A joint departmental operation was held on July 28 and 29 to conduct clean-up and enforcement actions at Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and its vicinity to address the marine refuse problem. During the operation, a total of 14.5 tonnes of marine refuse was collected and seven fixed penalty notices were issued against littering.
 
     A spokesman for the Inter-departmental Working Group on Marine Environmental Management today (July 30) said that since the establishment of the Working Group, the relevant departments (the Environmental Protection Department; the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD); the Marine Department (MD); the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD)) have been working closely to enhance cleaning at bathing beaches and coastal facilities, typhoon shelters and boat anchorages, marine parks and other coastal locations. In addition, the Working Group will continue to take forward various measures to keep the shorelines clean including enforcement actions, patrols and field inspections, installing drinking fountains at coastal recreational facilities and organising and providing funding support for publicity and education activities.
 
     The spokesman said that Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter is one of the priority areas for cleaning by the MD. The MD has directed its cleaning contractor to deploy a scavenging fleet of at least eight vessels to clean up floating refuse in the vicinity daily (including on Sundays and public holidays) and from time to time conducts special operations as necessary to clean up the refuse trapped between moored vessels and the seawall. The cleaning contractor also collects domestic refuse from vessels moored at the typhoon shelter twice a day.
 
     The Working Group has noted that refuse enters the water more easily at the landing steps on either side of Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter when there are busy activities of embarking on or disembarking from boats, especially during the holidays when marine excursions and leisure activities are more frequent. To address these problems, the MD, the FEHD and the LCSD have strengthened cleanup work during the periods when more people use the landing steps. The Working Group, together with relevant government departments, has also reviewed the locations and clearance frequencies of the refuse bins and recycling facilities near the landing steps to assist the public to properly dispose of waste and recyclable materials, hence preventing these items from entering the sea. In addition, relevant government departments will also conduct joint enforcement actions against littering along the coast from time to time and promote proper refuse disposal and good fish market practices to users of Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, yacht clubs and the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market.
 
     The spokesman added that keeping the shorelines clean cannot be achieved solely by the Government's cleanup operations. It is more important that members of the public jointly bear the responsibility to protect the environment by practising waste reduction at source to prevent refuse from entering the marine environment. The Government welcomes and thanks members of the public for initiating shoreline cleanup activities, showing their concern and care for the marine environment. A thematic website has been set up by the Working Group to facilitate the organisation and participation of marine waste reduction activities by the community. For more details, please visit www.epd.gov.hk/epd/clean_shorelines/index-2.html.

     The Home Affairs Department will open 18 temporary night heat shelters tonight (July 30) 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.
 

     The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation:

     The 56th Meeting of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (HKCPEC), which will be held on August 8 (Wednesday), is now open for public enrolment.

     The Chairman of the HKCPEC, Professor Matthew Lee, will chair the meeting. The meeting will cover the HKCPEC's activities and its participation at Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) events in 2017 and the first half of 2018, as well as the activities of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during the period.

     The meeting will be held at 2.30pm in Room 1827, 18/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon City.

     Members of the public are welcome to attend the open session of the meeting. In view of the limited seating capacity at the meeting venue, admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested in attending the meeting are requested to enrol with the HKCPEC Secretariat by noon on August 6 (Monday).

     For enquiries, please contact the HKCPEC Secretariat on 2398 5449 or 2398 5594.

     The HKCPEC was established in March 1990 to co-ordinate Hong Kong's participation in the PECC. In line with the nature of the PECC, the composition of the HKCPEC is tripartite, comprising members from the Government, the business sector and academia.

     The PECC is a non-governmental organisation set up in 1980 to develop closer co-operation in trade and economic issues among economies in the region. For more information, please visit www.pecc.org.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients infected with Rhinovirus in a female ward for severe intellectual disability, the spokesperson for Siu Lam Hospital made the following update today (July 30):
 
     Three more patients (aged 26 to 42) in the ward presented with respiratory symptoms. Appropriate viral tests were arranged for the patients and their test results were positive for Rhinovirus. The patients concerned are being treated under isolation with stable condition.
 
     Admission to the ward has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.
 
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     Hong Kong Customs has stepped up enforcement actions during the summer holidays to combat illegal activities of different types and today (July 30) reminded young people to never become involved in such activities.

     A Customs spokesman said that criminals often lure students and young people into carrying various prohibited or controlled items such as dangerous drugs, arms, ammunition, weapons, animals and plants, endangered species and powdered formula during the summer holidays. Young people may also be tricked into joining activities related to illicit cigarettes and pirated or counterfeit items.

     The spokesman stressed that Customs has stepped up holiday mobilisation for stringent enforcement actions at boundary control points, inside the territory and on Internet platforms.

     Customs reminds members of the public to stay alert in particular to recruitment posts on unfamiliar websites and social media platforms. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry prohibited, controlled, duty-not-paid, pirated or counterfeit items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, and their home address should not be allowed for other people's use for parcel delivery.

     The spokesman also called for those who travel between Hong Kong and the Mainland to pay attention to the legal and standard differences between the two places. In particular, possession of an air gun with muzzle energy under 2 joules does not constitute an offence in Hong Kong but may breach laws in the Mainland. Travellers should be aware of the discrepancies to avoid any potential law violation.

     Customs has also stepped up monitoring and enforcement actions against infringing activities during the holiday period. Young people are urged not to participate in Internet or physical shop piracy and counterfeiting activities.

     On top of taking stringent enforcement actions, Customs has also strengthened its publicity and education efforts at boundary control points and Internet platforms to remind people, in particular the youth, to stay alert and follow the law at all times.

     Customs reminds that smuggling activities, trafficking or possession of dangerous drugs and selling or possession for sale of pirated or counterfeit goods, as well as buying or selling or possession of illicit cigarettes, are serious crimes. People should not risk their future as offenders will be criminally liable once convicted. A criminal record will be kept and the consequences are especially far-reaching for young people.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the maximum penalty for trafficking in a dangerous drug is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     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.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, the maximum penalty for any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years upon conviction.

     Under the Copyright Ordinance, the maximum penalty for any person who possesses an infringing copy of a copyright work with a view to selling it is a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years upon conviction. Any person who, for the purpose of a circumvention business, or in the course of a circumvention business, sells or lets for hire a relevant device, or provides relevant service in order to allow circumventing an effective technological measure which has been applied in relation to a copyright work, is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for four years.

     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting endangered species including agarwood, orchids, ivory, American ginseng, pangolin scales, dried seahorse and live turtles without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years.

     Hong Kong Customs has all along adopted a zero-tolerance approach against illegal activities and is determined to step up enforcement actions during the summer holidays. The spokesman reiterated that in order to combat various kinds of illegal activities, the department will continue to strengthen customs clearance supervision through risk management and intelligence analysis, apart from conducting joint operations with other enforcement agencies.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illegal activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk). All information received by Customs will be kept in confidence.