Curbs To Stay, New Round Of Govt Relief On The Way

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that her administration has begun putting together a third round of relief measures as she signalled the existing social distancing measures will continue despite calls from the catering sector for some relaxations.

But Lam didn’t give any specific details about what aid will be rolled out, or exactly when it will be rolled out, as she met the media before the weekly Executive Council meeting.

She said it took about three weeks to secure funding for the last two rounds of relief under the anti-epidemic fund.

She said a special meeting of the Legislative Council’s House Committee had been scheduled for August 28, to discuss the government’s anti-epidemic work.

“So that’s about 10 days from now, so hopefully we will be able to present some proposals for discussion, and thereafter take the case to [Legco’s] Finance Committee for approval,” she said.

The CE said there’s no plan to relax social distancing measures as the coronavirus outbreak has yet to be brought under control. The number of new cases still fluctuates and a lot of them could not be traced, she said.

Lam said she understands continuing the restrictions will affect a lot of businesses, like restaurants, but pointed out there are two worrying clusters of infections in society – one at the Kwai Chung Container Terminal, and the infection cases in domestic helpers’ quarters.

She also revealed that there are currently about 6,000 foreign domestic helpers waiting to change jobs in Hong Kong.

Referring to the wage subsidy being given to businesses, Lam said the government will push big firms like property management companies and two supermarket chains to observe some conditions when they apply for government funding.

Wellcome and ParknShop will have to provide discount for customers, including low-income people if they want subsidy, she said.

The CE said some landlords had also applied for government aid and urged large shopping malls to provide rent reductions for their tenants.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong is set to announce details of the next phase of government help later on Tuesday.