Three red tides have been sighted, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (January 4).
 
     One red tide was spotted by staff of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at Stanley Main Beach, Hong Kong Island, on January 2. The red tide has dissipated.
 
     In addition, mariculturists spotted two red tides at Long Harbour and Sham Wan fish culture zone on January 2 and 4 respectively. The red tides still persist.
 
     No associated death of fish has been reported so far in all three red tides.
 
     A spokesman for the working group said, "Three red tides were formed by Mesodinium rubrum, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and is non-toxic."
 
     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan, Po Toi, Tap Mun, Kau Lau Wan and Sham Wan fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.
 
     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue monitoring red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.

     The Lands Department announced today (January 4) that in respect of the tender for the site Lot No. 765 in Demarcation District No. 332 at South Lantau Road, Cheung Sha, Lantau Island, New Territories, which was awarded on December 5, 2018, to the successful tenderer, Danford Development Limited (parent company: Sino Land Company Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $203,889,000, the tender amounts submitted by the unsuccessful tenderers in descending order are published on an anonymous basis as follows:
     
(1) $180,280,000
(2) $153,900,000 
(3) $153,120,000
(4) $150,000,000
(5) $128,900,000
(6) $116,000,000
(7) $105,257,000
(8) $102,000,000
(9) $102,000,000
(10) $70,688,000
(11) $70,300,000

     The information disclosed in this press release is for information only.
 

     Police today (January 4) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Western Division.

     Wong Kwong-yin, aged 63, went missing after he left an elderly home on Queen’s Road West on January 3 night. Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.68 metres tall, 63 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a blue jacket, grey trousers, grey hat, black slippers and a pair of glasses.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Hong Kong Island on 2860 1040 or 9886 0034, or email to rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements this Sunday (January 6) to facilitate a public order event to be held on Hong Kong Island.

Road closure
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     The following roads will be closed from 12am to 10.30am:

– Lung Wo Road between Man Yiu Street and Edinburgh Place;
– Northbound Edinburgh Place between Harcourt Road and Lung Wo Road; and
– Yiu Sing Street.

     The following roads will be closed from 2am to 10.30am:

– Man Kwong Street;
– Man Fai Street; and
– Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and Man Po Street.

     The following roads will be closed from 2am to 12.30pm:

– Oil Street north of Wang On Road;
– King Wah Road;
– Fook Yum Road between King Wah Road and Wang On Road; and
– The slow lane of Oil Street between Electric Road and Wang On Road.

Traffic diversions
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     In connection with the above road closure, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:

– Rumsey Street between Man Kat Street and Chung Kong Road will be re-routed to one-way southbound; and
– Traffic along southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Man Po Street or eastbound Man Cheung Street cannot enter eastbound Yiu Sing Street or eastbound Lung Wo Road. Affected vehicles will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, Connaught Place and eastbound Connaught Road Central.

Suspension of parking spaces
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     All motorcycle parking spaces at general pick-up/drop-off and loading/unloading area on Lung Wo Road north of Star Ferry Multi-Storey Car Park will be suspended from 12am to 10.30am.

     All disabled parking spaces near Central Ferry Pier No. 4 and motorcycle parking spaces near Central Ferry Pier No.6 in Man Kwong Street will be suspended from 2am to 10.30am.

     All buses and coaches parking spaces on Road A2 will be suspended from 2am to 10.30am.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts mentioned above will be towed away without prior warning.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a territory-wide anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Twilight" on January 2 and 3. A total of 17 illegal workers and five suspected employers were arrested.
      
     During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided 16 target locations including a commercial building, a company, a factory, massage parlours, residential buildings, restaurants and a salon. Seventeen illegal workers and five employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised 11 men and six women, aged 27 to 55. Among them, one woman was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Meanwhile, two men and three women, aged 25 to 62, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.
      
     "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," an ImmD spokesman said.
 
     The spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years' imprisonment.
      
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
      
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.