The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Relating to the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement Claims today (July 19) conducted a visit to the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre (CIC) to better understand its facilities and operation.
 
     Members first received a briefing on the operation and management of the CIC by representatives of the Immigration Department. With the company of representatives of the Security Bureau and the Immigration Department, Members then observed the dormitory facilities, special units, anti-riot equipment, sickbay, visit room, dayrooms and exercise yard of the CIC.  Members learned that the CIC operates round-the-clock for the detention of persons pending removal in accordance with the Immigration Ordinance.  
 
     Members who participated in the visit were the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Dr Elizabeth Quat; Subcommittee Members Mr Yiu Si-wing and Dr Fernando Cheung; as well as non-Subcommittee Members Mr Ip Kin-yuen and Mr Tony Tse.

      

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 19) that Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool in Yuen Long District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 19) announced that two chocolate flavour sorbet samples were found to contain total bacterial counts exceeding the legal limit. Follow-up is in progress.

     "Subsequent to announcing that a sample of chocolate flavour sorbet taken from a retail outlet of frozen confections in Quarry Bay was found to contain a total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit, the CFS detected similar irregularities in a further two chocolate flavour sorbet samples of the same kind but of different manufacturing dates taken respectively from the same retail outlet and the frozen confection factory manufacturing the product concerned for testing during follow-up investigations. The test results showed that the two samples contained total bacterial counts of 610 000 and 730 000 per gram respectively, exceeding the legal limit," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 50 000 bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the total bacterial count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularities. The vendor has already, according to the CFS' instructions, stopped selling the affected kind of sorbet at all retail outlets and will dispose of the remaining stock of the affected product. The frozen confection factory concerned has also stopped its production. The CFS has provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the vendor, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection in the frozen confection factory. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted. Both unsatisfactory samples were taken before sale of the affected product was stopped," the spokesman said.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and representatives from the electrical and mechanical (E&M) trade today (July 19) concluded their four-day visit to Shenzhen and Guangzhou to keep abreast of the latest developments in innovation and technology (I&T).

     The delegation, formed by over 20 representatives from the E&M trade and young engineers from the EMSD, visited in the past four days enterprises and key bases of I&T development located in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, including the Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Guangzhou Science City and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation Entrepreneurship Base. They also attended seminars, during which they exchanged views with academics from Jinan University and Sun Yat-sen University to gain a deeper understanding of the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area), such as the building of a global technology and innovation hub as one of the key co-operation areas.

     During the visit, the EMSD representatives drew reference from the experiences of Shenzhen and Guangzhou in taking forward the commercialisation of various I&T items, with a view to more effectively identifying suitable technologies to apply in the development of smart city in Hong Kong. Also, the EMSD took the opportunity to promote its newly launched online I&T collaboration platform, "E&M InnoPortal", to cities in the Mainland in order to expand the room for collaboration between the E&M trade in Hong Kong and the I&T enterprises in the Greater Bay Area. As for the training of talent, the delegation visited the Guangzhou Industry and Trade Technician College and an E&M enterprise which co-operated with the college in nurturing talents, and exchanged views with the college on various issues such as ways to strengthen the professional standards of E&M technical personnel in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

     Leading the delegation, the Deputy Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Tai Tak-him, said that the diverse activities during the visit enabled the E&M industry representatives and engineers gain a better understanding of the latest I&T developments in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and even the Greater Bay Area, which could foster E&M collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland in areas such as technological innovation and the training of talent, which could in turn open up more development opportunities.

    

     Three illegal workers, comprising two Vietnamese and an Indian, were jailed by Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (July 18).
      
     During an anti-illegal worker operation mounted on July 16, Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators raided a restaurant in San Po Kong. A male Vietnamese illegal worker and a female Vietnamese illegal worker, aged 35 and 50, were arrested. When intercepted they were working in the kitchen. Upon identity checking, the female illegal worker was found to be an illegal immigrant while the male one produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal workers was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
      
     Furthermore, during operation "Twilight" conducted on July 16, ImmD investigators raided a restaurant in Central. A male Indian illegal worker, aged 35, was arrested. When intercepted he was conveying dishes. Upon identity checking, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. One employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
      
     The three illegal workers were charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday with taking employment after landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration or while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. They pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.
      
     The ImmD 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.
      
     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 the 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.