Cogitation required for changing use of Kai Tak makeshift hospital, says vice finance chief

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said a thorough consideration must be given before redeveloping the Kai Tak makeshift hospital into a sports and arts hub.

In response to the suggestion by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) to repurpose the vacant makeshift hospital, Wong stated that the facilities are still in standby mode despite being vacant.

He stressed that the government needs to review whether the facilities are worth keeping and might be used in the future before changing their function.

Separately, Wong revealed that the temporary quarantine facilities located in the Lok Ma Chau Loop area will be used for innovative technology development, while the Tsing Yi facilities will be used as a youth education and development base.

As for the West Kowloon Cultural District which might have had to request government funding and even cut down on opening hours due to a lack of funding, the government said it is supposed to be a self-financing and self-running institution.

Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung noted that the Cultural District has been creating value for Hong Kong. However, it will be the responsibility of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority to consider its operational mode.

Yeung stated that the government is in talks with the Cultural District's governing body to explore potential solutions to its financial challenges.