CE visits temporary accommodation at Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre (with photos/video)
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     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 25) visited the temporary accommodation at Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre to encourage the government staff and volunteers who are managing the site and inspect the accommodation facilities as well as the quarantine units under construction.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong; the Director of Architectural Services, Mrs Sylvia Lam; and the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Ms Ida Lee, Mrs Lam met with staff members of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) who are responsible for the daily operation of the temporary accommodation site. She listened to their briefing on the services provided to people under quarantine, including holding briefings, arranging rooms, distributing supplies and handling meals. She also chatted with a team of volunteers from the Customs and Excise Department to learn about their work in assisting in the management of the site.

     "Although disease prevention and control is not within the scope of work of the colleagues of the LCSD and the volunteers, they have been working as a team amid the COVID-19 epidemic and proactively took up the responsibility of managing the temporary accommodation, thereby contributing in the fight against the virus. They are heroes behind the scenes and I express my heartfelt gratitude to them," Mrs Lam said.

     Temporary accommodation is arranged for persons who enter Hong Kong from the Mainland or who have been to the Mainland in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong and are unable to arrange accommodation locally to undergo the 14-day compulsory quarantine period.

     Mrs Lam then inspected the temporary quarantine units being built with modular integrated construction (MiC) at the football pitch of the centre. She noted that 20 MiC units have been completed and some 70 units are under construction with installation of fittings expected to be completed in April.

     In view of the development of the disease outbreak, the Government has been actively looking for suitable sites and setting up more quarantine facilities as quickly as possible since late January. In addition to Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, quarantine facilities are also being constructed through the application of the MiC method at Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village in Chai Wan, the Junior Police Call Permanent Activity Centre at Pat Heung, Yuen Long and a government site at Penny's Bay, providing at least 1 000 units as quarantine facilities in total. The units can be completed and put into use from this month to around July in phases. Mrs Lam thanked colleagues of the Architectural Services Department, relevant government departments and the contractors for their hard work in building more quarantine facilities. They have strived to build the highest number of temporary units within short periods of time, demonstrating their spirit to fight the disease together.

Ends/Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Issued at HKT 22:08

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