6 Sept 2023集誌社#8330
賑災基金︳「入不敷支」 立會通過追加撥款 34 議員與獲批款機構有關連
The Disaster Relief Fund had a balance of HK$72 million at the end of August, while the Government expected to allocate HK$88 million for relief efforts following floods in North China. With the fund facing a “deficit”, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council today (6th) approved an additional allocation of HK$70 million without objection. In mid-August, the Government announced in-principle allocations totalling HK$65 million to nine organisations for the relief effort. Two have since received formal funding approval, while the detailed plans of the other seven are still being finalised. One additional organisation has been approved for funding, and five have indicated that they intend to apply.
At least seven of the organisations approved for funding this time are pro-establishment groups receiving funding for the first time. Legislators asked about the Government’s approval criteria and the details of the applications. Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki said new voluntary organisations were welcome to apply because they could provide a wider range of services, adding that it should not be the case that “the same two or three [organisations] are always distributing things”. In response to legislators’ requests for details, the Director of Administration disclosed that the main items requested by the organisations for disaster relief were still the distribution of supplies, “such as quilts, disinfecting products, schoolbags, stationery, food and other relief items”.
賑災基金截至 8 月底結餘 7200 萬，政府預期撥款 8800 萬賑華北水災，在基金「赤字」下，今日（6日）向立法會財務委員會追加 7000 萬撥款，在無人反對的情況下通過。政府 8 月中宣布，向九個機構原則性撥款 6500 萬元賑濟華北水災後，其中兩個已獲正式撥款，另外七個仍在敲定詳細計劃；另有一個新機構已獲批撥款，五個有意申請。
今次獲批撥款機構中，有最少七個屬首次獲批撥款的親建制團體。議員關注政府審批準則是甚麼、以及申請詳情。政務司司長陳國基回應指，歡迎新志願機構申請，因可提供多元化服務，「唔係來來去去嗰兩三間都係派嘢」；不過，在議員追問詳情下，行政署長披露團體賑災主要申請內容，仍然為派發物資，「如棉被、消毒用品、書包、文具、食物等救災物品」。
5 Sept 2023獨媒#8320
四民主派告別深水埗區議會 「末代」主席覃德誠不連任將同辭民協執委
The District Council election will be held at the end of the year. The Sham Shui Po District Council held the final full council meeting of its current term this morning, where four pro-democracy councillors said they did not intend to seek re-election and would bid farewell to the council. The next-term District Council will be chaired concurrently by the District Officer, with no vice-chairman. Sham Shui Po District Council Chairman Tak Shing Chum said he would not seek re-election as a district councillor and would also resign from the executive committee of the Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood. In his concluding remarks, Tak Shing Chum apologised for being unable to invite officials from the relevant policy bureaux or departments to attend meetings: “Over these two years, I have been unable to improve in this regard.” He hoped the new District Council chairman would invite more officials to “hold meetings more often” and engage in direct dialogue with councillors.
區議會換屆選舉年底舉行，深水埗區議會今早舉行現屆最後一次大會會議，4名民主派議員表明無意連任，將告別區議會。來屆區議會將由民政專員兼任主席，不設副主席。深水埗區議會主席覃德誠表明不會連任區議員，更將同時辭任民協執委。覃德誠在總結發言時，對未能邀請相關政策局或部門官員出席會議感抱歉：「呢兩年小弟呢，喺呢方面未能夠有改善。」他期望，新任區議會主席能邀請更多官員「多啲開會」，與議員直接對話。
5 Sept 2023獨媒#8321
李家超不評論民主黨晚宴又被取消：係私人組織嘅事
The Democratic Party had planned to hold a banquet yesterday (4 September), but the venue was cancelled at short notice again. Ming Pao also reported that an Executive Council member had intervened to stop a restaurant from providing a venue for the Democratic Party; the member declined to respond. Asked about the matter, Chief Executive John Lee declined to comment, saying, “The arrangement of private activities by private organisations is a matter for private organisations. I have no comment on private activities.”
民主黨原擬於昨日（9月4日）舉行晚宴，但場地又被臨時取消。《明報》更報導，有行政會議員成出手阻止餐廳向民主黨提供場地，該成員不作回應。行政長官李家超被問到事件時不作評論，稱「私人組織安排私人活動係私人組織嘅事，對私人活動沒有評語。」
5 Sept 2023獨媒#8322
行會示威區永久取消 李家超：反映意見渠道係「太多」
For many years, a protest area was set up outside the Chief Executive’s Office for the Executive Council meeting held every Tuesday, and the Chief Executive would receive petition letters. However, on 31 March 2020, after the outbreak of the pandemic, the pre-meeting media session was moved inside the Government Headquarters, and the arrangement for receiving petition letters was suspended. The arrangement was not restored after the return to normality. Asked by a Hong Kong Economic Journal reporter this morning, Chief Executive John Lee said explicitly that he believed there was no need to arrange a special session, adding that members of the public had different ways of expressing their views to the government and that “we have many channels”.
每逢周二舉行的行政會議，多年來的傳統皆會於特首辦外設立示威區，行政長官會接收請願信。不過疫情爆發後的2020年3月31日，會前見記者環節改於政府總部內舉行，接收請願信的安排亦告暫停。不過「復常」後，有關安排未見恢復。行政長官李家超今早被《信報》記者問及時，明言指「認為唔需要特別安排一個環節」，稱市民有不同方法向政府反映意見，「我哋嘅渠道係好多嘅」。
4 Sept 2023獨媒#8313
「光榮米線」違契被執管 地政總署：絕無針對任何公司
"Glory Mai Seen" in Block 3 of Camel Paint Building in Kwun Tong was accused by the Lands Department of breaching the lease and announced its closure. The public questioned whether the Lands Department was enforcing the rules selectively, while restaurants in Camel Paint Building feared enforcement action against their leases and stopped operating, leaving the building deserted. Responding to the incident, Lands Department Director Chi Wah (1953) Lai denied selective enforcement, stressing that after receiving public complaints, the department decided to conduct inspections based on its "work priorities and resources" and that it was "absolutely not targeting any particular industry or any particular company". He also said the enforcement action did not involve legislation, but concerned the owner of the property breaching the land-use purpose stipulated in the land lease signed at the time, and that the matter was being followed up "from the perspective of the lease".
觀塘駱駝漆大廈3座的「光榮米線」被地政總署指違契，並宣布結業，坊間質疑地政選擇性執法，亦令駱駝漆大廈的食肆擔心被釘契而不營業，大廈一片死寂。地政總署署長黎志華今回應事件時，否認選擇性執法，強調是收到市民投訴後按部門「工作優次及資源」決定巡查，「絕對無針對任何一個行業，無針對任何一間公司」。他又指執管行動不牽涉法例，只是業權擁有人違反當年簽訂地契用途，從「契約角度」跟進事件。
4 Sept 2023獨媒#8314
潭尾外勞宿舍可住8,000人惟須共用廁所 議員憂內地人易爭執
The government earlier introduced an imported-labour scheme for certain sectors, with the first batch of imported workers expected to arrive in Hong Kong in the fourth quarter of this year. The community isolation facility in Tam Mei, Yuen Long, will be converted into a short-term centralised dormitory expected to accommodate 8,000 people, with residents required to share toilets and shower rooms. Yuen Long District Councillor Ho Nin Tang was concerned that cultural differences could lead to conflicts among the workers: “In the toilets and bathrooms, one speaks Chiu Chow, one speaks Hakka and one speaks Wai Tau. When they cannot communicate, they just start arguing.” He was even more concerned about men and women sharing facilities, saying, “If they are all mixed together, something is bound to happen.” He suggested distributing the workers among different dormitories.
政府早前就部份行業推行輸入勞工計劃，首批外勞預計今年第四季到港，位於元朗潭尾的社區隔離設施將改建為短期中央宿舍，料可容納8,000人，其中入住者須共用廁所及沖涼房。元朗區議員鄧賀年擔心外勞因文化差異而起衝突：「喺廁所浴室，一個講潮洲、一個講客家、一個講圍頭，言語不通就係度嘈。」他更擔心男女共用設施，「如果撈埋一堆，就梗係有啲嘢發生」。他建議分散外勞至不同宿舍。
4 Sept 2023獨媒#8315
配合政府谷夜經濟 太古、恒基、華懋落水搞旺商場
As the government vigorously promotes the night-time economy, shopping malls operated by property developers are not only extending their opening hours to 11 p.m. but are also launching various activities to attract visitors. After eight major shopping malls under Chinachem Group earlier launched activities to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, Henderson Land and Swire Properties have also introduced similar night-time activities at their malls. Henderson Land has launched special night-time performances at three malls and set up markets distributing more than 10,000 shopping-mall shopping vouchers, among other measures, in the hope of stimulating night-time consumption. Swire has also introduced offers including complimentary cinema tickets and free parking at three malls.
政府大力搞夜經濟，地產商旗下的商場除了配合營業至晚上11時，亦要推出各類活動吸人流。繼早前華懋旗下8個主要購物商場推出活動慶祝中秋和國慶後，恒基地產和太古地產亦在旗下商場推出類似夜間活動。恒地在3個商場推出特色夜間表演活動、設立市集派發過萬張商場購物禮券等措施，希望刺激夜間消費；太古亦在3個商場推出送戲飛、免費泊車等優惠。
4 Sept 2023獨媒#8316
劉業強指夏寶龍對鄉議局評價良好 19年與「黑暴」衝突屬勇於擔當
The Heung Yee Kuk recently visited Beijing and was received by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Its chairman, Lau Yip-keung, said Xia fully affirmed the Heung Yee Kuk as a steadfast force that loves Hong Kong and the country: “Director Xia’s assessment of us was favourable. Of course, he also mentioned the Heung Yee Kuk’s glorious history, and he mentioned that during the ‘black violence’ in 2019, we clashed with people involved in the ‘black violence’, and that he regarded us as having the courage to shoulder responsibility.”
鄉議局早前訪問北京，獲港澳辦主任夏寶龍在釣魚台國賓館接見。主席劉業強表示，夏寶龍充分肯定鄉議局是堅定不移堅的愛港愛國力量：「夏主任對我哋評價都係良好。當然呢，佢都有提到我哋鄉議局一路嘅光輝歷史啦！都有提到喺19年黑暴，我哋即係都有同黑暴份子衝突啦，都係覺得我哋係勇於擔當啦。」
2 Sept 2023獨媒#8309
政府啟動「全政府動員」級別善後颱風 稱動員約百人
A government spokesperson said today that the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau had been authorised by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to activate the “whole-of-government mobilisation” level, mobilising about 100 people to form emergency response teams to provide support in multiple districts and handle the aftermath of Typhoon Saola. Chief Executive John Lee proposed adding the level in his 2022 Policy Address to respond to major crises. The scale of about 100 people was smaller than that of an exercise in February this year, when 10,000 people were placed on standby and 300 were required to report at a designated time.
行政長官李家超於2022年《施政報告》中，提出增設「全政府動員」級別，以應對重大危機。政府發言人今日表示，民政及青年事務局獲行政長官批准啓動，動員約百人組成應急隊伍到多區提供支援，處理颱風蘇拉的善後工作。約百人的規模，比今年2月演練的一萬人進入戒備狀態、300人須於指定時間報到的規模為小。
31 Aug 2023獨媒#8301
高球會稱尊重政府收地決定 盼將來續在港舉辦賽事
The government will resume 32 hectares of the old course at Fanling Golf Course tomorrow (September 1), and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will open the site as a park. However, as two international golf tournaments are about to be held, the park will be lent out from September 11 and closed for more than two months. The Hong Kong Open will be held over four days from November 9, with free public admission during the first two days. Hong Kong Golf Club president Andy Wing Leung Kwok said the club respected the government’s land resumption decision and was pleased that the government was lending the venue to support sporting events. Andy Wing Leung Kwok also said the club was discussing with different tours the continued hosting of events in Hong Kong.
政府將在明天（9月1日）收回粉嶺高球場32公頃舊場，康文署將開放用地作公園。不過由於兩項國際高爾夫球比賽舉辦在即，公園11日起將借出，關閉兩個多月。其中「香港高爾夫球公開賽」在11月9日起一連四天舉行，首兩天免費開放公眾入場。香港哥爾夫球會會長郭永亮表示，尊重政府收地決定，亦高興政府借出場地支持體育比賽，又指正與不同巡迴賽商討繼續在香港舉辦賽事。
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
