The Correctional Services Department (CSD) held a passing-out parade at its Staff Training Institute in Stanley today (August 2) with 134 Assistant Officers II graduating. The Chairman of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders, Mr Siu Chor-kee, reviewed the parade.

     Addressing the passing-out parade, Mr Siu said the CSD has all along been placing dual emphasis on safe custody and rehabilitation. The CSD is committed to providing excellent custodial management, protecting public safety and building a safe and secure platform for the implementation of rehabilitation work. On the other hand, the CSD continues to innovate and provide new rehabilitation programmes for persons in custody. In recent years, the CSD has proactively reached out to the community, launching diversified community education programmes to help prevent crimes with remarkable results.

     He said that in a period spanning more than 10 years, he has witnessed the development of correctional work. In 2003, he was invited to serve as a member of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders, and since then he has gradually come to understand the meaning of correctional work and its importance to social stability. He said the CSD has a passion for promoting rehabilitation work, and added that, inspired by the CSD's passion, he actively participates in its various activities which enhance employment opportunities for rehabilitated persons. He has also registered as a member under the Caring Employers programme of the CSD. In 2014, he was invited to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders.

     Mr Siu said that his participation in the rehabilitation work of the CSD, whether in the capacity as the Chairman of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders, as an employer from the business sector or in any other capacity, for example as the Chairman of the District Fight Crime Committee of Kowloon City, has enabled him to gain a more thorough understanding of correctional services in Hong Kong from different perspectives. Describing correctional officers as unsung heroes, he said they have all along been working conscientiously and contributing to maintaining the safety and stability of Hong Kong while never asking for applause. As correctional work is arduous, he encouraged all passing-out members to rise to the challenges and commit themselves fully to perform their duties, serve the public and contribute to society without fear.

     Two passing-out members spoke to the media after the parade. Assistant Officer II Mr Chan Hei-yee joined the CSD after being inspired by his parents, who are former CSD staff. He said that he will strive to serve society and help persons in custody to rehabilitate. Assistant Officer II Ms Liu Choi-shing joined the CSD after being influenced by her brother, who is a serving officer of the CSD. She expressed the belief that correctional work is meaningful in that it can help people get back on track. She said she will continue to discharge her duties with perseverance so as to contribute to society.

                

     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, visited Kwai Tsing District this afternoon (August 2) and called at the container terminal and GreenPrice Supermarket in the district to understand their operations. He also exchanged views with members of the Kwai Tsing District Council (K&TDC) on environmental issues.
　　
     Accompanied by the Kwai Tsing District Officer, Mr Kenneth Cheng, Mr Wong first visited Hongkong International Terminals Limited to learn about its environmental management system. The company has implemented a series of green measures to improve the environment of the container terminal, including the use of electric or hybrid gantry cranes and other mobile mechanical facilities to reduce carbon emissions, the installation of solar water heating systems and grid-connected photovoltaic systems to make good use of renewable energy, and the use of energy-efficient lighting systems to save energy.
　
     Mr Wong then departed for the green social enterprise GreenPrice Supermarket to find out more about its business philosophy of being food wise and wasting less. The social enterprise was founded by four young entrepreneurs to encourage members of the public to change their food consumption patterns and reduce food waste by promoting and reselling food and ingredients that are excess stock or about to expire. Mr Wong thanked the founders and their employees for bringing the food wise culture into the community. He said that waste reduction at source is a highlight of the Government's work. The Government will continue to implement the Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign and further deepen its effectiveness, so as to promote a food wise culture for all. The Government will also encourage food donations through the Environment and Conservation Fund by providing subsidies to non-profit-making organisations to collect surplus food from different channels for redistribution to those in need, with a view to cultivating a green and caring society.
 
     Before concluding his itinerary, Mr Wong paid a visit to the K&TDC to meet with its Chairman, Mr Law King-shing, and members to listen to their views on the Government's environmental policies and learn more about their concerns on district environmental issues.

        

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 22 000 suspected smuggled signal flares with an estimated market value of about $1.5 million at Shenzhen Bay Control Point on July 30.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming container truck at Shenzhen Bay Control Point in the afternoon on July 30 and found the batch of suspected smuggled signal flares in the cargo compartment.  

     The 50-year-old male driver was arrested. Investigation is ongoing. 

     Customs reiterates that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.  

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or the dedicated crime-reporting email account â€‹(crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The weather in Hong Kong was cloudier than usual in July 2018. The mean cloud amount in the month was 77 per cent, 8 per cent above the normal figure of 69 per cent. The duration of bright sunshine in the month was only 181.1 hours, about 15 per cent below the normal figure of 212.0 hours. The month was also warmer than usual with mean temperature of 29.1 degrees, 0.3 degrees above the normal figure of 28.8 degrees. It was cloudy with rather showery conditions in Hong Kong for most of July. The monthly rainfall was 341.1 millimetres, about 9 per cent below the normal figure of 376.5 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first seven months of the year was 974.9 millimetres, a deficit of 34 per cent compared to the normal figure of 1 473.3 millimetres for the same period.

     Under the influence of the southwest monsoon, local weather was a mixture of sunshine and showers from July 1 to 7. There were occasional heavy showers and squally thunderstorms in isolated areas during these days. The isolated heavy showers on July 5 brought more than 200 millimetres of rainfall to Tai Po District. A broad trough of low pressure continued to bring showery weather to Hong Kong on July 8 and 9.

     Apart from one or two morning showers on July 10, the subsiding air associated with the outer circulation of tropical cyclone Maria brought generally fine weather to Hong Kong on July 10 and 11. While it was generally fine and very hot on July 12, with a broad trough of low pressure edging closer to the coast of Guangdong, the easterly winds strengthened and there were heavy showers and squally thunderstorms in Hong Kong from July 13 to 15. During the downpour, the temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory fell to a minimum of 25.0 degrees on July 15, the lowest in the month.

     A ridge of high pressure brought a strong easterly airstream over the coast of Guangdong on July 16 and the showery activities in Hong Kong subsided gradually. Meanwhile, an area of low pressure near Luzon developed into a tropical storm that was named Son-Tinh on July 17. Son-Tinh moved generally westward across the northern part of the South China Sea and entered Beibu Wan on July 18. It made landfall over the northern part of Vietnam and weakened into an area of low pressure inland on July 19. It was very hot with plenty of sunshine in Hong Kong, with temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory soaring to 34.3 degrees on the afternoon of July 17, the highest in the month. Under the influence of the outer rainbands of Son-Tinh, the weather in Hong Kong became mainly cloudy with occasional squally showers and thunderstorms that night and on the next day. Under the combined effect of the ridge of high pressure over the southeast coast of China and Son-Tinh, it was also windy on July 17 and 18 in Hong Kong.

     While the easterly airstream affecting the coast of Guangdong moderated gradually, a broad trough of low pressure continued to bring a few squally showers to Hong Kong on July 19 and 20. Under the influence of the subsiding air ahead of tropical cyclone Ampil, local weather became generally fine and very hot on July 21. After a fine and very hot morning, the weather became mainly cloudy with some squally showers over the western part of Hong Kong in the afternoon on July 22.

     Meanwhile, an area of low pressure associated with the remnant of Son-Tinh re-intensified into a tropical depression over Beibu Wan on July 22. It moved slowly over Beibu Wan and skirted past the northwestern part of Hainan Island. The tropical depression then made landfall over the Leizhou Peninsula on July 23 and dissipated over inland Guaugxi on the next day. With active showery activities over the northern part of the South China Sea, it was mainly cloudy with heavy showers and a few squally thunderstorms on July 23 in Hong Kong. Showers gradually subsided with more sunshine in the following two days.

     As an anticyclone aloft in southeastern China strengthened gradually, local weather remained generally fine and very hot apart from isolated showers towards the end of the month with the maximum temperature reaching the month's highest record of 34.3 degrees again on July 29.

     Seven tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in July 2018.

     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in July are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for July are tabulated in Table 2.

     The Home Affairs Department will open 18 temporary night heat shelters tonight (August 2) for people in need of the service.
      
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.

     For further information, please call the department's enquiries hotline before midnight on 2835 1473.
      
     The 18 night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern/Wan Chai –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
Waiting Lobby, 3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
Multi-purpose Room, 1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate
Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
Hall, G/F, 45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
      
     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as either community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community and cannot continue to be open as heat shelters. People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas in any of the 21 designated community centres or community halls. Their opening hours are from 9am to 10pm. For addresses of the community centres or community halls, please browse the following webpage: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf