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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 5) that due to big waves and inclement weather, red flags have been hoisted at Shek O Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.
​The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) today (August 5) took disciplinary actions, including issuing public reprimands and ordering remedial actions, against four licensed money service operators (MSOs) for breaching the statutory requirements as stipulated in the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance.
Officers of the C&ED earlier discovered that the four MSOs had failed to notify the C&ED of the changes in particulars of a particular address or bank accounts for provision of money service within a specified period of time in accordance with the requirements of the Ordinance. One of them also failed to verify and keep the required information before carrying out remittance transactions.
Moreover, one of the MSOs had further breached three requirements, namely failing to operate a money service at a premises specified in the licence; failing to notify the C&ED of the date of cessation of the money service operation at the premises specified in the licence within a specified period of time; and failing to return the licence within a specified period of time.
With regard to the above-mentioned contraventions, the C&ED had earlier prosecuted the four MSOs. The department today further took disciplinary actions against them in order to send a deterrent message to the industry. The relevant Statement of Disciplinary Action is available on the website of the C&ED (eservices.customs.gov.hk/MSOS/common/enforcenew?request_locale=en).
The C&ED reminds all MSOs to comply with the statutory requirements as stipulated in the Ordinance. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for seven years.
In addition, the C&ED may take disciplinary action such as issuing a public reprimand, imposing a pecuniary penalty and ordering a remedial action. The pecuniary penalty would not exceed an amount that is the greater of $10 million or three times the amount of the profit gained or costs avoided.
The Government yesterday (August 4) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" with effect from 5pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Kwun Tong (i.e. Kui On House, Wo Lok Estate, Kwun Tong, excluding non-domestic units thereat) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from July 29 to August 4, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before August 6, 2022.
The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today (August 5) and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 10am today.
The Government provided food packs to persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central People's Government or procured with the co-ordination of the Central People's Government and rapid test kits were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus. The Housing Department set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the efforts of the testing contractors throughout the night, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 10am. Test records of about 410 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. No person was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminded the households who have not answered the door to undergo a nucleic acid test as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction testing declaration" is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.
About 250 guests joined a gala dinner on the shore of Central Park Lake this evening (August 4, New York time) to celebrate the successful completion of the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York.
The dinner was co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York (HKETONY) and the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York Incorporation.
Addressing the gala dinner, the HKETONY Director, Ms Candy Nip, said she was thrilled to see that the festival has paddled its way back to Flushing Meadows Corona Park at full capacity. This two-day event attracted over 170 teams and about 40 000 participants. She thanked the participating teams, sponsors, volunteers and media partners for their support in making the festival a resounding success.
Commenting on the spectacular races, Ms Nip said that she is overjoyed with the remarkable results of the Hong Kong and Friends Dragon Riders Team this year. The team won championship titles in four open and invitational races, and was first and second-runners up in two other races. Ms Nip said it is particularly meaningful that the team took home the trophy of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) 25th Anniversary Challenge Race. Medals aside, Ms Nip considered friendship and sportsmanship the most precious takeaways.
​The 30th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York is one of the programmes in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.
The Government Property Agency is inviting two separate quotations for (i) Shop No. 310 on Ground Floor; and (ii) Shop No. 503 on First Floor, Passenger Clearance Building, 33 Shun Fai Road, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, Lantau, Hong Kong, each for a three-month tenancy subject to the provision for renewal for a further term of three months.
The two premises should only be used for general retail and/or services purposes. Details can be referred to the respective Quotation Notice and Form of Tenancy Agreement.
The quotation notices were uploaded today (August 5) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk. Quotation documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.
Interested bidders who wish to attend a site inspection should make a prior appointment with the Government Property Agency by calling 3842 6915 on or before August 18.
Bidders must submit their quotations by placing them in the Government Property Agency Quotation Box placed at the Ground Floor Lobby, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, before noon on September 1. Late quotations will not be accepted.