The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, August 1, 2024 is 105.7 (down 0.1 against yesterday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, August 1, 2024 is 105.7 (down 0.1 against yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (August 1) announced the reappointment of the Honourable Mr Justice Jonathan Russell Harris as the President, Competition Tribunal, for a term of three years with effect from August 16, 2024, upon expiry of his current term.

     The reappointment is made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

President, Competition Tribunal
—————————————

     Mr Justice Harris was born in 1957 in the United Kingdom and has lived in Hong Kong since 1983. He obtained an LL.B. from University College London in the United Kingdom in 1980. He was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales and in Hong Kong in 1983 and 1984 respectively. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Australia in 1990 and was a partner in an international law firm before being called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1993. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2006 specialising in company and securities matters. In December 2009 he was appointed as a Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. Since 2010 he has been responsible for the portfolio of company and corporate insolvency cases in the High Court. He has been appointed as the President, Competition Tribunal, since August 16, 2021.

     The Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619) (the Ordinance) was passed on June 14, 2012. The Ordinance provides that every Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court will, by virtue of his or her appointment as Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court, be a member of the Competition Tribunal (the Tribunal). The Ordinance also provides that the Chief Executive shall, on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, appoint two of the members of the Tribunal to be the President and Deputy President of the Tribunal for a term of at least three years, but not more than five years. The President and Deputy President of the Tribunal are eligible for reappointment.

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on July 31 to noon today (August 1), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 84 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 72 757 samples of food imported from Japan (including 46 713 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 17 046 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on July 31 to noon today (August 1), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 84 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 72 757 samples of food imported from Japan (including 46 713 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 17 046 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.