The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government has
decided to grant ratepayers a one-off concession with a total value
of 2 billion HK dollars (US$256 million), a HK official said
Thursday.
According to the spokesman for the Rating and Valuation Department
(RVD), it is estimated that 90 percent of ratepayers will not need
to pay rates for the period concerned, while the remaining 10
percent will enjoy concessions, which will save ratepayers some 2
billion HK dollars.
The concession is equivalent to either the actual rates payable for
the third quarter in 2003, or 1,250 HK dollars (US$160) for
domestic properties and 5,000 HK dollars (US$641) for non-domestic
properties, whichever is the lesser amount, he said.
"This is one of the measures included in the relief package
announced by the government Wednesday to help the community tide
over the difficulties due to the outbreak of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome," he said.
Moreover, in order to advance the effect of this measure, the
government will waive the 5 percent surcharge on overdue payments
for three months from April to June in 2003, the spokesman
added.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2003)