Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
The Civil Engineering and Development Department today (November 2) announced that the the Mui Wo Temporary Public Fill Reception Facility has been reopened at 8.30am.
The Labour Department (LD) today (November 2) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for staff in times of typhoons and rainstorms. Employers should also make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work after a typhoon or rainstorm warning is cancelled with due consideration to road, traffic and other conditions. This will help maintain good labour-management relations and ensure the safety of employees and the smooth operation of organisations.
"For staff who have practical difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a typhoon or rainstorm warning, employers should give due consideration to the circumstances of individual employees and handle each case flexibly, " an LD spokesman said.
"As typhoons and rainstorms are natural occurrences that cannot be avoided, employers should not deduct wages or allowances of employees who are absent from or late for work because of inclement weather. Neither should employers dismiss an employee summarily based on these grounds," he said.
The spokesman also reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance.
Employers should not deduct annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days employees are entitled to under the Employment Ordinance to compensate for the loss of working hours resulting from employees' failure to report for duty upon the issue of Typhoon Signal No. 8 or the announcement of a Black Rainstorm Warning. An employer who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with the relevant provisions under the Employment Ordinance is liable to prosecution.
Employers should also note that they have an obligation to maintain a safe workplace for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.
Under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for death or injury incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force.
To provide practical guidelines and samples of work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees, the LD has issued the booklet "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms". The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).
Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:
As Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 has been cancelled, the Home Affairs Department's emergency hotline 2835 1473 has ceased to operate.
Hong Kong Customs conducted a territory-wide operation from October 30 to today (November 1) to combat the sale of suspected counterfeit proprietary Chinese medicines. During the operation, a total of about 700 items of suspected counterfeit proprietary Chinese medicines and other suspected counterfeit products with a total estimated market value of about $70,000 were seized.
Customs earlier received information alleging that suspected counterfeit proprietary Chinese medicines were being sold by shops in the retail market. After an in-depth investigation with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs officers conducted a three-day operation in different districts in Hong Kong from October 30 to today. Thirteen retail shops in Sheung Wan, Mong Kok, Kwai Hing, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Sheung Shui were raided and a total of about 700 items of suspected counterfeit proprietary Chinese medicines and other suspected counterfeit products were seized.
During the operation, 20 men and two women were arrested, including eight persons-in-charge and 14 salespersons, aged between 22 and 64.
Investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement to combat sale of counterfeit goods.
Customs reminds traders to be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
Customs also appeals to consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182, or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Hong Kong Customs seized about 3.4 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $700,000 at Hong Kong International Airport on October 30.
Customs officers inspected an air mail parcel from the United States of America on October 30 and found the suspected cannabis buds concealed in a metal case in the parcel.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday (October 31) arrested a man and a woman in Cheung Sha Wan, who were suspected to be related to the case.
The arrested 19-year-old man and 48-year-old woman have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. They will appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (November 2).
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 the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
