Recently, a number of Hong Kong cross-boundary drivers were tested positive for COVID-19 at Man Kam To and refused to enter Shenzhen to pick up their goods, causing the price of local vegetables to rise. Priced. Zhang Xuhui, a member of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Transport Drivers Association, said in a radio program this morning (14th) that there are currently regarding 300 to 400 Hong Kong cross-boundary truck drivers who have been quarantined for 21 days by the mainland authorities, and only less than 50 drivers continue to transport Food arrives in Hong Kong.
He said that at present, following Hong Kong cross-boundary drivers arrive in the mainland, they cannot directly pick up the goods at the vegetable market. Instead, they have to hand over the truck to the mainland driver at the designated connecting point, and concentrate on waiting for the mainland driver to return to the loaded truck. He believes that this move will increase the risk of cross-infection, and hopes that the SAR government will report to the mainland, allowing local drivers to pick up goods directly from the vegetable market, reducing contact and improving delivery efficiency.
Regarding the change of Man Kam To Port to a dedicated port for cross-border transport vehicles of fresh and live food, Zhang believes that the queuing time will be improved, but if the connection arrangement is continued, drivers in Hong Kong will be quarantined endlessly, and the price of fresh food will remain high.
Regarding the supply of mainland vegetables and fresh goods to Hong Kong, the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Chen Fan, said today (14th) that due to Shenzhen’s strict epidemic prevention measures, residents of “epidemic buildings” in the past were not allowed to enter the country, and the restrictions were tightened to “epidemic areas”. Residents of 2019 were not allowed to enter the country, and some local transport drivers were listed as close contacts in the Mainland and needed to be quarantined, which affected the transport manpower and caused a severe cut in the supply of food from the Mainland to Hong Kong recently.
He pointed out that the SAR government respects the mainland’s epidemic prevention arrangements and will continue to discuss with it to study more ways to ensure the food supply in Hong Kong. Chen also mentioned that the Department of Justice has formally prosecuted the former Cathay Pacific crew members for allegedly violating the epidemic prevention regulations, and the case has been brought to court, and the investigation of Cathay Pacific is still ongoing.