Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals: 　　The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 12) that due to suspe… read more
The final of the Anti-drug Supernova Singing Contest jointly organised by the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), the Narcotics Division (ND) and Metro Radio was held tonight (December 11) at Music Zone @ E-Max in the Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. Nine young finalists made use of their singing skills to encourage young people to steadfastly pursue their dreams while developing healthy and drug-free lifestyles. In addition, pop singers and a music group urged members of the public to remain vigilant in standing firm against drug temptations, in particular during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The Anti-drug Supernova Singing Contest offered promising young people who strive to become singers an opportunity to showcase their talents publicly and encouraged them to develop positive attitudes and stay away from drugs. The top three prize winners of the final were awarded audition contracts with a record company to help make their dreams come true.
The nine contestants who entered the final today are aged between 18 and 28. They reached the final by defeating other contenders during the six preliminary rounds of the singing contest in November. During the preliminary rounds of the singing contest, music professionals not only gave comments and guidance to all entrants but also shared with them information related to drug harms, relieving stress and channels for seeking anti-drug help.
Pop singers and a music group including Phil Lam, Alan Po, Mischa Ip, Jay Fung and Lil’ Ashes were invited to tonight’s event. Apart from performing for the audience and cheering for the contestants, the artistes also promoted anti-drug messages to the audience, including speaking on the harmful effects of taking cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine (commonly known as “Ice”).
Noted music professionals Suzan Guterres, Samson Ling, Alan Cheung and Barry Ip were invited to be adjudicators of the contest. Aside from rating contestants and giving them advice on their singing skills, the adjudicators also encouraged them to stay positive when facing challenges and continue to pursue their dreams with passion and determination. An audience of more than 200, including young people from tertiary institutions and secondary schools as well as families and friends of the competitors, attended the event. The enthusiastic cheering and chanting from the audience in support of the contenders raised the excitement of the occasion.
After rounds of intense competition, Michelle Siu and Emiko Tsui eventually won the champion and second runner-up awards respectively. Andy Lai was awarded the first runner-up and the Highest Popularity Award.
Guests attending tonight’s event included the Chairman of the ACAN Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity (PE&P SC), Mr Chan Wing-kin; PE&P SC member Professor James Chan; and the Commissioner for Narcotics, Ms Ivy Law.
In addition to the anti-drug singing contest held tonight, the ND and the ACAN in collaboration with Metro Radio also jointly held a series of anti-drug education and publicity activities from September to this month including an anti-drug seminar and radio interviews that targeted parents and focused on the drug harms of cannabis. Artistes and financial professionals also helped record anti-drug radio segments to enhance understanding and awareness of the drug problem among members of the public, and encourage listeners to stay away from drugs. The segments are being aired on both Metro Info and Metro Finance. read more
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a work accident that happened at a construction site in Tseung Kwan O today (December 11), in which a female worker fell to her death from a bamboo scaffold at upper level of the external wall of a building under construction. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family.
The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the use, erection, alteration and dismantling of, and making access to or egress from, the bamboo scaffold of the building. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken.”
The spokesman added, “We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (11 December) announced the response of public hospitals towards a multi-country … read more
Since this June, Police Officers’ personal information has been unlawfully disclosed and widely published on the Internet. Such information includes schools and classes that their children attended. Police Officers who had been “doxxed” were affected by different levels of nuisance and intimidation, including harassment by telephone calls, identities being misused to apply for loans and to make online purchases, harassing Police Officers’ family members by visiting their workplaces. Some Police Officers or their family members even received letters threatening to hurt them brutally.
These acts constitute serious intimidation and harassment to the Police Officers and their family members, causing grievous concern over their personal safety and mental distress.
The Secretary for Justice as guardian of the public interest and the Commissioner of Police as a representative on behalf of all Police Officers applied to the Court for an ex parte injunction (HCA 1957/2019) to restrain persons from unlawfully and wilfully conducting themselves in those acts.
The Court granted an interim injunction order on 25 October 2019 (with subsequent amendments dated 28 and 31 October 2019) which was to last until the return day on 8 November 2019 at 10:30a.m. On the return day, the Court ordered it be continued (with two variations) until trial or further order. Further, on 10 December 2019, the Court amended the interim injunction order such that Special Constables would also be protected. The interim injunction order restrains persons from unlawfully and wilfully conducting themselves in any of the following acts :-
(a) using, publishing, communicating or disclosing to any other person the personal data of and concerning any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), including but not limited to their name, job title, residential address, office address, school address, email address, date of birth, telephone number, Hong Kong Identity Card number or identification number of any other official identity documents, Facebook Account ID, Instagram Account ID, car plate number, and any photograph of the Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), intended or likely to intimidate, molest, harass, threaten, or pester any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings), without the consent of the Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their family member(s) (as the case may be) concerned;
(b) intimidating, molesting, harassing, threatening, or pestering any Police Officer(s), Special Constable(s) and/or their spouses and/or their respective family members (namely parents, children or siblings); and
(c) assisting, causing, counselling, procuring, instigating, inciting, aiding, abetting or authorizing others to commit any of the aforesaid acts or participate in any of the aforesaid acts;
The two variations ordered by the Court on 8 November 2019 concern:
(a) A newly added clarification that the order does not prohibit any lawful act(s) which are done solely for the purpose of a ‘news activity’ as defined in section 61 of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486).
(b) The prohibition relating to “interfering” has been deleted.
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