infection cases. Responses could only be made in view of the latest development of the epidemic situation, new phenomena, alerts, etc.;

(b) he cited as an example the recently confirmed cases that displayed an obvious correlation with the family cluster, of which some patients did not have any travel history or contact history. According to experts, Hong Kong must be well prepared to respond to possible community outbreak of different scales, including the provision of sufficient quarantine facilities;

(c) regarding the cruise ship case, since the passengers had embarked on and disembarked from the cruise ship at different locations, all passengers had to be tested before disembarking from the cruise ship for safety’s sake;

(d) the DH would be responsible for providing services in quarantine centres and health guidelines to confinees. After confinees left, the DH would disinfect the units before returning them; and

(e) infection through aerosol or airborne infection only took place in a rather enclosed environment, for example, when performing procedures such as tracheal suction, endotracheal intubation or connection to a mechanical ventilator. Therefore, the healthcare personnel would take stringent protective measures when performing aerosol-generating procedures.

21. Ms LI Fung-yuk gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) she reiterated that the intake date had not been confirmed when the notice for advance allocation was issued, and therefore when the keys of the units would be distributed was unknown;

(b) the Hong Kong Housing Authority did not have any policy on rental allowance at present;

(c) nevertheless, if individual prospective tenants had any special needs, if resources and the situation allowed, the HD would assist the affected prospective tenants in the allocation of other PRH units; and

(d) yesterday, a Member asked if the Community Care Fund or Anti-epidemic Fund could be used to help the affected prospective tenants, she would propose the Government consider the suggestion if the situation allowed and the eligibility criteria were met.

22. The views of Mr HUI Yui-yu were summarised below:

(a) he was dissatisfied that Hong Kong did not follow major cities in the Mainland to close the border;

(b) he asked whether the FHB could promise to consult the DC, DC Members of the concerned constituencies, and give an explanation to the affected residents before making a requisition for selected sites; and

. - 10 - Action (c) he urged the HD to meet the affected residents shortly to know more about their needs and provide compensation.

23. The views of Mr CHAN Nok-hang were summarised below:

(a) he opined that the Government adopted a “one-voice” policy, without achieving anything but made a total mess in the prevention of the epidemic, causing members of the public to make a rush for face masks, toilet paper and rice overnight;

(b) the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate who had already been allocated with units could have moved in at the end of February. Therefore, he opined that it was unjustified to requisition the estate for quarantine use now;

(d) he opined that the HD did not explain why Chun Yeung Estate was suitable for quarantine use;

(e) he asked why the Government did not make use the vacant site at the car park of AsiaWorld-Expo, or the places like Lei Yue Mun Holiday Village to set up temporary quarantine facilities by using containers; and

(f) he demanded the immediate withdrawal of the decision on requisitioning Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

24. The views of Mr Johnny CHUNG were summarised below:

(a) he said people had to pass through MOStown to access the residences of Sunshine City. However, after the list of buildings of the confinees under mandatory quarantine was published, the FHB did not remind the management office of the shopping mall to take anti-epidemic measures immediately. He was disappointed at the notification mechanism;

(b) he opposed the setup of a designated clinic for the treatment of pneumonia at the community complex where the Ma On Shan Maternal and Child Health Centre was located at, and pointed out that there were a Neighbourhood Elderly Centre inside, and a mobile Chinese medicine clinic outside;

(d) he demanded that the Government resume some military sites for quarantine use; and

(e) he asked the Government to remember the experience of Fai Ming Estate.

25. The views of Mr CHIU Chu-pong were summarised below:

(a) he said the Chief Executive had publicly announced that public housing estates would not be requisitioned for quarantine use on 28 January but had her mind . - 11 - Action changed later, which showed her lack of integrity;

(b) he was dissatisfied that the HD did not provide any concrete compensations to the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate and pointed out that there were prospective tenants who had been waiting for PRH units for 7 years were now living in sub-divided flats and had to pay expensive rents;

(c) he opined that the FHB and the DH disrespected the STDC for they did not send representatives to the meetings on 23 January and 6 February, but notified the rural sector in advance instead;

(d) he asked whether the DH and the STDO covered up the epidemic situation. He cited an example in which the information of a case that was going to finish the 14-day compulsory quarantine on 7 February was not published until 5 February. He would like to know whether the FHB had notified the management office and the DC Member of the concerned constituency to raise the anti-epidemic awareness in the community; and

(e) he suggested using San Uk Ling Holding Centre and Police College in Wong Chuk Hang as quarantine centres.

26. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) he firmly refuted the claim that the Government covered up the epidemic situation, and said the DH and the HA explained to the public the epidemic situation in Hong Kong, including the latest information on the confirmed cases and the close contacts involved, in an open and transparent manner every day;

(b) he clarified that under the new anti-epidemic measures in an earlier stage, Hong Kong residents who came back from Wuhan took the initiative to contact the DH at control points to undergo compulsory home quarantine. As they came back to Hong Kong on different dates, the end dates were different;

(c) the Government was actively considering different locations. The choices of hardware facilities were limited by several factors, for example, whether they were flexible enough to receive individuals or families for quarantine, whether they were equipped with individual toilets, and whether they could be used shortly. The Government was now setting up modular housing units at the existing campsites, but they could not be used immediately as the construction took time;

(d) the FHB would convey Members’ concerns over the designated clinics to the HA and remind them to be aware of the concerns from other users when activating the designated clinics, in order to alleviate public concern; and

(e) it was necessary for the FHB to explain the situation to the affected residents, including villagers living next to Chun Yeung Estate. He said he had invited all DC Members yesterday to the forum, and explained the situation to Members again at this meeting.

27. Ms LI Fung-yuk said the HD would contact the affected prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate promptly. If needed, the HD would provide assistance as far as possible and arrange for them to reside in other estates. . - 12 - Action

28. The views of the Vice-Chairman were summarised below:

(a) he asked the Secretariat to give the list of questions to Dr CHUI Tak-yi;

(b) he further asked for the responses to questions A to F, including the estimated number of people to be quarantined, site selection criteria for quarantine centres, how Chun Yeung Estate would be cleaned so that prospective tenants could move in without worries, whether the HD would provide any living or rental allowances to the affected prospective tenants, how the Government could effectively communicate with the property management offices and DC Members of the concerned constituencies, and how one-way permit and cross border farming permit would be handled;

(c) he would like to know whether the FHB would requisition Wu Kai Sha Youth Village and Whitehead in Ma On Shan for quarantine use; and

(d) he was disappointed that the Government did not take the initiative to consult the residents and the STDC on the arrangement of Chun Yeung Estate.

29. The views of Mr Billy CHAN were summarised below:

(a) as residential complexes in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing were undergoing closed area management, he asked when the borders of Hong Kong would be fully closed;

(b) he asked how the situation would be handled if patients who did not display any symptom arrived in Hong Kong through Shenzhen Bay before Saturday;

(d) he would like to know how the FHB could ensure the effectiveness of home quarantine except for calling confinees by phone;

(e) he said a reporter had followed an inbound traveller and found that that person took 2.5 hours, instead of 2 hours, to get home by taking different kinds of public transport. He asked how the FHB would punish those people who did not observe the home quarantine order;

(f) he suggested using San Uk Ling Holding Centre and Shek Kong Barracks as quarantine centres; and

(g) he would like to know if Hong Kong residents coming back from the Mainland had any other options to undergo quarantine if they did not want to do so at their homes.

30. The views of Mr MOK Kam-kwai were summarised below:

(a) he opined that today’s meeting showed that some people disdained villagers;

(b) he pointed out that Heung Yee Kuk was a statutory advisory body, and villagers . - 13 - Action who had purchased houses or indigenous habitants residing in the vicinity were affected most. However, 90% of the discussion at the meeting was only concerned about the residents who had not moved in;

(c) he opined that the Government should first consult and appease the villagers who were under direct impact. Since residents who were about to move in were disrupted by the plan too, the Government should also make compensation to or appease them; and

(d) he would inform all village representatives of the New Territories of the content of today’s meeting.

31. The views of Mr WONG Ho-fung were summarised below:

(a) he was pleased that representatives of departments attended the STDC meeting for the first time;

(b) he said the Government did not adopt the STDC’s motions, one was on forbidding the entry of travellers from Hubei, which was passed on 3 January, another one was on the implementation of more anti-epidemic measures, which was passed on 23 January;

(c) he was dissatisfied that subsequent to the incident of Fai Ming Estate in which the Government announced that public housing estates would not be requisitioned as quarantine centres, it changed its mind and even sent anti-riot police officers to station at Chun Yeung Estate;

(d) he opined that the Government disrespected the residents of the Sha Tin District;

(e) he did not understand why the HD did not make any compensation when a public housing estate was requisitioned and members of the public who had housing needs were affected; and

(f) he asked whether the FHB would disinfect the coaches designated for the transportation of confinees.

32. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) he reiterated that the mathematical modelling adopted by academics in the Mainland or Hong Kong was just a theoretical estimation. It was not possible to predict the number of infections at one particular stage during the outbreak of SARS or swine flu. Therefore, according to the existing basic principles of public hygiene and anti-epidemic strategies, the Government should prepare for the worst and make suitable preparations when the epidemic situation was developing;

(b) after the outbreak of SARS, the HA had set up a quarantine centre at the Princess Margret Hospital and negative pressure facilities at the accident and emergency (A&E) departments at major hospitals of different hospital clusters, in order to provide diagnosis and treatment to suspected or confirmed cases at designated negative pressure facilities in a careful manner;

. - 14 - Action (c) the site selection criteria included whether individual toilets were available, the ventilation, and the impact on the people in the vicinity, etc.;

(d) existing quarantine centres almost reached their full capacity, and the Government was building modular housing units in the open space at the campsites, which would take 6 to 8 weeks and could not be used immediately;

(e) it was expected that as the epidemic situation was changing, more quarantine facilities had to be reserved. Staff members of the DH who were stationed at the quarantine centres would put confinees under regular medical surveillance, provide health advice, and handle the rubbish by following the guidelines for handling clinical waste;

(f) upon completion of the quarantine procedures, the DH would disinfect the units appropriately before returning them;

(g) he would convey residents’ concerns to the department for consideration and provision of other supports;

(h) the designated clinics were set up after SARS. When there was a community outbreak, patients displaying mild symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection could go to the designated clinics, not necessarily the A&E departments. He would convey the concerns of the users of the adjoining facilities to the HA;

(i) starting from 8 February this year, inbound travellers from the Mainland had to undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days. The entry of people with high risk, namely those who had been to Hubei Province or Wuhan, was currently limited, while inbound travellers who had been to other provinces or cities posed a lower risk, and they would also undergo 14-day compulsory quarantine; and

(j) in case the immediate communication or subsequent handling of cases by the DH did not go smoothly, the DH would take follow-up actions and make improvement.

33. The views of Mr CHAN Wan-tung were summarised below:

(a) he said prospective tenants were notified in November last year and it was expected that they could move into Chun Yeung Estate in February or March this year. He opined that public housing estates were not designed for quarantine use, and would like to know what criteria the Government based on to requisition Chun Yeung Estate;

(b) having learnt from the experience of Fai Ming Estate, the FHB had set up a defence line in Chun Yeung Estate as early as possible and did not make any announcement until the residents discovered such an arrangement;

(d) 3 000 people arrived in Hong Kong from Shenzhen Bay and Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal. He urged the Government to close the border completely and carry out anti-epidemic work;

. - 15 - Action (e) he asked the Government to ration anti-epidemic supplies, so that residents did not have to line up overnight and expose themselves to infection risk; and

(f) he reiterated that he did not aim at compensation, but to urge the Government to withdraw its plan to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use instead.

34. The views of Mr Ricardo LIAO were summarised below:

(a) he would like to know when the Government started to study the feasibility to use public housing estates which were not yet occupied for quarantine use;

(b) he asked during the feasibility study stage, which units, departments or professionals had given advice or set the criteria for site selection;

(d) he asked the FHB to give a written reply on the list of public housing estates which were being considered for requisition;

(e) he asked whether the HD had completed the acceptance work of Chun Yeung Estate;

(f) he asked the Secretary to undertake not to use unoccupied public housing estates for quarantine use in the future;

(g) he was dissatisfied that the FHB implement the plan without prior consultation with the STDC;

(h) he disagreed that the District Officer had said earlier that there was no key to open the meeting room for Members to have a meeting with the Under Secretary for Food and Health;

(i) he asked the Government to close the border genuinely in order to stop the import of virus; and

(j) he urged the Government to withdraw its decision to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

35. The views of Mr William SHEK were summarised below:

(a) he said the users of quarantine centres were mainly inbound visitors. If the Government closed the border completely, the virus would be stamped out from the sources, and thus it was not necessary to worry about the problem of quarantine facilities;

(b) he opined that the paper was too short and did not disclose the details of the operation or the implementation of Chun Yeung Estate being requisitioned as a quarantine centre;

(c) he would like to know how the Government decided that 7 out of the 18 designated clinics would be first used; . - 16 - Action

(d) Yuen Chau Kok Clinic was just one block away from Yue Tin Court and City One Shatin. He said residents opposed the conversion of the said clinic to a designated clinic and were worried about community outbreak; and

(e) he demanded that the Government provide sufficient protective equipment to residents living in the vicinity of the designated clinics and arrange for coaches to take patients to the designated clinics.

36. The views of Mr WAI Hing-cheung were summarised below:

(a) he would like to know whether the Under Secretary for Food and Health had planned to give an account of the arrangement concerned to the STDC, and whether the meeting today aimed at informing or consulting the STDC;

(b) he said the conclusion of the paper stated that “it is hoped that Members will understand that and convey the related information to the residents of the district”, which was different from the consultation papers submitted by other departments normally;

(d) he said he did not mind which party was first consulted, the STDC or the Rural Committee (RC). The key point was the locally community was fully consulted and the views were fully considered;

(e) he drew an analogy from curing illness by taking the right medicine, and opined that the side effect of the current medicine was very strong, stirring up conflict and disagreement between indigenous inhabitants and non-indigenous inhabitants;

(f) he opined that the Chief Executive had broken her promise that she made on 28 January, and therefore it was difficult for the public to trust the Government again; and

(g) he said the Government should strive for the support from all District Councils across the territory and the public, and should work together to fight against the epidemic, instead of creating differences and thus undermining the effectiveness of the anti-epidemic campaign.

37. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) the designated clinics could help divert patients displaying minor symptoms from A&E departments for treatment;

(b) the designated clinics would adjust the number of consultation quotas to avoid people gathering and minimise the risk of cross-infection;

(c) in terms of hardware, the designated clinics were equipped with sufficient safety facilities, including appropriate partitions and ventilation systems;

(d) he would convey Members’ concern regarding the setup of designated clinics in . - 17 - Action the district to the HA;

(e) in view of the rapid development of the epidemic situation, by arranging for close contacts of patients, who did not display any symptoms, to reside in quarantine centres, could practically safeguard the health of Hong Kong people as healthcare staff would monitor the body temperature of close contacts regularly, and close contacts could be sent to hospitals immediately if circumstances so required; and

(f) various factors were considered for site selection. The DH would evaluate whether the hardware was suitable. In terms of time, whether the site could be used in a short period of time was an important consideration. The Government was adopting a multi-prong approach and preparing quarantine facilities equipped with independent sanitary fitments for use in the short, medium and long run.

38. Ms Helen LEUNG gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) the acceptance of all works in Chun Yeung Estate, including the supply of drinking water had been completed;

(b) the HD had all along been tying in with the Government and other departments in the anti-epidemic work, for example, providing information on the number of units; and

(c) a concrete timetable for the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre has not been available so far, and it was subject to the development of the epidemic situation.

39. Dr CHUI Tak-yi added that in respect of the increase in the numbers of locally transmitted cases and family cluster cases, the Government and experts on prevention and control of infectious disease analysed the trend of local and global cases and the risk of community outbreak weekly, and believed that the overall anti-epidemic facilities had to be strengthened. Therefore, during the mid to end of last week, it was necessary to prepare lots of units and backup sites that were ready for immediate move-in. He stressed that it was a very rush schedule.

40. Ms Yandy CHAN responded that the users of the quarantine centres were close contacts of confirmed cases. 90% of the confinees residing in the existing three quarantine centres were Hong Kong residents. In view of the development of the epidemic situation and the increase of locally transmitted cases, it was expected that the demand for quarantine centres would increase in the future.

41. Mr LO Yuet-chau pointed out that in 2020-2021, there were only over 6 000 public housing units across the territory, including Chun Yeung Estate. He opined that the Government did not have enough preparation to combat the epidemic and did not implement proper border control measures, and thus valuable public housing resources had to be requisitioned for quarantine use. He asked when the FHB decided to change the decision announced by the Chief Executive on 28 January that public housing estates would no longer be requisitioned for quarantine use.

42. The views of Mr Jimmy SHAM were summarised below:

(a) he understood that there were inaccuracies in academic estimations but he still . - 18 - Action wanted to know the estimates for infected cases of the territory at present;

(b) he pointed out that the Government’s refusal to close the borders led to locally transmitted cases in the territory;

(d) he asked the Government if it could 100% guarantee that residents of Kwai Tei New Village would not be infected;

(e) he appealed to the Government to be frank and open and to give written replies to all questions after the meeting; and

(f) he asked the Government to immediately provide the number of infected cases, the number of people required to be isolated and the locations of all the sites selected as quarantine centres.

43. The views of Mr YIP Wing were summarised below:

(a) regarding Professor YUEN Kwok-yung’s estimate that there could be 1.4 million infected cases in the territory, he opined that all borders had to be closed immediately;

(b) he pointed out that the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate had been living in sub-divided units or cubicle apartments for the past 7 years, and he suggested that the Government consider requisitioning barracks or golf courses for quarantine use;

(c) he pointed out that the Government’s anti-epidemic efforts were insufficient and the panic buying of supplies such as masks and rice showed the public’s distrust in the Government; and

(d) he did not wish to see the public on compulsory lockdown when there was a large- scale community outbreak.

44. The Chairman said that due to the time constraint, he would ask the FHB to give a consolidated response after the Members had spoken.

45. The views of Mr CHEUNG Hing-wa were summarised below:

(a) he opined that the RC was used by the Government and the Government disrespected the roles of the STDC and the RC;

(b) regarding the 14-day compulsory home quarantine measure, he pointed out that some mainland visitors claimed that they would not comply, and he asked how the authorities would ensure the effective implementation of the measure;

(c) regarding the timing, he pointed out that Government did not respond at once to the public’s demand to close the borders before the community outbreak; and

. - 19 - Action (d) he was against the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

46. The views of Mr LUI Kai-wing were summarised below:

(a) he pointed out that members of the public had to rush about to buy tissue paper, masks and disinfectants because the Government did not close the borders, which then led to community outbreaks. The Government then requisitioned PRH estates for quarantine use. He opined that the planning of the Government was flawed;

(b) he pointed out that over 10 000 members of the public went to the Fo Tan industrial area next to Chun Yeung Estate for work every day. Within its vicinity, there were restaurants, logistics companies and food factories that provided supplies to large-scale fast food restaurants in the territory and daily necessities to the public. He was worried that the medical waste and human waste of patients, if were not handled properly, could pollute the industrial area and affect all members of the public in the territory;

(c) he was worried about the security of Chun Yeung Estate. For example, he was informed on 6 February that some residents of Jubilee Garden were under home quarantine until 13 February. He wished to know how the Government would ensure that residents would stay home for the first 6 days under quarantine and whether the Government would provide food supplies, daily necessities or assistance in taking rubbish out;

(d) he and Mr MAK Tsz-kin firmly opposed the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use;

(e) he requested the HD and the FHB to send representatives to attend residents’ meetings and explain relevant arrangements; and

(f) he asked whether the Under Secretary for Food and Health had suggested the Chief Executive close all borders to prevent community outbreaks; if yes, why the Chief Executive did not take the advice.

47. The views of Mr Michael YUNG were summarised below:

(a) he presented the PowerPoint slides of Paper No. DH 33/2014 and pointed out that, according to the microclimate analysis of the HD, winds blew from Chun Yeung Estate to such areas as the industrial area, Kwai Tei New Village and Wong Chuk Yeung Tsuen all seasons of the year. He asked the authorities how they selected various types of flats for quarantine use under its risk-based principles;

(b) he asked whether the quarantine centres would be used on all or alternate levels, according to the analyses of the mode of transmission of the virus, of aerosol contact generated from respiratory droplets or in wards and of microclimate;

(c) he pointed out that the dreams of prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate to settle down had been shattered and they did not know when they could move in. The Government also did not provide the detailed arrangements or assistance; and

(d) the Government’s press release yesterday stated that “Regarding some District . - 20 - Action Council members not allowing participating Government officers to leave after the end of the around four-hour meeting today, the spokesman expressed regret and reiterated the importance of rational discussion.” He pointed out that if the spokesperson was not present at the meeting when the incident happened, he asked he or she retract the message and apologise to all the Members.

48. The views of Mr LI Sai-hung were summarised below:

(a) he opined that the authorities were not consulting the public but forcing their way and that the borders should be fully closed to stop the virus at source from a public health perspective;

(b) he pointed out that experts demanded that 3 infectious disease centres be set up in the territory after SARS; however, only Princess Margaret Hospital was equipped with an Infectious Disease Centre. He asked whether the authorities would use the Chun Yeung Estate quarantine centre as an infectious disease centre in the event of a large-scale community outbreak;

(c) he asked if the authorities had conducted risk assessments of the impact of the quarantine centre on Sha Tin and Fo Tan residents; and

(d) he asked about the number of hospital beds in the territory that could accommodate coronavirus patients.

49. The views of Mr LO Tak-ming were summarised below:

(a) he agreed that the authorities were forcing their way with the plan;

(b) he opined that the Government’s refusal to fully close the borders which led to imported cases was the reason for the serious outbreak. It was unfair that the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate had to bear the consequences;

(c) he opined that the anti-epidemic efforts of the Government were insufficient; however, none of the officials had stepped down; and

(d) he asked the authorities if they would apologise to the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate.

50. The views of Mr TSANG Kit were summarised below:

(a) he pointed out that not informing the Members beforehand meant bypassing the STDC;

(b) he was dissatisfied that the Government did not respond to the public’s demand to close the borders last December;

(c) he wanted to learn about the actual arrangement of shuttle services and specialist care services for those under home quarantine mentioned in the paper; and

(d) as medical expert Zhong Nanshan said that the incubation period of the coronavirus could be as long as 24 days, he asked if the Government’s current 14- day quarantine measure was enough. . - 21 - Action

51. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) as the epidemic developed, the Government was more prudent in the reduction of cross-boundary people flow;

(b) after the implementation of the new measures, there was a significant reduction in the people flow at the 3 control points;

(c) he emphasised that under the premise of reducing the cross-boundary people flow, the Government had to ensure that the flow of goods was unaffected so that members of the public had enough food supplies and daily necessities, and to ensure the supply of necessities and the operation of society would remain smooth and steady;

(d) he pointed out that the experts would announce information such as the infectivity, clinical characteristics and symptoms of the virus as they obtained more scientific data. The current modes of transmission were through droplets and contact. He reiterated that aerosol generation would only take place in specific environments under specific procedures and was not directly related to wind direction;

(e) the Government was simultaneously building modular units on existing locations. As the 3 quarantine centres at present would soon be saturated, the additional space of the Jao Tsung-I Academy could act as a buffer and fulfil short-term needs;

(f) given the development of the situation, the Government had to make preparations for venues that were available for short-term uses, so as to ensure enough flats to handle the situation in case of an outbreak soon; and

(g) the Government heard the voices from different sectors of society. The current anti-epidemic strategy was to reduce cross-boundary people flow and to reduce people’s contact in communities. The Government was implementing relevant measures in a gradual and orderly manner.

52. The views of Mr CHENG Chung-hang were summarised below:

(a) he asked the Under Secretary for Food and Health to step outside the conference room to consult the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate;

(b) he pointed out that the Government issued over 1 100 compulsory quarantine orders in the past 3 days. The police had conducted unannounced inspection on more than 160 cases and found that 9 had violated the order. The police had located 7 of them and had listed the remaining 2 as wanted. He was worried that the remaining 8/9 of them who had not been spot-checked could be out and about in communities. If the worst came to the worst, they could lead to a community outbreak; and

(c) he opined that a few more Chun Yeung Estates requisitioned for quarantine use would still be insufficient if the Government did not fully close the borders.

53. The views of Ms TSANG So-lai were summarised below:

. - 22 - Action (a) among the designated clinics in all 18 districts, 7 were Maternal and Child Health Centres. She pointed out that many mothers and expectant mothers in Ma On Shan were worried about sharing the same entrances, exits and facilities;

(b) she wished to know how the Government would triage pneumonia patients, the pregnant and infants, and how it would ensure the safety of the residents nearby. She suggested that the Government consider finding other locations if it did not have a comprehensive plan; and

(c) she wished to give the joint letter on the site selection of designated clinics signed by residents to the Under Secretary for Food and Health later on.

54. The views of Dr LAM Kong-kwan were summarised below:

(a) he understood that the Government had to find suitable quarantine centres expeditiously in response to the epidemic; however, he did not support the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use;

(b) he cited an example that the tenants of Shek Mun Estate were overjoyed about the resident intake last year. On the contrary, prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate would be very disappointed under the existing arrangements. He asked that the Government take care of the needs of the grassroots;

(d) he asked the Government to withhold the decision to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use and emphasised that the selected sites would have to be remote residential areas; and

(e) he wished to know if the Government had sought assistance from the central government in the search of suitable locations for quarantine centres.

55. The views of Ms LUK Tsz-tung were summarised below:

(a) she pointed out that the Members of the pro-establishment camp also opposed the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use. The arrangement was evidently not ideal;

(b) Professor Zhong Nanshan said that the incubation period of the coronavirus could be as long as 24 days. She asked whether the Government’s 14-day quarantine standard reflected its failure in epidemic control and communication;

(c) she pointed out that the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate received letters of intent at the end of last year and were originally set to get the keys in late February. She asked the HD why it did not contact or consult the affected prospective tenants these few days;

(d) she was discontented that the HD told the Members on 6 February that there was no news, but the residents saw that supplies had been sent to Chun Yeung Estate since early last week;

. - 23 - Action (e) she was discontented that the Under Secretary for Food and Health could not promise the suspension of all deliveries of supplies to Chun Yeung Estate; and

(f) she requested that the Chief Executive or representatives with decision-making powers attend the meeting.

56. The views of Mr HUI Lap-san were summarised below:

(a) he pointed out that all the Members present opposed the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use. He was disappointed that officials did not address the questions directly;

(b) he asked that the Government address the case of Fai Ming Estate;

(c) he pointed out that setting up quarantine camps in all 18 districts would not be enough if the Government did not fully close the borders. He suggested requisitioning the barracks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for quarantine use; and

(d) he asked if the Government had set a time frame for the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use and when the flats were expected to be returned to the prospective tenants for moving in.

57. The views of Mr LAI Tsz-yan were summarised below:

(a) he opined that the Government had plans all along to use Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre, but it had been silent. Last week, when some of the Members approached the HD for enquiry as they saw that riot police were stationed at Chun Yeung Estate, the HD still denied the plans;

(b) he wished to learn about the list of other estates that the HD was planning to requisition;

(c) he opined that the Government was responsible for the problem as it refused to fully close the borders, but the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate were paying the price; and

(d) he supported the suggestion of Dr LAM Kong-kwan on seeking the central government’s advice. He asked the District Officer to convey the Members’ suggestion and consider requisitioning the barracks of the PLA for quarantine use.

58. The views of Mr Raymond LI were summarised below:

(a) regarding the Chief Executive’s announcement in late January that unoccupied new PRH estates would not be used as quarantine centres, he asked the HD whether Chun Yeung Estate did not fall under the definition of unoccupied new PRH estates;

(b) he asked the Under Secretary for Food and Health what the duties of the STDC and the Members were;

. - 24 - Action (c) he pointed out that the contents of the paper were unidirectional, without an intention to communicate. He read out the paper:

“According to the prevailing measures, patients suspected to be infected by the novel coronavirus will be admitted to hospitals for isolation and treatment. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health requires close contacts with the confirmed cases who do not have symptoms or those who have visited Hubei Province to be put under mandatory quarantine.” He asked whether the Under Secretary for Food and Health agreed with the saying, “Fear not, have faith in the Government”; and

(d) he invited the Under Secretary for Food and Health to meet with the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate outside the conference room.

59. The Chairman asked the Members to keep order.

60. Dr CHUI Tak-yi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(a) since new measures were launched on 8 February, there would be adjustments for affected members of the public. The Government would closely monitor the figures related to control points and implementation details;

(b) the health risks posed by members of the public returning to the territory from the mainland in general were not the same as those in close contact with confirmed cases or those returning from Hubei Province, and therefore there were different anti-epidemic measures;

(c) he said that not all patients who visited the designated clinics were patients of the novel coronavirus. Some of them had a low fever or respiratory symptoms. Therefore, they were gathered to receive treatment at the designated clinics;

(d) for flats requisitioned for quarantine use, the Government would definitely return them to the prospective tenants only after thorough disinfection;

(e) the overall planning depended on the development of the epidemic. The Government hoped to slow down and alleviate the epidemic through joint efforts with members of the public;

(f) the Government would pay attention to the advice of scientists given at different stages. Also, the Government regularly consulted the advice of 4 experts of the University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, who maintained regular contact with the World Health Organization and provided suggestions suited to the setting of Hong Kong;

(g) the experts mentioned an incubation period of a certain number of days. An average number would be adopted because the measures were implemented on the general population;

(h) regarding the site selection, the Government was making short, medium and long- term arrangements, including building modular units currently. In order to combat the changes in the epidemic, the Government had to prepare facilities that could readily be used in the short term; and . - 25 - Action

(i) the STDC was a platform for exchanging views. He had communicated with the District Officer and was attending the meeting today to explain the anti-epidemic plans to all the Members.

61. The Chairman wished to know if the authorities would respect the Members’ opinions on the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

62. Dr CHUI Tak-yi said that he would truthfully relay the Members’ opinions to the FHB for internal evaluation and discussion.

63. Mr MAK Tsz-kin asked the Under Secretary for Food and Health when he would meet with the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate outside the conference room.

64. The Chairman responded that the meeting was still in progress.

65. Mr MAK Tsz-kin proposed the following provisional motion:

“The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie LAM, said on 28 January that new housing estates, the intake of which would commence within a year, would not be requisitioned for quarantine use; however, she reneged on her promise and confirmed the requisition of the unoccupied Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan as a quarantine centre on 8 February. Her failure to keep promises was despicable. Multiple Members of the Sha Tin District Council had repeatedly conveyed residents’ requests against the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use, but the Government still rode roughshod over them and carried out its plan anyway. Also, the arrangement has delayed over 4 000 households of prospective tenants in moving into Chun Yeung Estate, making it very difficult for them to plan ahead. Yet, the Government has given no explanation to them and has even refused to meet with them thrice.

Moreover, regarding the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use, the Government has given absolutely no explanation on its impact on the residents, the tenants and the employees in the Fo Tan area. It has also failed to consult the residents of the Fo Tan area and even the Sha Tin District, breaking the trust between members of the public and the Government and disregarding the safety of the public. Therefore, we strongly request that the Government:

1. withdraw its decision to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use;

2. expeditiously arrange for the resident intake of Chun Yeung Estate;

3. look for other locations remote from residential areas as isolation camps or quarantine centres, such as barracks or hospitals inside barracks;

4. remove Maternal and Child Health Centres from the list of Wuhan pneumonia designated clinics;

5. fully close the borders to block the virus at source;

6. fully suspend the use of unoccupied public housing as quarantine centres.”

Mr LUI Kai-wing, Mr CHAN Nok-hang, Ms WONG Man-huen, Ms LUK Tsz-tung, Mr CHAN . - 26 - Action Pui-ming, Mr Felix CHOW and Mr Michael YUNG seconded the motion.

66. Mr CHIU Chu-pong asked the Under Secretary for Food and Health if he could promise today to withdraw the decision to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

67. The Council unanimously endorsed the provisional motion in paragraph 65.

68. Mr Michael YUNG proposed the following provisional motion:

“The Sha Tin District Council (STDC) strongly objects the arrangement to requisition Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use for the following reasons:

1. the Government did not consult the STDC or explain the site selection criteria before selecting the public rental housing (PRH) estate in the Sha Tin District which had already been allocated or would be occupied within 1 year;

2. the Government fails to explain the specific operational arrangement for quarantine centres, such as how to handle household waste or medical waste to prevent an outbreak of the virus in the community;

3. the Government does not disclose the number of flats being requisitioned in Chun Yeung Estate or the selection criteria to show that the arrangement is in line with the principle of ‘requisitioning flats relatively remote from existing residential areas’ for quarantine purposes;

4. the Government fails to provide proper assistance to affected prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate for their housing and daily needs or explain how to thoroughly disinfect the whole building to keep the residents safe from infection;

5. the Government fails to explain the impacts on the residents, the tenants and the employees in the Fo Tan area;

6. the Government does not use locations with a relatively smaller impact on the public as quarantine centres, such as barracks.

The Committee requests that:

1. the authorities find a more feasible location other than the Ma On Shan Maternal and Child Health Centre before ensuring effective triage of patients because the centre provides check-ups for mothers and infants;

2. enough protective gears be provided for residents living close to the designated clinics;

3. special transportation to the designated clinics be arranged;

4. the cleaning and disinfection of the streets and facilities near the designated clinics be strengthened.”

Mr SHEK William, Mr Wilson LI, Mr MAK Tsz-kin, Mr LUI Kai-wing, Mr Felix CHOW, Ms WONG Man-huen, Ms TSANG So-lai, Mr LO Yuet-chau, Mr Johnny CHUNG and Mr CHAN Pui-ming seconded the motion. . - 27 - Action

69. The Council unanimously endorsed the provisional motion in paragraph 68.

70. The views of Mr Raymond LI were summarised below:

(a) he said that the Under Secretary for Food and Health did not answer his question; and

(b) he read out the following provisional motion:

“ Title: Appeal for the Hong Kong Police Force to Assist Wuhan in Combating the Epidemic

Background:

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is currently being plagued by the epidemic of the Wuhan novel coronavirus. The degree of the infection and the situation are clear to the world. According to the announced figures, the number of confirmed cases in the Hubei Province of the PRC has reached 11 177 and the death toll over 350, proving the severity of the epidemic.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison of the PRC assisted with the clearing of roadblocks in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong on 16 November 2019, even though the HKSAR Government did not ask for their help. Their magnanimous act has deeply touched the people of the territory. Therefore, it is necessary for the HKSAR Government to repay their kindness and do its part in the PRC’s anti-epidemic efforts.

The stoic, fearless, outstanding and professional Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) was once the most professional and most outstanding police organisation in the world. It once earned Hong Kong the good reputation of the safest country or city in Asia. Hong Kong once claimed to be one of the safest regions in the world, and the HKPF’s contributions could not go unnoticed. Besides, the great, honourable and just leader of the HKPF, TANG Ping-keung visited the Ministry of Public Security and the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in Beijing on 6 December 2019 to thank the President of the PRC, Xi Jinping, for his support for the HKPF. When the epidemic first emerged, the HKPF provided much needed support and encouragement in such a difficult time by filming a video to cheer Wuhan on. Officers of the Ministry of Public Security held the most crucial position of assisting the management of public order during the epidemic. Hailed as the ‘Ministry of Public Security in Hong Kong’, the HKPF has been gaining a plethora of experiences of sequestrating masks and medical supplies and conducting searches on health care practitioners since last June. For them to stay put in the territory would be a waste of their talents. They should travel all the way to Wuhan, China, to share their experiences with the officers of the Ministry of Public Security there, to work together with them to crack down on masked outlaws hoarding masks and to ‘nationalise’ strategic medical supplies together.

As the sayings go, ‘One for all and all for one’ and ‘Those hired by the King should shoulder his worries’. Since the President of the PRC, Xi Jinping, showed such great support for the HKPF and now that the Hubei Province of the PRC is being severely plagued by the epidemic, the HKPF most definitely should assist Wuhan . - 28 - Action and all the people of the country in combating the epidemic.

Motion:

The Sha Tin District Council demands that the leader of the HKSAR Government and the leader of the HKPF lead all HKPF officers to provide assistance for Wuhan, China. Besides assisting in the anti-epidemic efforts there, they should also gather different forces and invite all those who support the HKPF and the PRC to go to the Hubei Province of the PRC to provide assistance. This would be an interpretation of the swift action and national sentiment of the PRC, an effort to realise the greatest national revival in the 5 000 years of Chinese history and an actualisation of the HKPF’s spirit of honour, duty and loyalty!

Mr WONG Ho-fung seconded the motion.

71. The Chairman asked Mr Raymond LI to explain the connection between the provisional motion and the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use.

72. Mr Raymond LI said that police officers stationed at Chun Yeung Estate could be deployed to the Mainland China to assist with anti-epidemic measures.

73. The views of Mr Michael YUNG were summarised below:

(a) he pointed out that the provisional motion of Mr Raymond LI suggested that the elite forces of the HKPF be sent to Wuhan to combat the epidemic, so as to uphold the spirit of “Serving the Country with Honour, Duty and Loyalty”; and

(b) he suggested adding “to fight the source of the virus in Wuhan, so that Chun Yeung Estate would not be used as a quarantine centre when the epidemic is relieved”.

74. The views of the Vice-Chairman were summarised below:

(a) he pointed out that, from a resources deployment perspective, sending elite forces to Wuhan to combat the epidemic could stop the virus at source and reduce the use of Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre; and

(b) he opined that Hong Kong was an inseparable part of China and Sha Tin was an inseparable part of Hong Kong. Therefore, Sha Tin was related to China.

75. Mr Raymond LI thanked Mr Michael YUNG and the Vice-Chairman for their supplementary information. He agreed with their opinion that reducing the spread of the virus at source could cease the use of Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre and that Sha Tin was an inseparable part of the PRC. He opined that the content could be included in the background of the motion.

76. The Chairman asked Dr CHUI Tak-yi to relay the 3 provisional motions and the Members’ opinions on the requisition of Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine use to the FHB, and asked if the FHB could respond to the request for dialogue made by the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate.

77. Dr CHUI Tak-yi pointed out that he would convey the public opinions mentioned by the Members to the FHB and refer to the minutes of the meeting for internal reference. He . - 29 - Action understood that turning Chun Yeung Estate into a quarantine centre would cause the prospective tenants to be anxious, worried and eager to learn more about relevant support measures. He emphasised that the opinions collected from all parties, including the Members, the prospective tenants or other members of the community, would be consolidated and organised for the Government’s consideration.

78. Mr Ricardo LIAO raised a question on the standing orders and asked the Chairman to invite the prospective tenants of Chun Yeung Estate outside the conference room to step inside for a dialogue with the Under Secretary for Food and Health.

79. The Chairman said that it was not a matter of standing orders and the conference room was used for meeting purposes.

80. The Chairman adjourned the meeting for 10 minutes.

(After the recess)

81. The Chairman asked if the Members wished to propose amendments to or comment on the provisional motion proposed by Mr Raymond LI.

82. The Council unanimously endorsed the provisional motion in paragraph 70.

83. The Chairman believed and estimated that, after the events of today, it might not be possible to borrow the STDC conference room for the meeting on Thursday. He pointed out that the papers of the meeting on Thursday were supposed to be handled by way of circulation. For papers that could not be handled, especially the budgets of the STDC, they would be addressed in the next meeting. He pointed out that the Working Group on Enhancing the Public Health in Sha Tin District (Ad Hoc) headed by Mr MAK Yun-pui would have to find another meeting venue. Also, he was inclined to endorse the setting up of the working group so that the proposals for anti-epidemic activities would be put forward expeditiously.

84. The Chairman adjourned the meeting.

Date of Next Meeting

85. The date of the next meeting had yet to be determined.

86. The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 pm.

Sha Tin District Council Secretariat STDC 13/15/15/1

April 2020

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