Dear Hong Kong fellow citizens,

It has been a gloomy morning in Hong Kong, as if the weather is echoing our hearts. We are all saddened and worried to see Hong Kong under the danger of the novel coronavirus, my heart is with all of you who are affected by the disease, and may you have a speedy recovery.

Today is international women's day, a day when we usually were busy with various celebrations and activities to honour this meaningful occasion. Sadly, the same cannot be done this year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, many events are cancelled to ensure the health and safety of everyone. Nevertheless, I still wish to honour the achievements of women around the world on this special day here. Various other meetings and social gatherings have been cancelled to minimise people contact and large crowds, yet we are far from free these days, in fact, my days are more filled than usual with the outbreak of the virus. 

We try our best, with our team working day and night, to gather supplies such as surgical face masks and hand sanitizers to distribute to people in need. There has been a shortage of epidemic prevention supplies in recent days, with stores packed and shelves emptied, we see a panic for trustworthy face masks among our community. People are clambering to get their hands on products, buying from online shops and from overseas. Yet, we still do not have sufficient medical supplies, resulting in a price hike up.  It breaks my heart to see some less fortunate Hong Kong people being forced to re-wear masks for several days to make up for the lack of them. The HKFTU, Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has found a factory that can produce up to par face masks that we will be distributing for free in our communities, particularly to those in urgent need such as elderlies and those with chronic diseases, in hopes that we can ease the local shortage of face masks. We try our best to do our part in this catastrophe, as we work with the people of Hong Kong to fight against the virus. I hope everyone can stay safe, healthy and vigilant in these dangerous times.

With the virus spreading now in addition to the social turbulence from last year, and not to mention the uncertain development of the trade war between China and USA, it's safe to expect negative growth in our economy and an increase in our unemployment rate. The usually busy streets of Hong Kong have been uncharacteristically quiet as Hong Kong people retreat into their home to guard themselves against the epidemic. We can see restaurants and retail stores having notably fewer shoppers than usual. As Hong Kong is a service-oriented economy, we must brace ourselves for a significant hit.  Sectors such as catering, retail and trade are immediately affected, and in turn, will trigger a chain reaction that impacts other industries. So far, a significant number of companies has already closed down or laid off numerous employees. As these industries are labour intensive, the number of workers affected are profuse. Even though some of the employees are not sacked, many are forced to take unpaid leave or are not scheduled for work instead, decreasing their earnings significantly. 

We are on the skids and we could not expect a rapid economic recovery like in 2003 after SARS’s attack. At that time, help form Mainland was immediate but this time the epidemic has also dealt a heavy blow to China's economy. That's why, after making sure our community has enough stock to fight against the virus, taking care of the livelihood of our people is of our utmost priority. The HKFTU has been preparing an emergency unemployment fund that can benefit workers that are unemployed due to recent events. We wish to help them out and pass by these difficult times with them. As for the general public, we had suggested to include a $10,000 handout in this year's government budget in hopes that it could be of help. Expeditious distribution of this $10,000 handout should be the most pressing priority of our Financial Secretary’s job. Although we are aware that the $10 000 handout is not going to solve all problems, as it is only a short-term solution, we hope that it can help these difficult times become a bit more bearable. In the long term, we must plan far into the future, consider how to help develop effective measures. In these stormy days, we shall stand alongside Hong Kong, and get through these hard times together. 

Last but not least, I must thank our medical staff, who are working long and hard hours to fight for the health of our home, I am sure that doctors and scientists are working extremely hard to find a way out. In the meantime, may we all be healthy and safe in the wake of this dreadful disease, as we battle through this economic depression hand in hand.

Yours Sincerely,
Alice Mak Mei Keun