FEHD reminds market tenants and catering business operators to comply with anti-epidemic regulations and adopt anti-epidemic measures (with photos)
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FEHD officers visited Ap Lei Chau Market, Java Road Market in North Point, Sheung Fung Street Market in Diamond Hill, Shui Wo Street Market in Kwun Tong, Tung Yick Market in Yuen Long, Wan Chai Market, Sai Ying Pun Market and Sha Tin Market yesterday (December 15) and today, to distribute leaflets to market tenants, reminding them to adopt various anti-epidemic measures and comply with anti-epidemic regulations and encouraging them to actively participate in the subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment.
In addition, the FEHD visited seven of its markets with high patronage rate during the past few weeks, including Po On Road Market and Pei Ho Street Market in Sham Shui Po, Hung Hom Market, To Kwa Wan Market and Kowloon City Market in Kowloon City, Yeung Uk Road Market in Tsuen Wan and Tai Po Hui Market in Tai Po to distribute leaflets and promote contactless payment.
A spokesman for the FEHD added, "To reduce the risk of virus transmission in markets, the Government launched the subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in public markets on October 15. A one-off subsidy is provided to tenants of FEHD market stalls (including cooked food stalls) at a flat rate of $5,000 per stall for use to meet the initial set-up costs as well as service and other fees in relation to the provision of at least one contactless payment means. To allow more time for eligible tenants of public markets to prepare their applications, the FEHD extended the deadline for application for the scheme to December 21 (Monday). As at today, over 3 300 applications have been received."
"The deadline of the application will be next Monday as scheduled. Market tenants should seize the opportunity to join the subsidy scheme."
In addition, the spokesman said that the latest directions issued by the Secretary for Food and Health in relation to catering business and scheduled premises under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) have taken effect since December 10, and will last for a period of 14 days till December 23. According to the current directions, scheduled premises including places of public entertainment must be closed.
The spokesman supplemented, "Separately, the fixed penalty for violating regulations on group gatherings and mask wearing has been increased from $2,000 to $5,000 from December 11."
"To safeguard the health and safety of market tenants, staff of catering premises and the public, the FEHD reminds catering business and scheduled premises operators to comply strictly with the regulations and directions under Cap. 599F, while market tenants and members of the public should also comply with the restrictions in relation to group gatherings and mask-wearing to reduce the risk of virus transmission. The FEHD will continue to step up law enforcement."
From December 11 to yesterday, the FEHD enhanced the inspections at catering premises and its markets and hawker stalls, and gave 147 verbal warnings. Enforcement actions were taken against ten persons in Kwun Tong and Sham Shui Po for violating the requirements on mask-wearing, including issuing eight fixed penalty notices and initiating two summonses.
From December 11 to December 14, the FEHD also conducted blitz operation in Mong Kok on places of public entertainment, during which prosecution procedures were initiated against operators of four claw-machine shops for violating the directions on closure of scheduled premises under Cap. 599F.
The spokesman also reminded catering business operators that they must display the poster containing the "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code at the entrance of the premises or at a conspicuous location.
"According to the regulation, catering premises must display a poster containing the 'LeaveHomeSafe' venue QR code at the entrance of the premises or at a conspicuous location which must be unobstructed at any one time so that it is readily accessible for scanning with a mobile phone by a person entering the catering premises and the size of the image of the poster displayed must not be less than 210 x 297 millimetres (A4 size)," said the spokesman.
From December 2 to yesterday, the FEHD gave 31 verbal warnings and initiated prosecution procedures against six catering business operators for not displaying poster containing the "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code properly at the premises.
Ends/Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Issued at HKT 21:25
Issued at HKT 21:25
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