HK government practices cannot co-exist with SARS-CoV-2 unless evening markets are opened

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Image : Will Hong Kong be able to return to the vibrant night dining lifestyle as before if the Hong Kong government officials continue to impose the movement order due to the virus SARS-CoV-2 that originates from Wuhan? 

Member of the Hong Kong catering industry Tommy Zhang and representatives of mahjong halls, karaoke bars, bars, nightclubs and restaurants on 24 August 2020 met with the Chief Secretary for Administration Zhang Jianzong before they met the Hong Kong media reporters. Zhang Yuren believes that the Hong Kong government cannot tell how risky it is to open or not to open the evening markets. He believes that the reopening of the evening markets is not based on the number of confirmed cases, but the industry can immediately reopen with certain anti-epidemic measures in place.

He criticized that the current government practices cannot coexist with the epidemic, cannot open night markets, and the catering industry cannot survive. He pointed out that the industry hopes that the Hong Kong government will allow the catering industry to open from 6 pm to 12 am, while allowing mahjong halls, karaoke bars, bars and night clubs to open from 6 pm to 6 am. Guests can only patronize for two hours in these venues. The measures such as one standing at a distance of 1.5 metres apart will remain unchanged. Achieve four diners per table so that the industry has room for survival and will not go bankrupt.

Zhang Yuren said that the industry will have measures to help the government fight the epidemic such as using disposable tableware, serving dishes and tables to be handled by different employees and introducing more electronic charges with government assistance. He said that when he met with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department earlier, he discussed the problem of indoor air circulation. He pointed out that there may be difficulties in improving the air extraction including building plans and whether it can be replaced with an air cleaner.

He said that he would propose three "hopes" to Zhang Jianzong in the short, medium and long terms. In the short term, he hopes that the government will provide subsidies for restaurants in the number of square feet. In the medium term, he hopes that the Financial Secretary will cut rates for the catering industry by six months. In the long term, he hopes the government will pay two months rent on behalf of each company in the catering industry.

Source : Ming Pao

Ref : https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20200824/s00001/1598266301580/%e6%96%b0%e5%86%a0%e8%82%ba%e7%82%8e-%e5%bc%b5%e5%ae%87%e4%ba%ba-%e6%94%bf%e5%ba%9c%e5%81%9a%e6%b3%95%e4%b8%8d%e8%83%bd%e8%88%87%e7%96%ab%e6%83%85%e5%85%b1%e5%ad%98-%e5%80%a1%e6%a5%ad%e7%95%8c%e9%85%8d%e5%90%88%e4%b8%8b%e9%87%8d%e9%96%8b%e6%99%9a%e5%b8%82