A 32-year-old French male who acted as a check-in facilitator for other persons was jailed for 30 months after appearing in the District Court today (July 30). The defendant pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to obtain services by deception.

     The court heard that a Sri Lankan male attempted to board a flight for Germany at the Hong Kong International Airport (Airport) on November 14 last year by using a French passport and a boarding pass bearing the name of the defendant but was referred to the Immigration Department for examination for the French passport was suspected to be forged. The French passport was later confirmed as a forgery after verification with the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao. Immigration investigation was initiated against the defendant as he was identified to be the facilitator of forgery activities. Immigration investigators intercepted the defendant when he intended to depart for Thailand at the Airport on the next day, and found in his possession two boarding passes for Thailand and France. He admitted that he would receive monetary reward and free air-tickets from a middleman for procuring boarding passes and transferring the boarding passes to other travelers. He was aware that the boarding passes would be used by other persons to board flights to Europe.

     The spokesman warned that under the Theft Ordinance, people who, by any deception, dishonestly obtain services from another shall be guilty of an office and shall be liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for 10 years.

     The closing ceremony of the Cross-disciplined Forces Training Programme for Ethnic Minority Youth – Phase 1 was held at Police College, Wong Chuk Hang, today (July 30).

     The three-day training programme was launched at JPC@Pat Heung on July 28, attracting more than 100 young ethnic minorities from 11 different Police Districts to participate. Themed as “community integration”, the programme aims to promote positive values and anti-crime messages to the trainees, and let them learn more about the physical requirements for applying for posts of different disciplinary forces from relevant officers and better plan their career paths.

     The training programme offers a variety of activities, including experience sharing by officers of disciplinary forces (Hong Kong Police Force, Fire Services Department, Immigration Department, Customs and Excise Department, and Correctional Services Department), Bubble Football, rowing competition, camp fire, Silence Workshop, first aid training and visits to the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy as well as the Police College.

     Six trainees from Sau Mau Ping, Tseung Kwan O, Yau Tsim and Western Police Districts were awarded prizes of “Best Trainee” after undergoing the training programme.

     Speaking at the ceremony, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Support), Ms Lam Hiu-tong, said that the programme, which was an initiative of the Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Address, aimed to provide disciplinary, physical and team building training to young ethnic minorities to raise their awareness of crime prevention, enhance their sense of social responsibility and leadership skills, encourage them to uphold the values of integrity and honesty, and pay respect to others.

     The training programme will be regularised and held every July and December. Details will be uploaded to the webpage of Junior Police Call (www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/16_jpc/index.html).

  

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, visited Guangzhou and Foshan today (July 30).
      
     To start the first-day programme of his visit to cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, Mr Chan this morning visited an aerial vehicles technology and service company in Guangzhou and was briefed about its business operation, from research, manufacturing, sales and marketing to providing services. He also encouraged the company to leverage on Hong Kong’s strengths in expanding its business.
      
     He then met with the Vice-Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Li Chunsheng, and attended a lunch hosted by him.
      
     At the meeting, Mr Chan said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches great importance to the development of the Bay Area.
      
     Noting that the commissioning of the cross-boundary infrastructure projects, such as the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, will make links between Guangzhou and Hong Kong even more convenient, he said he believes this would not only help foster closer co-operation between two places in forging ahead, but also enhance Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country and boost the economic development of the various cities in the Bay Area.
      
     Afterwards, Mr Chan paid a visit to an enterprise specialising in intelligent speech and language technologies, before going to Foshan to call at the Robotation Academy Foshan. Focusing on developing solutions and applications of robotics and advanced manufacturing, the Robotation Academy Foshan is the first of its kind in China.
      
     Mr Chan also visited the HKUST LED-FPD Technology R&D Center at Foshan. Co-initiated by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Nanhai District Government of Foshan City, the Center focuses on technology development for LED (light-emitting diode) and FPD (flat panel display) as well as providing technical services and training to relevant enterprises.
      
     During his meeting with the Mayor of the Foshan Municipal Government, Mr Zhu Wei, Mr Chan expressed hope that both cities can explore more collaboration in innovation and technology to seize the opportunities brought about by the development of the Bay Area.
      
     Tomorrow (July 31), Mr Chan will continue his visit in Jiangmen.
      
     

                

     Hong Kong Customs today (July 30) arrested a female salesperson of a smartphone retail shop suspected of applying a false trade description in the sales of a smartphone, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier conducted a test-buy operation at a smartphone retail shop in Mong Kok. A female salesperson claimed that a smartphone was a brand new product in the course of sale of the smartphone.

     After investigation, it was found that the smartphone was not a brand new product.

     Customs officers today arrested a 55-year-old woman.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested woman has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and appeals to consumers to purchase products at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any person who applies a false trade description to any goods or supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business 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 violations of the TDO to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     The Department of Health (DH) will launch the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme (CRCSP) on August 6 to subsidise in phases asymptomatic Hong Kong residents aged 50 to 75 to undergo screening tests for the prevention of colorectal cancer.
 
     The CRCSP will be implemented in three phases. Starting on August 6, Hong Kong residents aged 61 to 75, i.e. those born in the years 1942 to 1957, will be eligible to join phase one of the CRCSP to undergo screening tests. Phase two will cover those aged 56 to 75 while phase three will extend to those aged 50 to 75. Eligible participants will be defined by their years of birth and the details and commencement dates of phases two and three will be announced in due course.
 
      Hosting a press conference today (July 30) to announce details of the CRCSP, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Wong Ka-hing, pointed out that the DH launched the Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot Programme, which has been operating smoothly, in September 2016. The Pilot Programme has served the purpose of identifying those who have colorectal cancer before they present with symptoms or individuals at increased risk of colorectal cancer and enabling them to receive early treatment. Sustaining the success will not only benefit the individual but also provide relief for healthcare services and alleviate social and economic burdens in the long run. To regularise the Pilot Programme as the CRCSP, the Government will set aside $940 million over the coming five years.
 
     Dr Wong said, "There is no quota for participants under the CRCSP. Taking into consideration the colorectal cancer screening recommendations of the Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening, the Government will progressively extend the coverage of the CRCSP to Hong Kong residents aged 50 to 75, from those aged 61 to 70 under the Pilot Programme, to undergo screening tests upon regularisation. It is projected that the number of beneficiaries will be more than three times the current number, increasing from 0.82 million people to 2.55 million people. The DH will closely monitor its implementation and progress and review the services regularly with a view to fine-tuning the CRCSP and its procedures."
 
     Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer locally. In 2015, there were 5 036 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer cases, accounting for 16.6 per cent of all new cancer cases, or about one in six new cancer cases. In 2016, colorectal cancer resulted in 2 089 deaths, accounting for 14.7 per cent of all cancer deaths, or about one in seven cancer deaths. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in Hong Kong, coming only after lung cancer.
 
     Dr Wong explained that colorectal cancer is preventable through adopting a healthy lifestyle and well-organised screening. He said that prognosis of colorectal cancer can be significantly improved by early detection and prompt treatment. He encouraged eligible persons not to miss joining the CRCSP.
 
     He pointed out that to combat the threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cancers, the Government this year announced "Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong", setting out nine local targets to be achieved by 2025, which include reducing the risk of premature mortality from cancer. Successful prevention and control of NCDs relies on collaborative efforts by various important stakeholders including government bureaux and departments, academia, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and each and every member of society.
 
     Also present at the press conference, the Head of the Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch of the CHP, Dr Regina Ching, said that the Colorectal Cancer Information Technology System has been set up for the Programme and rides on the electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS). Dr Ching reminded prospective participants to enrol in the eHRSS before joining the Programme.
 
     The screening pathway comprises two stages:
 
(1) Eligible persons must first make an appointment with a primary care doctor (PCD) participating in the Programme. After enrolment in the Programme, the participant will receive a government subsidy to undergo the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT); and
(2) If the FIT result is positive, the participant will be referred to see a colonoscopy specialist who has enrolled in the Programme to receive colonoscopy examination subsidised by the Government in order to find out the cause of bleeding.
 
     The Programme is heavily subsidised by the Government. For the FIT screening arranged by the enrolled PCDs and second consultation to follow up on positive test results, the Government will provide a subsidy amount of $280 for each consultation. Under the standard colonoscopy service package, the subsidy amount is $8,500 if polyp removal is necessary, while the amount is $7,800 if no polyp removal is needed.
 
     Dr Ching also reviewed the results of the Pilot Programme. As of July 26, about 78 000 eligible persons (i.e. 9.5 per cent of the target population) had participated in the Pilot Programme and undergone FIT screening. That was equivalent to one-third of the 253 000 age-qualified persons registered in the eHRSS.
 
     Furthermore, as of March 27, i.e. the first 18 months after the launch of the Pilot Programme, 68 744 eligible persons had participated and undergone FIT screening. Among the participants who had submitted FIT tubes with analysed results, 8 724 persons (around 13 per cent) had positive results. Among those who underwent colonoscopy examination services, 4 966 persons (around 69 per cent) had polyps removed that revealed colorectal adenomas. As their polyps have been removed in the course of examination, there is no chance for these polyps to become cancerous, which reiterates the importance of undergoing timely screening tests for identifying people at increased risk of disease for early treatment.
 
     To date, 685 PCDs have successfully enrolled in the Programme covering nearly 1 005 locations, and 97 per cent of these PCDs will not charge any co-payment. In addition, 170 colonoscopy specialists have joined the Programme to provide colonoscopy examination services at 331 service locations. If no polyp removal is necessary, about 80 per cent will not require additional charges. If polyp removal is needed, about 70 per cent will not require additional charges.
 
     Lastly, Dr Ching reminded FIT-negative participants to receive FIT re-screening every two years in order to maximise the programme's capability to prevent colorectal cancer. Starting from the end of September this year, the first batch of FIT-negative participants will begin to receive re-screening notifications via SMS, email or postal mail. They can visit any enrolled PCD clinic to receive subsidised FIT re-screening services.
 
     Those who are interested in the Programme can visit the DH's thematic website www.colonscreen.gov.hk to find a list of enrolled PCDs and more information. The DH has also set up a dedicated hotline (3565 6288), which is operated by trained staff to provide a direct response to public enquiries as a more convenient service for the public.