Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Commission and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr Shen Chunyao, at Government House this afternoon (December 3). Principal Officials including the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, and the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, were also present.
 
     Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Shen’s visit to Hong Kong to be the guest speaker at the Constitution Day Seminar tomorrow (December 4). She noted that the country’s Constitution and the Basic Law together form the constitutional basis of the HKSAR, providing a legal basis for the country’s basic policies on Hong Kong, namely “One Country, Two Systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy, laying the cornerstones for Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability. Mrs Lam said that the HKSAR Government will continue to enhance the community’s understanding of the Constitution through such means as seminars, exhibitions, electronic media and school visits, and will also continue to promote the Basic Law.
 

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     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, chaired the 13th Cancer Coordinating Committee (CCC) meeting today (December 3).  At the meeting, Members discussed the draft outline of the Cancer Strategy and reviewed the population-based cancer data for 2016.

     In view of the overall rising trends in incidences of different cancers and the burden posed on the society, the CCC agreed at its 12th meeting that the Government should consolidate and enhance a comprehensive strategy on cancer prevention and control.  Having regard to the World Health Organization’s recommendations, international practices and local situations, the CCC discussed the draft outline of the strategies and priorities related to prevention and control of cancer for the period between 2020 and 2025.  The discussion encompassed cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and care services, as well as research and surveillance activities.

     “The Chief Executive’s 2018 Policy Address announced that the Government would map out a cancer strategy in 2019 to set out the strategic direction for prevention and care services for the period between 2020 and 2025,” Professor Chan said.

     The CCC also reviewed the population-based cancer data for 2016, as well as the incidence and mortality trends and projections of major cancers in Hong Kong.  In 2016, a total of 31 468 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Hong Kong, hitting a record high.  Of these new cancers diagnosed, 16 035 were diagnosed in males, and 15 433 in females.  Compared with that of 2015, there are 1 150 more cases, with a rise of 3.8%.  Colorectal cancer has been the most prevalent cancer for four consecutive years.  The CCC noted the current data reflected the cancer burden and epidemic of Hong Kong.  Cohorts with cancers that exhibited an increasing incidence with significant mortality merit special attention.  These surveillance data could provide the latest information as basis for cancer control and related strategic planning.

     The CCC was established in 2001, comprising cancer experts and doctors from the public and private sectors, academics and public health professionals, to advise the formulation of strategies on cancer prevention and control and steer the direction of work in relation to cancer prevention and screening, treatment, surveillance and research. Under the CCC, the Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening regularly reviews international and local evidence and makes recommendations on cancer prevention and screening in the local context. In addition, the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, the Hospital Authority and the Research Office of the Food and Health Bureau oversee cancer surveillance, treatment and research respectively.

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     Hong Kong Customs seized about 520 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $540,000 from a passenger arriving at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (December 2).

     A 28-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday. A pellet of suspected cocaine was found inside his baggage upon Customs clearance and he was escorted to hospital for examination.

     Subsequently, the man discharged a batch of suspected cocaine. He was then arrested.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
 

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 3) investigating an imported case of severe paediatric influenza B infection.

     The 17-year-old girl, who is a tourist from Singapore with good past health, has presented with fever, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea since November 25. She was admitted to United Christian Hospital on November 29 and was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit for further management on the same day. She is now in a stable condition.
 
     Her nasopharyngeal aspirate tested positive for influenza B virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza B complicated with shock.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had received influenza vaccination in Singapore. She travelled to Hong Kong on November 25 and her home contacts and a travel collateral remain asymptomatic so far. The CHP’s investigations are ongoing.
 
     The public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene for protection against influenza and other respiratory illnesses:
 

• Receive seasonal influenza vaccination for personal protection;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub as an effective alternative;
• Wash or clean hands frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, or after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs;
• Cover the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly in a lidded rubbish bin;
• Put on a surgical mask when respiratory symptoms develop;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• Avoid going to crowded or poorly ventilated public places; high-risk individuals may consider putting on surgical masks when staying in such places; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

     For more information, please visit the CHP’s influenza page and weekly Flu Express. read more

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

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (December 5) at 11.30am (or immediately after the meeting for the Chief Executive’s Question Time to be held at 11am) in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Mr Chung Kwok-pan will move a motion for the adjournment of the Council under Rule 16(4) of the Rules of Procedure. The motion states: “That this Council do now adjourn for the purpose of debating the following issue: the impact of the recent China-United States relations on Hong Kong’s economy.”
   
     On other Members’ motions, Members will continue to debate a motion on studying the enactment of an ordinance on regulating subdivided units. The motion, moved by Mrs Regina Ip, states: “That at present, there are in Hong Kong over 150 000 families and elderly singletons waiting for public rental housing, with an average waiting time of 5.3 years, and quite a number of applicants live in units of flats subdivided into separate units (commonly known as ‘subdivided units’); according to the estimate of the Government in 2017, there were about 91 800 households living in subdivided units across the territory; the Chief Executive has undertaken in the newly released Policy Address that the Government will actively facilitate various short-term community initiatives to increase the supply of transitional housing and allow wholesale conversion of industrial buildings for transitional housing; in the light of these new initiatives, it is believed that quite a number of transitional housing units leased out in the form of subdivided units will emerge in Hong Kong, but the existing Buildings Ordinance cannot comprehensively regulate the safety of flat subdivision works; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to study the enactment of an ordinance on regulating subdivided units, the contents of which include:

     (1) by drawing reference from the Housing Act 2004 of the United Kingdom, establishing a licensing system for regulating the operation of subdivided units, and setting standards for the facilities, number of occupants and area of units, so as to ensure a comfortable and safe living environment for households;

     (2) requiring the installation of separate water and electricity meters for each subdivided unit to prevent overcharging of water and electricity tariffs by landlords; and

     (3) regulating the rate of rental increase for subdivided units to prevent the households from being heavily burdened by rental.”

     Ms Alice Mak, Mr Vincent Cheng, Mr Leung Yiu-chung and Mr Andrew Wan will move separate amendments to Mrs Regina Ip’s motion.

     Meanwhile, Mr Jeremy Tam will move a motion on legislating for the protection of whistle-blowers. The motion states: “That, unless insiders of business organisations or government agencies (whistle-blowers) divulge that acts endangering public interests have occurred in their organisations or agencies, it is invariably difficult for the public or the media to verify the occurrence of such incidents; many past incidents involving significant public interests in Hong Kong, such as the unlawful sewage discharge by the sewage treatment contractor of Tuen Mun Pillar Point Valley Landfill in contravention of the standard requirements of the Environmental Protection Department, the frequent glitches in the new Air Traffic Control System of the Civil Aviation Department after its launch, and the shortened steel bars of the diaphragm walls at Hung Hom Station of the Shatin to Central Link of the MTR Corporation Limited, would have gone unnoticed if no one had blown the whistle, and the public would not have known the truth; since there is no dedicated legislation in Hong Kong for protecting whistle-blowers and those who stand up for justice are often subjected to reprisals, including various retributive acts such as harassment, discriminatory actions, dismissal and litigation, many insiders are afraid to blow the whistle; since many countries in the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, have already enacted dedicated legislation to protect whistle-blowers, this Council urges the SAR Government to expeditiously enact a whistle-blowing protection law to protect whistle-blowers and safeguard public interests; the areas of legislation should cover:

     (1) providing statutory protection to whistle-blowers if the incidents disclosed involve criminal offences, breach of legal obligation, miscarriage of justice, threat to public safety or health, environmental damage, abuse of powers, waste of public money, etc., so as to guard them against any unfair treatment, such as punitive actions like dismissal, pay reduction, demotion, transfer, suspension, financial penalty and denial of learning opportunities;

     (2) requiring all business organisations and government agencies to formulate their own internal measures on protecting whistle-blowers, including the setting up of a well-defined mechanism respectively for reporting incidents and protecting whistle-blowers, so as to stamp out any possible retributive acts;

     (3) allowing whistle-blowers to disclose to the public incidents endangering public interests in ways they deem fit, including using the media or the Legislative Council as the channels, in addition to the internal reporting mechanism mentioned above;

     (4) requiring any persons or organisations responsible for handling the secrets divulged by a whistle-blower to maintain the strictest confidentiality of the whistle-blower’s personal information; and

     (5) allowing whistle-blowers to apply for personal protection measures from the judicial authorities when they or their families feel their personal safety or freedom under threat.”
    
     Ms Claudia Mo, Mr Kenneth Leung and Mr Chan Hak-kan will move separate amendments to Mr Jeremy Tam’s motion.
    
     During the meeting, Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk).  Please note that the agenda is subject to change, and the latest information about the agenda could be found on the LegCo Website.

     Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. They may reserve seats by calling 3919 3399 during office hours. Members of the public can also watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. read more