Rental Grant and Relocation Grant for Flat Owners and Relocation Grant for Tenants rolled out by the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po
The Government announced today (December 18) that two new measures rolled out by the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will render assistance to residents affected by the fire.
The first measure is to provide affected flat owners with an annual rental grant of $150,000 and a one-off relocation grant of $50,000. The second measure is to provide affected tenants with a one-off relocation grant of $50,000. The details of the two measures are as follows –
(1) Rental grant and relocation grant for flat owners
The Support Fund will provide owners of each of the flats in Wang Fuk Court with an annual rental grant of $150,000 to give them more flexibility and choices in their accommodation arrangements. The grant will be provided for two years and disbursed on a semi-annual basis, with each payment being $75,000.
In tandem with the provision of the rental grant, the Support Fund will provide a one-off relocation grant of $50,000 to the relevant flat owners of Wang Fuk Court to subsidise the relocation and costs for replacing items such as furniture and appliances. Both grants are provided on a non-accountable basis.
Although Wang Chi House is less affected by the fire, it is still yet to be re-opened. The relevant flat owners also have accommodation needs and therefore the two grants are also applicable to owners of Wang Chi House.
The first installment of rental grant of $75,000 and the relocation grant of $50,000 will be disbursed starting from December 22 through the "one social worker per household" mechanism. The Social Welfare Department will handle the cases in accordance with the relevant land registration records and flat owners are not required to submit ownership documents.
(2) Relocation grant for tenants
Although Wang Fuk Court is not long-term or permanent accommodation for the tenants, the Support Fund will provide a one-off relocation grant of $50,000 to the original tenants of Wang Fuk Court on a discretionary basis. This will facilitate them to move from the accommodation arranged by the Government to the flats in the private market.
All original tenants of Wang Fuk Court who choose not to stay in the emergency accommodation arranged by the Government (including youth hostel/campsites/hotel rooms), the Housing Bureau's transitional housing or the Housing Society's flats can receive relocation grant when they move out from the abovementioned flats/units to the flats arranged by themselves through the private market. The relocation grant will also be provided on a non-accountable basis and through the "one social worker per household" mechanism.
In addition, for tenants who have moved into the Housing Bureau's transitional housing or the flats of the Hong Kong Housing Society, or tenants who wish to temporarily move to those flats, they will receive a rent-free period till May 31, 2026. If the tenants choose to stay in these flats of the Housing Bureau or the Hong Kong Housing Society beyond May 31, 2026, they will not receive the $50,000 relocation grant even though they eventually rent their own flats in the private market afterwards.
Source: AI-found images
CSD responds to media enquiries about so-called research on latest situations about persons in custody in Hong Kong published by anti-China organization Amnesty International
In response to media enquiries about the publication by Amnesty International, an anti-China organization, of its so-called research on the situations about persons in custody (PICs) in Hong Kong earlier, a spokesperson for the Correctional Services Department (CSD) today (December 18) strongly condemned the content of the so-called research, which is fact-twisting as well as baseless. The research is intended to smear the legitimate custodial management carried out by the CSD in accordance with the law by citingdifferent lies told by anti-China fugitives, who had breached supervision order and who had absconded from Hong Kong to engage in acts and activities endangering national security.
The spokesperson also criticized this anti-China organization for not including in full the written response from the CSD earlier in its so-called research, with a view to presenting a distorted picture with ill intentions.
Amnesty International is an anti-China organization under the guise of an organization purportedly safeguarding human rights. In the past, Amnesty International smeared the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) through fabrication by falsely claiming that a Uyghur student had gone missing in Hong Kong and attributing the incident to the HKSAR Government. In fact, the person concerned had never entered Hong Kong nor been denied entry into Hong Kong. This shows that it is the usual and despicable tactic of this anti-China organization to disseminate false information to smear the HKSAR Government. We must refute its false accusations one by one in order to set the record straight.
Contrary to the claims made by Amnesty International, the CSD is committed to ensuring a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment and providing appropriate rehabilitation programmes to PICs to help them turn a new leaf with dignity. Its allegations of conditions prevalent within correctional institutions, such as physical violence, extremely high temperatures and poor ventilation inside the institutions in summer, solitary confinement and unsanitary conditions, are wholly unfounded.
Zero tolerance of physical abuse
The CSD places utmost importance on discipline and professionalism across all correctional facilities. As provided by the Prison Rules (Cap. 234A), any officer of CSD who, without necessity, uses force in dealing with prisoners or uses undue force, violates discipline and may also be criminally liable in such circumstances. The CSD adheres strictly to statutory requirements on enforcement actions, and to the principles of impartiality and professionalism.
Extensive measures to cope with hot weather conditions
The CSD has taken extensive measures to continuously improve the custodial environment and to ensure the well-being of PICs. These include the installation of anti-suicide safety fans and industrial fans, the progressive replacement of ventilation systems, and the installation of new gates and windows with improved ventilation efficiency. The CSD has also taken further steps, including conducting trials of heat-insulating coatings on buildings and providing hand fans and cooling towels to PICs, which demonstrate our proactive approach to address hot weather conditions.
Removal from association having regard to PICs' interests and according to law
The CSD is devoted to ensuring that all arrangements for removal from association or separate confinement of PICs are appropriate in the circumstances of the case and in strict adherence to the law, and in line with the prevailing practices in other jurisdictions. Rule 68B of the Prison Rules empowers the CSD to remove a PIC from association with other PICs for purposes such as safeguarding the interests or personal safety of the PICs. Where the removal from association is initiated at the request of a PIC, the PIC concerned may request to resume association at any time.
Constant attention to sanitation and hygienic condition
The CSD has all along enforced the highest possible degree of cleanliness in the correctional institutions in accordance with the law. Daily inspection are conducted to ensure cleanliness of the correctional institutions and frequent examinations are conducted by the institutional medical officers for purposes of cleanliness and sanitation. Besides, the management of correctional institutions regularly arranges for comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the institutions, and arranges outside contractors to carry out pest control and rodent eradication work to ensure that the environmental conditions in the institutions are clean and hygienic.
The CSD has put in place mechanisms, including regular visits from Justices of the Peace, who inspect the prisons to ensure the rights of PICs are protected. PICs who feel aggrieved by any treatment they received could lodge a complaint through various channels within and outside the CSD e.g. the Ombudsman.
The CSD once again strongly condemns Amnesty International for spreading false and biased accusations and deliberately discrediting the CSD in properly carrying out its duties in the management of correctional institutions.
The CSD will, as always, continue to resolutely and fearlessly discharge its duties in strict accordance with the laws, ensuring the security of correctional institutions while safeguarding the rights, dignity and well-being of all PICs.
