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Food business operators are invited to apply for loans for improvement works to enhance hygiene standards of their food premises starting from Monday (August 28), under an incentive scheme managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
Eligible applicants include owners of restaurants, factory canteens, food factories and siu mei and lo mei shops; cooked-food hawker licensees; tenants of cooked-food stalls and siu mei and lo mei stalls operating inside markets managed by the department, and owners of businesses operated under sushi and sashimi permits.
¡@¡@ A spokesman for the department said this was the fifth round of the scheme. The first round was introduced in April 2004.
¡@¡@ "The loans can be used for a range of hygiene improvement works including refurbishment of kitchens, food preparation rooms, scullery and toilets; installation of new scullery facilities and equipment for storage of food and utensils; installation of food display panel or showcases at shop fronts and other related works," the spokesman said.
¡@¡@ "Under the fifth round, more works items can be financed by the loan, such as installation or replacement of stoves, ovens, food warmers, water heaters, water supply and drainage systems."
"Applicants may borrow up to 40% of the approved cost of the improvement works or $50,000, whichever is lower," the spokesman said.
"Borrowers will have to pay interest at the Government's 'no-gain-no-loss interest rate', which now stands at 5.859% per annum. The principal and interest will be repayable through 24 monthly instalments," he said.
Applications can be made from August 28 to November 27, 2006, to the department's Revenue and Expenditure Section at 42/F, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong.
Application forms can be downloaded from the department's website (www.fehd.gov.hk), or obtained from its Revenue and Expenditure Section, Licence Issuing Offices and District Environmental Hygiene Offices. Enquiries can be made at 2867 5132.
Ends/Friday, August 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:30
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