The Import and Export (Electronic Cargo Information) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (Amendment Regulation) will be gazetted this Friday (October 5). 

     The Amendment Regulation seeks to extend the application of the Import and Export (Electronic Cargo Information) Regulation (Cap. 60L) to the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, so as to enable the Road Cargo System (ROCARS) to operate at that control point upon commissioning. The ROCARS is now operated in all land boundary control points for customs clearance of road cargoes.

     The Amendment Regulation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on October 10 for negative vetting. Its commencement date will be announced separately upon confirmation.

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

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Home Affairs visited the "Digital Dunhuang – Tales of Heaven and Earth" Exhibition (the Exhibition) in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum today (October 2) to learn about the features of relevant exhibits as well as the Government's work progress in the programming and audience building of public museums.

     At the invitation of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and accompanied by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kwong-wah, and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, Members participated in a guided tour to the Exhibition and received a briefing from the Curator (History) of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Mr Brian Lam, on the preparation of the Exhibition and the features of exhibits. The Exhibition showcases over 100 exhibits and features with interactive multimedia installations to reproduce the murals and stucco statues in the caves in Dunhuang. Members also experienced in person a tour of the virtual caves with virtual reality and image fusion technologies.

     During the visit, Members learnt more about the collaborations between LCSD and the Dunhuang Academy in training of professionals in the areas of curating, publicity and heritage conservation. Meanwhile, Members took the opportunity to further discuss with the Government officials about the work progress of expansion or renovation in other public museums, as well as the effectiveness of different initiatives launched by the Government on audience building.

     At the meeting of Panel on Home Affairs on December 21, 2017, members discussed the Government's future plan to enhance the programming, audience building and collection management of public museums managed by LCSD. The agenda and discussion papers of the meeting are available at the following webpage: www.legco.gov.hk/yr17-18/english/panels/ha/agenda/ha20171221.htm.

     Members participating in the visit included the Chairman of the Panel, Mr Ma Fung-kwok; Panel Deputy Chairman, Ms Yung Hoi-yan; and Panel members Mr Yiu Si-wing, Mr Ip Kin-yuen, Mr Shiu Ka-chun, Mr Lau Kwok-fan, Mr Kenneth Lau and Mr Tony Tse.

        

     The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), Mr Shun Chi-ming, today (October 2) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the HKO with the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Professor Petteri Taalas, to further strengthen meteorological co-operation.

     Under the MoU, the HKO will support the WMO's initiative in establishing the Global Multi-hazard Alert System (GMAS). In this connection, the HKO has revamped the Severe Weather Information Centre website (SWIC 2.0) and is also updating the World Weather Information Service website to aggregate authoritative warning signals related to high-impact weather, water and climate events issued by official weather service organisations around the world. Members of the public and decision makers of various organisations, including international and humanitarian agencies, can make use of the information on the websites to keep an overview of natural disasters on a global basis and take appropriate disaster risk reduction measures.

     Mr Shun said, "As a member of the WMO, Hong Kong, China, will play a more significant role in fostering regional and international meteorological co-operation to ensure public safety and reduce disaster risk. The HKO is very pleased to collaborate with the WMO in establishing the GMAS to help minimise loss due to natural disasters."

     Professor Taalas said, "The signing of the MoU between the HKO and the WMO will further strengthen our co-operation and significantly contributes to the global meteorological information services. I am very happy to see the launch of the SWIC 2.0 website today. This marks an important step in taking forward the GMAS initiative, contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction."

     Mr Shun and Professor Taalas officiated at the launch ceremony of the SWIC 2.0 website and the opening ceremony of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for Nowcasting after signing the MoU. The HKO was designated as an RSMC for Nowcasting for the Asian region at the 70th Session of the Executive Council of the WMO in June this year. It is a recognition of the significant role the HKO plays in applying nowcasting techniques in predicting severe weather. As the RSMC for Nowcasting for the Asian region, the HKO will provide meteorological organisations in the region with products and techniques related to nowcasting of high-impact weather events.

      

     Five persons engaged in renovation works and cargo transportation were involved in the illegal roadside dumping of construction and commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung. They were fined a total of $29,500 by Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (October 2) for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO). In addition, three car owners refused to provide drivers' information to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) about illegal dumping cases at Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling. They were fined a total of $14,500 by Fanling Magistrates' Courts on September 18, September 24 and today for contravening the WDO.
      
     The EPD successfully traced six fly-tipping cases through the surveillance camera systems installed at fly-tipping black spots in March and May this year. Video clips were recorded by surveillance camera systems installed at the black spots of Ho Fat Lane in Tuen Mun, Tai Chung Road in Tsuen Wan and Lam Tin Street in Kwai Chung. After evidence gathering, the EPD subsequently prosecuted five persons involved under the WDO. One of the persons involved at the black spot in Kwai Chung illegally disposed of construction waste and garbage in the same place three times in three days.
      
     An EPD spokesman said that the EPD has installed surveillance camera systems at fly-tipping black spots in order to step up monitoring and deterrence against illegal waste disposal and to assist in law enforcement.
      
     For the fly-tipping case at a black spot in Kwai Chung, a member of the public took video footage of the waste discarded from a vehicle at the black spot. According to the video footage and testimony reported by the member of the public, the EPD successfully prosecuted the two persons involved.
      
     Separately, the department received a complaint from a member of the public early this year about illegal dumpling activities at Lut Chau in Yuen Long and Lin Ma Hang Road in Ta Kwu Ling. The EPD traced the three vehicle owners involved after investigation and issued notices to the owners asking for the contact information of the drivers involved. No reply was received after the deadline and the EPD subsequently prosecuted the car owners involved under the WDO.
       
     The EPD urges members of the public to make a report to the department if they witness any illegal disposal of waste from vehicles. They can record videos and call the EPD hotline at 2838 3111 to help combat illegal dumping. The spokesman said that registered vehicle owners may be prosecuted if they refuse to provide the information required for law enforcement, such as the identity of the driver or person involved.
       
     The spokesman reminded those involved in renovation and construction works and the transportation sector that demolition waste as well as C&I waste should be delivered to the Government's waste treatment facilities for proper disposal in accordance with legal requirements. It is unethical and unlawful to dispose of waste in public places and on the roadside. Under the WDO, it is an offence for anyone to dispose of waste in public places. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 2) reported an update on its investigation into a case of Legionnaires' disease (LD) announced on September 21.

     The case involves a 71-year-old male patient, who was admitted to Pok Oi Hospital (POH) on July 11 for underlying illness. He is now in a serious condition.

     Water samples and environmental swabs were collected from POH to test for Legionella in a joint investigation by the CHP and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department on the possible source of infection and to support the implementation of control measures.
 
     Testing results revealed that the total Legionella count of one out of 14 water samples collected from the basin in the patient's bathroom was six colony-forming units per millilitre (cfu/ml), which was higher than the action level of water systems in low-risk areas of hospitals, i.e. one cfu/ml or above. All six environmental swabs tested negative for Legionella species.

     "Our epidemiological investigations show that the patient mainly stayed in the ward in POH in the entire incubation period. His respiratory specimen and the water sample from the basin in the patient's bathroom were of the same sequence type of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. Information so far has thus indicated that the patient had likely acquired LD in POH," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "We noted that POH has conducted disinfection of the water systems concerned. The CHP has provided health advice against LD to hospital staff and in-patients, including those with weakened immunity who should use sterile or boiled water for drinking, teeth brushing and mouth rinsing," the spokesman said.

     "Medical surveillance in the ward to which the patient was admitted has been enhanced in collaboration with POH and no additional cases have been identified thus far. We will maintain close liaison with POH to monitor the latest developments. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing," the spokesman added.
 
     As of September 29, 79 LD cases had been reported in 2018. In 2017 and 2016, there were 72 and 75 cases respectively.