The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 28) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).

     Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2), and 12 as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:

 
Grade 2 beaches are:  

 
Grade 3 beaches are:   

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Anglers' Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Casam Beach, Golden Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 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 tropical cyclone 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. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast) on the EPD's beach thematic website.
      
Note 1: Lifesaving services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from June 1. Due to the damage caused to the footpaths leading to Chung Hom Kok Beach by landslides, the beach is temporarily closed until further notice. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
      
Note 2: This refers to Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach which is a non-gazetted beach that has no lifesaving service.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Mayor of Chongqing, Mr Hu Henghua, at Government House today (June 28) to exchange views on strengthening Hong Kong's co-operation with Chongqing. Also attending the meeting were the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Mr Hu's visit to Hong Kong with his delegation. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Chongqing have maintained close ties, and Hong Kong has long been the largest source of foreign direct investment in Chongqing. He added that since the establishment of the Hong Kong/Chongqing Co-operation Conference mechanism in May last year, both governments have actively taken forward the implementation of co-operation initiatives in various areas, which have yielded fruitful results.
      
     Mr Lee pointed out that the framework arrangement signed by the Department of Justice of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chongqing Municipal Justice Bureau last month on legal services co-operation between Hong Kong and Chongqing deepens the cities' exchanges and co-operation in legal services, enabling lawyers in the two places to better serve economic development. He said he believes that with the joint efforts of Chongqing and Hong Kong, co-operation and exchanges between both sides in such areas as legal services, trade and investment, technology innovation, education and youth development will definitely make steady progress to achieve complementarity and mutual benefits.
      
     Noting that Chongqing is the focus for the country in developing the western region, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong will continue to work with Chongqing to jointly facilitate the two key national strategies, namely the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, in order to make greater contributions to the high-quality development of the country.

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, June 28, 2024 is 106.9 (same as yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Film Development Council:
 
     The Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme (HKEA Scheme) under the Film Development Fund (FDF) is open for application from today (June 28) to November 22.
      
     Announced in "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address", the HKEA Scheme aims to subsidise film projects co-produced by filmmakers from European and Asian countries to produce films featuring Hong Kong, European and Asian cultures. This would help promising Hong Kong filmmakers broaden their regional cultural horizons, achieve in-depth exchanges and learning thereby enabling Hong Kong films to go global.
      
     The Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC), Dr Wilfred Wong, said, "The Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme has been expanded to the HKEA Scheme. We hope that the HKEA Scheme can help Hong Kong filmmakers produce more films with an international perspective and expand into overseas markets."
      
         The HKEA Scheme is the second phase of the co-production funding scheme after the launch of the Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme. A maximum of six films will be subsidised under the HKEA Scheme. Each approved film project will receive a grant of up to $9 million. 
      
         Under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency is committed to supporting the sustainable development of the film industry through the FDC and FDF. A $1.4 billion injection has been made into the FDF as announced in the 2024-25 Budget.
      
         Details of the HKEA Scheme and the relevant application form are available on the website of the FDC (www.fdc.gov.hk/en/eafcfs).

    A Pakistani illegal worker was jailed by Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (June 27).

     On June 25, the Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators raided a residential premises in Sham Shui Po and arrested a 28-year-old Pakistani male. The arrested male arrived in Hong Kong as a dependant and had overstayed in Hong Kong since August 2020 as an illegal worker. On the premises, the investigators seized the arrested man's attendance and salary records during his overstaying period as a construction worker, confiscating his construction industry safety training certificate, a certificate of certified worker and a construction workers registration card.
 
     The illegal worker was charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday with taking employment while being a person who, having been given permission to land in Hong Kong, had remained in Hong Kong in breach of his limit of stay imposed in relation to the permission. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment. Meanwhile, he was also charged with one count of overstaying in Hong Kong and was sentenced to 14 weeks' imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently, making for a total of 14 months' imprisonment.

     The ImmD spokesman warned that, 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.

     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 and employ 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 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, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.