An open letter from a group of immigration staff to the Hong Kong Government
As the Novel Coronavirus is raging, many medical experts have long called for escalating epidemic prevention measures including a full closure of the mainland-Hong Kong border. As all confirmed patients so far have been to Wuhan, the only way to stop virus importation is to immediately refuse entry to all mainland residents.
Yesterday, the Hong Kong government officially imposed an entry ban for Wuhan residents and mainland residents who have been to Wuhan within the last 14 days. However, these measures are not only counter-productive but will also put the lives of frontline immigration staffs at greater risk. As for the closure of the six border checkpoints, none of them apart from the High-speed Railway and Hung Hom Direct Train are main entry points for mainland visitors. Such partial closure will only draw mainland tourists to enter through other checkpoints and worsen the congestion at these checkpoints.
In contrast, Macau has not only imposed an entry ban for Wuhan residents but has also demanded the departure of Wuhan residents. Entry bans of Wuhan residents have also been imposed by other provinces. The delay on the Hong Kong border closure to affected persons is resulting in a large influx of mainland visitors seeking to enter Hong Kong. Such a huge influx has led to a shortage of manpower at several major checkpoints along the border. Even with staff from other divisions serving as reinforcement for colleagues at border checkpoints, there is simply an insufficient supply of preventive equipment and places to serve as waiting areas. Most frontline staff, especially colleagues who were sent in to support on short notice, are only equipped with triple-layered surgical masks and latex gloves.
Customs officers responsible for entry processing are also unwillingly confined with a large crowd of mainland visitors, leading to a greater chance of cross infection. Even with protective clothing, our colleagues do not dare go to the toilet, as there may not be a clean set of protective clothing due to the shortage of supplies. And the small number of n95 masks provided by management are only meant for industrial use which can only filter out dust. They cannot provide sufficient protection for our colleagues who are responsible for repatriation.
Our frontline colleagues have also been physically and verbally abused by a number of visitors who were denied entry. Their actions include the use of force, tearing off officers’ masks, and spitting. However, management has not provided sufficient equipment for crowd management, such as shields. Nor have they sought reinforcement from airport security or the special police force to deal with the fierce resistance from rejected visitors and to ensure the safety of our colleagues.
Frontline personnel have no way of knowing whether visitors have been to Wuhan or have made contact with infected persons within 14 days. Questioning visitors is time-consuming and they may not even answer truthfully. If they feel the need to conceal their medical history when being admitted to hospitals, then it is highly likely they will also lie when questioned by immigration staff. Therefore, border interrogation as a means of discerning the travel history of mainland tourists is extremely inefficient and ineffective.
What bothers the frontline staff most is that management has not put into place appropriate measures for restricting customs clearance. In terms of transportation arrangements or liaison with the mainland border, senior management has not done their due diligence to communicate. Such lack of communication has resulted in extreme difficulty during the repatriation process and the accumulation of a large number of rejected visitors stranded at the checkpoints.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner, the Security Bureau, and even all four guilds have gone missing. They have not provided any explanation to the public and immigration staff.
They have not learned lessons from the SARS outbreak in 2003 and have failed to take sufficient precautions.
For this matter, we make the following demands:
1 Immediately close the entire border and deny entry to all mainland visitors. Also, request the mainland authority to stop all mainland residents from entering Hong Kong. We have not asked for the complete cessation of operations at all borders, but only for an entry ban of mainland residents. The suspension of new endorsements by the mainland government can only reduce the number of people who can come to Hong Kong, but there are still many people holding valid two-way permits and endorsements. Examples of such include W (a one-week permit) or T (for visiting relatives) endorsements, and even passports for transit connections.
2 Recall all Immigration staff who provide support to the police, and supply them with crowd control equipment. Those staff should be immediately sent to checkpoints, especially at the airport, Luohu and Lok Ma Chau, etc., with the duty of guarding, repatriation and escorting rejected visitors.
3 Arrange charter flights immediately to repatriate those rejected for entry directly to Wuhan to prevent them from further travels within the country. After the flights, the aircraft should be disinfected before carrying Hong Kong people stranded in Wuhan back to Hong Kong. The returnees shall be quarantined for 14 days before re-entering the city.
4 Immediately increase the supplies of protective equipment to frontline staff, especially for staff at checkpoints. Arrange for staff from the Department of Health to provide guidance on the proper methods for putting on and taking off protective clothing.
5 Customs clearance time for Hong Kong residents should be reduced at major checkpoints except at the airport. That would require opening all E-channels; reducing staffed counters; and arranging daily disinfection after closing. Hong Kong residents returning to Hong Kong should quarantine themselves after their return.
In addition, the government has announced that flights from mainland have been reduced by half. However, as the epidemic spreads, more rigorous immigration checks will be implemented in other countries. As a result, the number of mainlanders who are denied entry will inevitably increase. Generally, people who are denied entry to another country will be repatriated to the last port of entry. If the relevant authorities do not take immediate action and continue to allow mainland residents to pass through Hong Kong before transiting to other countries, this will not only increase the risk of the virus spreading globally, but also lead to more mainland residents being sent back to Hong Kong. With the current tightening of entry to affected persons in mainland, mainland residents who have not been repatriated will likely be stranded in Hong Kong, increasing the risk of infection in the local community. Therefore, government authorities should immediately coordinate with mainland authorities, airlines, and SkyPier to handle related cases and plug all loopholes in order to prevent further spread of this epidemic.
The SAR government should act immediately. As the prime time for epidemic prevention has passed already, the government should at least make a last ditch effort to remedy the crisis.
In fact, after several days of operations, frontline colleagues are now exhausted. To make things worse, we have just received news that a colleague at the border has been quarantined due to fever.
If the Government does not take any further action, the border will inevitably fall, together with the health of Hong Kong people. Frontline staff will continue to perform their duties, but we cannot last this way for much longer as we are just ordinary people. Wearing a uniform does not make us immune to the virus.
However, as civil servants, we must put public interest at the highest priority and use all feasible methods to protect the safety of all Hong Kong people - whether they are colleagues working at the border, medical personnel, or other Hong Kong citizens.
To our high ranking government officials, please repent and rectify the situation by carrying out your responsibility properly.
From a group of Immigration staff who stands in solidarity with Hong Kong people
Dated: January 28, 2020