Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Marine Department (MD) together with the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) conducted a joint operation against the improper use of bright light for fishing and illegal fishing activities in the southern waters of Hong Kong last night (August 10).
 
     During the operation, two vessels were inspected and they were suspected to have used bright light improperly for fishing, while no vessel was found to be engaged in illegal fishing. The MD will further investigate the cases and gather evidence for prosecution.
 
     A spokesman for the MD reminded the public that under the Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Cap. 313A), vessels are allowed to use bright light for fishing in the areas where bright light fishing is permitted. However, the use of bright light on any vessel for the purpose of fishing or attracting fish in Hong Kong waters shall comply with the requirements of Cap. 313A and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) Regulation (Cap. 548F), i.e. a bright light shall be so constructed, shaded, installed and used that no light emitted from it shall be visible, whether directly or by reflection from any source other than sea surface, above a horizontal plane passing through the lowest edge of the light source. A person who contravenes the related legislation commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $5,000 upon conviction.
 
     In addition, under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171), only a vessel registered under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance can be used for fishing in Hong Kong waters and only the fishing methods listed on its Certificate of Local Fishing Vessel Registration can be employed for fishing by the vessel. Any offender upon conviction is liable to a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     To ensure the order of marine traffic and navigation safety of vessels, in addition to daily patrols and enforcement actions in various districts of Hong Kong waters, the MD also maintains close co-operation with the HKPF and the AFCD from time to time to conduct target-based joint operations, including inspections of suspected improper use of bright light for fishing and illegal fishing activities. From January to July 2023, the MD conducted a total of 21 special operations in areas including the waters of southern Lantau Island, southern Lamma Island and east of Hong Kong. Sixteen fishing vessels were suspected of violating relevant marine legislation. The MD is now taking follow-up actions and will instigate prosecution against these fishing vessels.
 
     The MD will continue to step up patrols to combat the improper use of bright light for fishing activities so as to ensure safe navigation. The department will also meet with local fishery organisations from time to time to distribute relevant publicity and education materials to the trade. Information on the proper use of bright light for fishing is available on the MD’s website: www.mardep.gov.hk/en/publication/materials/pdf/publf.pdf.

    

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 10) conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Tsuen Wan and successfully raided two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres. A total of about 440 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.6 million and a duty potential of about $1.1 million were seized.

     In the first case, Customs officers raided a unit in an industrial building on Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan, in the early morning yesterday and seized about 390 000 suspected illicit cigarettes. A 29-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

     In the second case, Customs officers intercepted a man on Sha Tsui Road on the same afternoon and seized about 2 000 suspected illicit cigarettes in his backpack. The 60-year-old man was subsequently arrested. Customs officers later escorted the man to his residential premises in the same district for a search and further seized about 48 000 suspected illicit cigarettes there.

     An initial investigation revealed that the suspected illicit cigarette storage centres involved in the two cases were mainly used to supply illicit cigarettes to residents in the Tsuen Wan District. Investigations of both cases are ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

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

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

  

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on placement fees for the employment of Indonesian domestic helpers at a media session after officiating at the opening ceremony of the 8th Golden Age Expo and Summit 2023 of the Golden Age Foundation this morning (August 11):

Reporter: Mr Sun, can you recap in English? How would you ensure Hong Kong employers do not need to pay more to hire Indonesian helpers and not to affect their employment opportunities in Hong Kong? How would you ensure there will be more domestic helpers from other countries such as Cambodia?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The key message we got back from the meeting between the Acting Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong and myself yesterday (August 10) is that, for any policy change concerning the hiring of Indonesian domestic helpers into Hong Kong, it must be conducted on the basis of Government-to-Government meeting. For that discussion, it must be based on mutual trust as well as mutual respect. I also made it very clear to the Acting Consul-General of Indonesia in Hong Kong that, for whatever changes being made or being contemplated for the hiring of Indonesian domestic helpers, they should not increase the burden of Hong Kong employers, nor should it affect the opportunities for employment of Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

     As for my meetings with the other two Consul-Generals, i.e. the Consul-General of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Hong Kong and the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Hong Kong, it’s a very good start for us to explore possible ways to increase the number of foreign domestic helpers coming from Cambodia and Bangladesh. We’ve already had a few hundred from these two countries, but we want more to come to Hong Kong. With that discussion, we hope to start a dialogue looking for ways to increase the number of helpers coming from these countries.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 11) released the test results of a targeted food surveillance project on the nutrition labelling of prepackaged chilled fruit juice. The results of 40 samples tested were all satisfactory.

     “The CFS collected samples from different retail outlets for the targeted food surveillance project. Tests were conducted to check if the energy content and specified nutrient content (total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugars, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, and more) are consistent with the declared values on their nutrition labels,” a spokesman for the CFS said.

     The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require all applicable prepackaged foods to list the ingredients and the content of energy plus seven core nutrients, namely carbohydrates, protein, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugars, and regulate any associated nutrition claims.

     Nutrition labelling can assist consumers in making informed food choices, encourage food manufacturers to apply sound nutrition principles in the formulation of foods, and regulate misleading or deceptive labels and claims. According to Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), if any person falsely describes food or misleads as to the nature, substance or quality of the food on a label of the food sold by him or her, he or she shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.

     The CFS will continue to conduct surveillance on other food samples to check if their energy content and specified nutrient content are consistent with the declared values on their nutrition labels, and the results will be released in due course. The spokesman reminded the food trade to comply with the law, and urged members of the public to pay attention to the information on nutrition labels when purchasing food to make informed food choices so as to achieve a balanced diet and stay healthy. read more

     The Registered Contractors’ Disciplinary Board (the Board) has completed a disciplinary inquiry under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) and decided that a registered general building contractor (RGBC) and its Authorized Signatory (AS) should be disciplined under section 13(2)(b) and 13(2)(f) of the BO for having been negligent or misconducted themselves in building works and had certified minor works that had been carried out in contravention of the BO.

     The Board’s written decision and order issued on July 26, 2023, was published in the Gazette today (August 11). Details are available at the following link: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20232732/egn202327324730.pdf.

     The Board ordered the RGBC to be prohibited from certifying or carrying out any minor works commenced under the simplified requirements of the Minor Works Control System for four months with effect from the date of the Gazette and be fined $50,000, and the AS be reprimanded and be fined $5,000. Also, the RGBC and its AS are to pay $84,000 in total, being the costs of the Board and the Buildings Department (BD) for conducting the inquiry.

     The case involved minor works carried out by the RGBC at two buildings on Park Road and Bonham Road respectively. For the minor works carried out at Park Road, the RGBC submitted a specified form to the BD in November 2012 certifying the completion of a Class III minor works item. Subsequently, the BD conducted an audit inspection and revealed that the works involved Class I minor works. The RGBC had failed to arrange submission to the BD the commencement notice and completion certificate required for Class I minor works, contravening the relevant provisions of the Building (Minor Works) Regulation (Regulation). In addition, the RGBC had certified and carried out minor works in contravention of the BO and had failed to identify the nature and the class of minor works and caused potential safety risk to the public, which constituted a misconduct in carrying out the building works.

     The minor works at Bonham Road involved the erection or alteration of wall signboards. The RGBC and its AS submitted the specified forms to the BD in June 2014 notifying the commencement and certifying the completion of the minor works. Subsequently, the BD conducted an audit inspection and revealed that the position and dimension of some of the signboards contravened the relevant provisions of the BO. In addition, the relevant specified form was not submitted to the BD at least seven days before the commencement of the minor works, and the submitted plan was drawn to a ratio of less than 1:100 and did not indicate the dimensions and other relevant details of some signboards, contravening the relevant provisions of the Regulation. All of the above showed that the RGBC and its AS had certified minor works that had been carried out in contravention of the BO, and that the RGBC and its AS had been negligent or had misconducted themselves in building works.

     A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that any registered contractor who contravened the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out minor works would be subject to enforcement action including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action under the BO. read more