The Leisure and Cultural Services Department held the Urban Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza tonight (February 19) in celebration of the Lunar New Year Lantern Festival. The carnival enhanced the festive mood for visitors with its spectacular lantern displays and a variety of activities.
 
     Colourful lanterns are lighting up the piazza, providing popular spots for photo-taking and creating a joyful ambience. The highlight is 11 palace lanterns with convex and concave shapes and a revolving lantern crafted by a local master. The illustrations on the lanterns are the creative work of local illustrator Stella So, and are inspired by the Chinese zodiac and intangible cultural heritage items of Hong Kong such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, Cantonese opera, the Hong Kong-style milk tea-making technique and more.

     Another thematic display, "Glittering Peacocks in Full Bloom", which runs until February 24, showcases eye-catching peacock lanterns including a giant peacock lantern over 5 metres tall and 15 metres long, with long glittering tail which forms an archway between two pools.
 
     Carnival-goers are also enjoying a series of performances and activities including spectacular ethnic songs, dances, martial arts, a circus show, anecdotes and a lantern riddle quiz corner. Demonstrations of Chinese folk crafts such as Xiguan copperware making, Luxi murals, juci (ceramic repair), guqin making and dough figurine crafting are also being well received.

    

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) held a reception in Jakarta, Indonesia, tonight (February 19) to celebrate Chinese New Year with the Indonesian political and business circles, academia, the media and community groups. 

     Addressing the guests, the Director-General of HKETO Jakarta, Mr Law Kin-wai, said that relations between Hong Kong and Indonesia are becoming closer than ever. He encouraged the Indonesian business sector, entrepreneurs and professionals to grasp the many opportunities offered by Hong Kong in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development. Mr Law said these two national initiatives, together with the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), would serve as engines to further propel regional economic growth.

     The event was graced by the presence of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Mr Lim Jock Hoi; the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Xiao Qian; the Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN, Mr Huang Xilian; and the Regional Director of Southeast Asia and South Asia of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Mr Peter Wong. Nearly 300 distinguished guests joined the event in celebration of this traditional festival.

     HKETO Jakarta will also host Chinese New Year receptions in Medan and Surabaya, Indonesia, next week.

      

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the Grand Opening of Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel today (February 19):

     May I now say a few words in English. I am pleased to be here tonight at the Grand Opening of the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel. The opening of Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel is one of the important milestones to transform the Ocean Park into a world-class resort destination. It enriches the offerings of the Park, making it more attractive for visitors to stay in Southern District, as well as for family tourists, MICE events and overseas school excursion programmes. I am confident that the opening of this new Marriott Hotel will help propel the development of the Ocean Park further. I wish the hotel and the Ocean Park all the best in the years to come and everyone a very enjoyable evening. Thank you very much.

        

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 19) said that following further investigation on the incident of American prepackaged cereal products containing allergens, gluten and wheat, undeclared on the products' food labels, it was found that the distributor/importer concerned had imported and sold a total of three batches of the two kinds of affected products (two of the batches being recalled by a retailer already announced earlier). The CFS urged consumers who are allergic to gluten or wheat not to consume the products concerned and the trade should stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess them.

     Product details are as follows:

(1) Product name: Choco Chimps
Brand: Nature's Path EnviroKidz
Place of origin: USA
Distributor/Importer : Rainbow Asset Ltd
Net weight: 10 ounces (284 grams) per box
Best-before date: August 27, 2019

(2) Product name: Gorilla Munch
Brand: Nature's Path EnviroKidz
Place of origin: USA
Distributor/Importer : Rainbow Asset Ltd
Net weight: 10 ounces (284 grams) per box
Best-before dates: August 24 (additional batch) and September 21, 2019

     "The CFS announced earlier that two batches of prepackaged cereal products were to be recalled as they might contain allergens, gluten and wheat, but they were not declared on the products' food labels. The CFS' follow-up investigation found that the distributor concerned, which was also the importer, had imported the abovementioned batches of affected products and were all sold to different vendors (including supermarkets, retail outlets and organisations). The CFS has instructed the distributor/importer to initiate a recall of the abovementioned products. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the distributor's/importer's hotline at 2898 3252 during office hours or via email at: enquiry@rainbowhk.com.hk," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     "Gluten and wheat are known food allergens. Those who are allergic to gluten or wheat may develop symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, asthma and rash upon consumption. In severe cases anaphylactic shock may even develop," the spokesman said further.

     The spokesman advised consumers who are allergic to gluten or wheat not to eat the products, and to seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after taking the food. The trade should also stop using or selling the above batches of the affected products immediately should they possess them.

     The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap 132W) require that all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should list out the food ingredients in its list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     Members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) held a meeting today (February 19) with members of the Sha Tin District Council (DC) at the LegCo Complex to discuss and exchange views on matters of mutual interest.
 
     During the meeting, LegCo Members discussed and exchanged views with DC members on the impact of public and private burial facilities in the Sha Tin District on the local community and the relevant mitigation proposals; renovation of the market in Pok Hong Estate; timetable for the commissioning of the MTR Shatin to Central Link (Tuen Ma Line); introduction of new bus routes and rationalisation of the existing routes in Sha Tin to strengthen bus services between Shatin and the Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port; and the impact of Link's further disposal of shopping malls and markets in public housing estates on the livelihood of residents of public housing.
 
     The meeting was convened by Mr Chan Chi-chuen and Dr Fernando Cheung, and attended by Mr Steven Ho, Mr Yiu Si-wing, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Alvin Yeung, Mr Lam Cheuk-ting, Mr Holden Chow, Mr Shiu Ka-fai, Mr Lau Kwok-fan and Mr Tony Tse.