The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 18) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
      
     Twenty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 16 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
      
Grade 1 beaches are:            

 
Grade 2 beaches are: 

 
Grade 3 beaches are:   

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Approach Beach, Discovery Bay and Lo So Shing Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Anglers' Beach from Grade 2 to 3.
      
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
      
     In line with the vision to develop Hong Kong into a smart city, the EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15 to provide daily water quality forecasts for all gazetted beaches in Hong Kong that are open for swimming to supplement the existing beach water quality monitoring programme and further enhance services to the public (see Note 3). From now on, members of the public can obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information of all beaches through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/BWQForecast) on the EPD's beach thematic website.
      
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.
      
Note 2: This refers to the non-gazetted beach in Discovery Bay which has no lifeguard service.
      
Note 3: The EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15, 2023. For the press release, please visit www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202308/15/P2023081400345.htm.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight" and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Windsand" for four consecutive days from August 14 to yesterday (August 17). A total of 12 suspected illegal workers and four suspected employers were arrested.

     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 21 target locations including a commercial building, a garage, industrial buildings, a massage parlour, premises under renovation, restaurants and a warehouse. Eleven suspected illegal workers and four suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised three men and eight women, aged 28 to 54. Among them, three women were holders of a recognisance form, which prohibits them from taking any employment. In addition, one woman was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Three men and one woman, aged 39 to 59, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested.

     Furthermore, during operation "Windsand", one female Mainland visitor, aged 56, was arrested for breaching her condition of stay by being involved in suspected illegal parallel trading activities at San Wan Road in Sheung Shui district. The goods mainly included daily necessities and foods.

     An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

     The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is 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. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. 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. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an 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 ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats 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 intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

    

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, August 18, 2023 is 105.6 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     The services provided by Mobile Library 12 have been suspended until further notice for urgent repair works, a Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (August 18).
 
     The affected service points are Cheong Shing Court and Ka Fuk Estate in Fanling; Kwong Fuk Estate in Tai Po; Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen King Circuit Playground, Cheung Shan Estate, Bayview Garden and Sham Tseng Market Carpark in Tsuen Wan; Kwai Luen Estate and Tai Wo Hau Estate in Kwai Chung; Kam Tsin Village and Tung Hing Road Car Park in Sheung Shui; and Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po. For enquiries about Mobile Library 12 services, please call 2479 1055.
 
     Readers are welcome to use other public libraries during the service suspension period. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833, or via www.hkpl.gov.hk.

     ​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and Xinjiang government authorities co-hosted a seminar in Urumqi, Xinjiang, today (August 18), encouraging Xinjiang enterprises to make use of Hong Kong's business advantages and opportunities amid the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI) to "go global".
              
     Entitled Unparalleled Opportunities to Expand Your Global Business – Xinjiang to Hong Kong investment promotion seminar, the event was jointly organised by InvestHK, the Department of Commerce of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Bureau of Commerce of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), and the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing. It was also supported by the Xinjiang International Expo Administration.
              
     The event began with welcoming remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Vice Chairman of the People's Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, Mr Liu Sushe; and the Deputy Commander of the XPCC, Mr Li Yonghong. The Deputy Director of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR of the PRC in Beijing, Miss Amy Yuen, also attended the event.
         
     "Hong Kong has the unique business advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. The city, as a highly open and international metropolis in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, plays a crucial role as a bridge connecting the country with the world. It is also an important gateway for Mainland enterprises to enter the international market," Mr Yau said.
     
     He noted that with the historic opportunities brought by the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the HKSAR Government is fully reinforcing and enhancing the strategic positioning of the "eight centres". Hong Kong is not only Asia's business and services hub, but also an international financial centre. Xinjiang enterprises can leverage the city's advantages in professional services to "go global". This year marks the 10th anniversary of the B&RI. Capitalising on its role as the prime platform for the B&RI, Hong Kong will continue to proactively contribute to the country's development in the Belt and Road.
     
     Mr Liu said, "While Xinjiang is a core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt with clear advantages to offer, Hong Kong demonstrates unique strengths in terms of participating in and assisting with the development of the B&RI. Many enterprises from the province have made investments or have listed in Hong Kong, and still more spread their footprint via the city around the globe. Xinjiang will fully utilise the Xinjiang-Hong Kong Belt and Road core area, plus the Greater Bay Area. Through these two platforms, we will further enhance exchanges with Hong Kong in different frontiers thereby reinforcing the joint development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Greater Bay Area for the mutual benefits of both places."
     
     Mr Li said, "The XPCC is committed to the core area development of ​​the Silk Road Economic Belt by maintaining ties, exchanges and co-operation with countries along the Belt and Road in terms of economic and trade relations, and mutual development and interconnectivity. Hong Kong's advantages in trade, talent and information, coupled with the XPCC's resources and our geographic position, will complement each other in terms of further synergy going forward."
     
     The Head of Business and Talent Attraction/Investment Promotion of InvestHK in Beijing, Mr Andy Wu, introduced Hong Kong's business environment at the keynote speech and the diverse services InvestHK offers Mainland clients. The Principal Immigration Officer, the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing, Mr Jacky Wong, also provided a briefing on Hong Kong's latest immigration schemes and services for Mainland residents.
     
     Other speakers included the Vice President of Global Issuer Services of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Ms Wang Xiaofang, and Partner, Audit and Assurance, Capital Market Services Group, Deloitte China, Mr Raymond Ng. They discussed the role of Hong Kong as a preferred international platform for listing and financing for Xinjiang enterprises, and the issue of financial compliance management in Hong Kong.
                
     For photos of the event, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720310559371.