Dear Mrs Ip,

This petition is on behalf of the Hong Kong Live Music Industry sector. We wish to bring to your attention the very severe impact the current covid restrictions have had on the livelihoods of those in this sector.

Since April 2020 live performances have been banned in bars, clubs, catering establishments and hotel function rooms for a total of 644 days, effectively denying musicians their basic right to livelihood and causing immense physical, emotional and psychological suffering.

In our previous round of meetings last year it was agreed that live performance is no more of a high-risk activity than customers sharing a microphone and singing together in karaoke bars. We were allowed to return to work for the period from June to December 2021 on the condition we observed a safe working protocol, requiring musicians to be fully vaccinated, wear masks at all times, and be separated from customers by a screen.

A precedent was set for a safe Covid working protocol and it was understood that it would be the model adopted in the event of any future Covid related closures.

With the onset of the 5th wave in January 2022 live performances in bars and clubs were banned again and remain so until now. Since then bars clubs and karaoke bars have long been back in operation but live music is still not allowed.

We feel this situation is unfair and unjust and has completely ignored the precedent we set in our last round of meetings with Government in which it was agreed that a live performance by four musicians on a stage, separated from the customers in the bar, is no more of a high risk activity than customers in a karaoke Lounge sharing a microphone and singing together.

We would like to point out that live performers actually have less contact with customers in bars and clubs than bar staff and floor staff and should be allowed to enjoy their right to livelihood the same as everyone else.

We greatly appreciate the advocacy that you have given us in the past and would be very grateful if you could now bring this matter to the attention of the relevant government departments.

Yours Sincerely,

Neil D. Irwin

On behalf of the entire community of musicians and music fans in Hong Kong.