Attention TV and radio duty announcers:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement by the Education Bureau concerning schools, and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     As the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal no.3 is now in force, classes of kindergartens (including PM classes of kindergartens), schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are suspended today.

     The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) and the Communications Authority (CA) today (June 8) jointly launched a public consultation to invite views from the industry and interested parties on the proposed reduction of licence fees for five types of licences issued under the Telecommunications Ordinance, and the proposed introduction of a new fee component under unified carrier licence (UCL).

     For UCLs, services-based operator licences (Class 3) and public radiocommunications service licences (Paging), licence fee for each customer connection/mobile station is proposed to be reduced from $7 to $5. For mobile radio system mobile station licences and private mobile radio system licences, licence fee for each mobile station is proposed to be reduced from $270 to $220. Holders of these five licences will benefit from the fees reduction proposal.

     A new fee component for provision of Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) services under UCL is also proposed.

     "The introduction of the new fee component, at a much reduced level at $2 for each WIoT device, will align the WIoT device fee under UCL with that under the WIoT Licence, and will further facilitate the development of WIoT services in Hong Kong," a spokesman said.

     "The licence fees review has been conducted in accordance with statutory requirements and the latest Government's financial guidelines for trading funds. The fee proposals are in line with the cost recovery principle," the spokesman added.

     Subject to the views and comments received and the necessary legislative amendments, the proposed licence fees reduction and the proposed introduction of the new fee component for WIoT devices under UCLs will take effect from January 2019.

     The consultation paper can be downloaded from the websites of the CEDB (www.cedb.gov.hk/ccib/eng/paper/pdf/2018_licence_fee_eng.pdf) or the CA (www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/en/content_711/cp20180608_e.pdf). Views on the consultation paper should be sent by post to the Office of the Communications Authority, 29/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, by fax to 2834 1797, or by e-mail to consult-licence-fee-reduction-2018@ofca.gov.hk on or before July 9, 2018.

     The Census and Statistics Department is conducting the 2018 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong, on behalf of Invest Hong Kong. The survey aims to collect information useful to the Government in formulating strategies for cultivating a favourable environment for conducting business in Hong Kong and further developing support services for existing and prospective investors from outside Hong Kong. Such information will help Invest Hong Kong better understand the needs of foreign companies in Hong Kong and tailor its promotions, both locally and overseas, of Hong Kong as a leading destination for foreign direct investment.
 
     The survey covers companies in various economic sectors in Hong Kong with their parent companies located outside Hong Kong. A questionnaire has been sent earlier to each of the relevant companies together with the notification letter. To assist these companies in providing the information as required, an electronic template of the questionnaire is available upon request.
 
     Information being sought in the survey includes general information relating to these companies and opinions of the management of these companies about conducting business in Hong Kong.
 
     The survey is conducted under Part IIIA of the Census and Statistics Ordinance (Chapter 316) and was notified in Government Notice No. 2816 in the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette of April 27, 2018, as a voluntary statistical survey. The said Ordinance stipulates that all collected information which may enable identification of individual companies should be kept in strict confidence and not be released to any unauthorised parties. Such data will solely be used for compiling statistics which will not enable information relating to individual companies to be revealed.
 
     The department would like to thank those companies which had participated in previous rounds of the survey, and appeals for the support of the management of all companies which have been selected in the current survey round for their co-operation by returning the completed questionnaires to the department on or before June 29, 2018.
 
     Where applicable, staff of the department may phone or visit individual companies to offer assistance in completing the questionnaire. Whilst on duty, they will each carry an Enumerator Identity Card and a certificate for conducting the survey, which will be available for inspection.
 
     Enquiries regarding the survey can be directed to the Business Expectation Statistics Section of the department (Tel: 3579 2311 or email: regional‑offices@censtatd.gov.hk).

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 8) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach, Turtle Cove Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Lo So Shing Beach, Kwun Yam Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Pui O Beach, Upper Cheung Sha Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Tong Fuk Beach in Islands District; and Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

     A spokesman for the LD said today (June 8) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.

     Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

     In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

     The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

     Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.