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

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a public hearing on "Centre for Food Safety: Import control of foods" (Chapter 2) of the Director of Audit's Report No.71 at 9am tomorrow (January 25) in Conference Room 2 of the LegCo Complex.

     Six witnesses have been invited to appear before the above hearing to respond to points raised in the Report and answer questions asked by PAC members.

     The programme for the public hearing is as follows:

Date: January 25 (Friday)
Time: 9am
Venue: Conference Room 2
 
Subject: Centre for Food Safety: Import control of foods (Chapter 2 of the Director of Audit's Report No.71)

Witnesses:

Mr Eugene Fung
Deputy Secretary for Food and Health (Food)2

Miss Vivian Lau
Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

Dr Ho Yuk-yin
Controller, Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Dr Christine Wong
Assistant Director (Risk Management)
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Ms Louise Ho
Deputy Commissioner of Customs and Excise

Ms Sandra Tam
Head of Land Boundary Command
Customs and Excise Department

     PAC is chaired by Mr Abraham Shek, and its Deputy Chairman is Mr Kenneth Leung. Other members include Mr Paul Tse, Mr Steven Ho, Mr Lam Cheuk-ting, Mr Shiu Ka-fai and Ms Tanya Chan.

     The Hong Kong Police Force is showcasing the multi-faceted and professional nature of its work under the theme "Serve and Protect Hong Kong" at the four-day Education and Careers Expo 2019 held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre starting today (January 24). The latest recruitment information will also be available at the Police recruitment booth.

     During the Expo, a total of 16 Police units and secondary duty cadres will take turn to brief visitors on their areas of work and equipment, including the first-ever participation of the Briefing Support Unit with its constructed crime scene model. Visitors can also play a VR shooting game and obtain limited edition souvenirs at the booth.

     Demonstration sessions of various Police units are as follows:

January 24 (Thursday)
10.30am to 2.30pm – Quick Reaction Force, Police Dog Unit
2.30pm to 7pm – Force Search Unit, Crime Prevention Bureau, Traffic Police

January 25 (Friday)
10.30am to 2.30pm – Briefing Support Unit, Emergency Unit, Criminal Investigation Team
2.30pm to 7pm – Police Negotiation Cadre, Traffic Police, Emergency Unit

January 26 (Saturday)
10.30am to 2.30pm – Commercial Crime Bureau (Counterfeit), Force Rope Access Cadre
2.30pm to 7pm – Airport Security Unit, Quick Reaction Force, Task Force Sub-unit

January 27 (Sunday)
10.30am to 2.30pm – Counter Terrorism Response Unit, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau
2.30pm to 6pm – Police Dog Unit, Anti-Deception Coordination Centre, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau

     Members of the public who are interested in joining the Force as Probationary Inspector, Recruit Police Constable or Police Constable (Auxiliary) can apply at the Police recruitment booth. Applicants will undergo initial screening, including eyesight test, height and weight measurements, and verification of academic qualifications. Officers from the Police Recruitment Division will also answer recruitment-related questions on spot. For details, please visit the Police recruitment website at www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/15_recruit/.
 

      

     The URBTIX outlet at Tom Lee MegaBox Branch (Unit 2-20, Level 12, MegaBox, 38 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay) will cease operation from February 16 (Saturday), a Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (January 24).
 
     Patrons can purchase tickets at other URBTIX outlets. For details of the locations and opening hours, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ticket/counter.html.
 
     Tickets can also be purchased via the website www.urbtix.hk and the mobile ticketing app My URBTIX (Android and iPhone versions) throughout the day, and through the credit card telephone booking hotline 2111 5999 from 10am to 8pm daily.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, at a media session at the Central Government Offices today (January 24):

Secretary for Food and Health: Good morning. This morning I chaired an inter-departmental meeting to review the latest flu situation, including the flu surveillance situation in particular in kindergartens and child care centres. Representatives from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), the Hospital Authority, the Education Bureau and also the Social Welfare Department participated in the inter-departmental meeting this morning. We have reviewed the latest flu situation. The CHP has reported the latest situation and the representatives from the Hospital Authority (HA) have also given us some figures about the latest situation in terms of the paediatric ward occupancy and admission statistics.

     After considering a basket of factors, including the latest surveillance situation, the number of outbreaks at kindergartens and child care centres, the statistics of paediatric ward admission as well as occupancy of the HA's hospitals, I would like to announce that kindergartens as well as child care centres would advance their Chinese New Year holidays, starting from this Saturday, i.e. January 26. We believe that this decision would be a preventive measure for the current flu situation, in particular in kindergartens as well as child care centres in which the children are usually below 6 years old.

     We have now got representatives here not only from the HA and the Department of Health but also from the Education Bureau as well as the Social Welfare Department. We believe that this decision would give kindergartens and child care centres enough time to prepare for advancement of Chinese New Year holidays. I would now need to rush back to the Legislative Council for motion debate. My colleague from the CHP, Dr Wong Ka-hing, will now talk about the latest flu surveillance situation and other colleagues will answer questions. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Dah Sing Bank, Limited on fraudulent websites, which has been reported to the HKMA.  Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the websites concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the websites should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.