Two vegetable stalls operated by Bonnie Vegetables and Fruit Wholesale Limited at Yuen Long New Street and Hop Choi Street were fined a total of $17,000 by Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (June 5) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO) by causing persistent noise annoyance with loudspeakers playing promotional recordings placed at their front doors. The director, who operates the vegetable chain stalls, was also convicted and held criminally liable for her stores' repeated offences. She was fined $3,000.
                 
     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that since last year, the department received many complaints from members of the public about vegetable stalls in the vicinity of Yuen Long New Street and Hop Choi Street persistently playing promotional recordings by using loudspeakers, which adversely affected nearby residents. The EPD conducted numerous joint enforcement operations with the Police and raided the above vegetable stalls in last December and January this year. It was found that their loudspeakers were generating excessive noise and caused annoyance and the EPD subsequently prosecuted the stalls concerned under the NCO. The above vegetable stalls were operated by the same director. One of her stalls has already been convicted twice under the NCO since September last year, and the EPD thus prosecuted the registered director of the vegetable chain stalls.
      
     After a series of enforcement actions, the situation of the aforementioned vegetable stalls improved. The EPD will continue to closely monitor and conduct stringent enforcement actions to combat repeated contraventions by stalls, and prosecute the operator of the stalls concerned.
      
     The spokesman reminded persons responsible for retail shops and market stalls that when they play promotional recordings to sell goods, they should contain the noise level within their shop area and should not cause annoyance to other people outside their shops or nearby residents. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence, and offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000. For stores with repeated contraventions, the operator himself will also be criminally liable for the offence once convicted.

    

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 5) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Tong Fuk Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

 
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning June 11, 2018:
 

     In 2018, four new names have been introduced to the list of tropical cyclone names in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea. They are Nyatoh, Trases, Mulan and Hinnamnor, replacing the old names Meranti, Sarika, Haima and Nock-ten respectively. The meanings of these four new names and the contributing countries/regions are set out in the following table:
 

 
     The new names were endorsed by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific/World Meteorological Organization Typhoon Committee at its 50th session held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
 
     According to convention, the Typhoon Committee would consider retiring the name of a tropical cyclone which has caused serious human casualties and economic losses. In September 2016, at least two persons were killed and 63 were injured in Taiwan during the passage of Super Typhoon Meranti. Meranti also wreaked havoc in Fujian and Jiangxi, resulting in at least 29 deaths, 15 missing and about 2.5 million people affected with the collapse of around 18 000 houses. Super Typhoons Sarika and Haima hit the Philippines in quick succession within a week in October 2016, resulting in 11 deaths and three missing in total. In December 2016, at least six people were killed and eight were missing in the Philippines during the passage of Super Typhoon Nock-ten. Over 380 000 people were evacuated from their homes.
 
     The updated list of tropical cyclone names and their corresponding meanings is available at the Hong Kong Observatory website at www.weather.gov.hk/informtc/sound/tcname2018e.htm.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 5) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.