A Bangladeshi illegal worker holding a recognisance form was jailed at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (August 29).
 
     Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in August. Enforcement officers arrested a female Bangladeshi worker, aged 32, while she was working as a cleaning worker in Tuen Mun. Upon identity checking, she was found to be a holder of a recognisance form issued by ImmD, which prohibits her from taking employment, and further investigation revealed that she was a non-refoulement claimant. The investigation of an employer who was suspected of employing the illegal worker is ongoing.
 
     The illegal worker was 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. She pleaded guilty to the charge and was 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.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Bank of East Asia, Limited on fraudulent websites, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the websites concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the websites should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

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 (August 30) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Anglers' Beach in Tsuen Wan District as Grade 3, which means the water quality has improved and the beach is suitable for swimming. The red flag has been lowered.

     The red flag was hoisted at the beach earlier on due to the water quality being classified as Grade 4 and unsuitable for swimming.

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 (August 30) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Middle Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Led by charismatic music director and conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, the celebrated Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Roma will make its debut in Hong Kong along with two acclaimed young pianists for two concerts in November.
 
     The first concert, an all-Russian programme, will be held at 8pm on November 22 (Thursday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The orchestra will play Glinka's "Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila" and Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F minor". The sought-after Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov will also perform Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor".
 
     The second concert comprises a "feast" of Beethoven, which will be staged at 8pm on November 23 (Friday) at the same auditorium. The evening will embrace the energy of the composer's second and fifth symphonies, while Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho will be the soloist for Beethoven's virtuosic "Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor".
 
     Founded in 1908, the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Roma is the first Italian orchestra to devote itself exclusively to the symphonic repertoire, giving premieres of major contemporary masterpieces. The orchestra has been conducted by some of the major musical figures of the 20th century, from Mahler and Debussy to Karajan and Abbado. Leonard Bernstein was the honorary president of the orchestra from 1983 to 1990. With Pappano at the helm, the orchestra has appeared at major music festivals and performed in some of the world's best-known venues.
 
     Sir Antonio Pappano has been the orchestra's music director since October 2005. Before that he carried out the same role at the London's Covent Garden, the Den Norske Opera of Oslo and the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. He has conducted many major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskappelle Dresden and the London Symphony Orchestra.
 
     Grammy Award winning Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov – winner of Gramophone's 2016 Artist of the Year award – has made a spectacular ascent in the world of classical music as a solo artist and a champion of the concerto repertoire. Trifonov won medals at three of the music world's most prestigious competitions, taking third prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition, first prize in the  Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, and both first prize and grand prix in the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He is currently the artist-in-residence at the Berliner Philharmoniker for the 2018/19 season.
 
     Seong-Jin Cho came to the world's attention in 2015 when he won the coveted first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. With an overwhelming talent and innate musicality, Cho is rapidly embarking on a world-class career and is considered one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. Critics have described his playing as thoughtful yet colourful, combining panache with purity and driven by a natural sense of balance.
 
     The concerts by the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Roma are presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The first concert is sponsored by Mr Albert Hung and Mr Wilfred Ng. Tickets ranging from $300 to $1,250 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_500.html.