The Government gazetted today (June 14) the designation of the North Lantau Marine Park (NLMP).

     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said, "The NLMP will be the eighth and largest marine park in Hong Kong, covering about 2 400 hectares (ha) of water. Designation of the NLMP will greatly increase Hong Kong's protected marine habitat from about 6 117 ha to about 8 517 ha. The designation of the NLMP is crucial for conservation of the Chinese White Dolphins (CWD) and the marine environment in North Lantau waters, and is one of the measures committed in the approved Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the Three-Runway System project of Hong Kong International Airport for mitigating the impact arising from the project on marine ecology."

     The spokesman added, "The NLMP will provide critical linkages with the nearby Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park (about 1 200 ha) and the Brothers Marine Park (about 970 ha) to form a matrix of connected marine protected areas totalling about 4 570 ha in North Lantau waters for better protection of the important habitats of the CWD. Furthermore, the NLMP will be contiguous with the Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin National Nature Reserve established in Guangdong Province, thereby linking the marine protected areas in Hong Kong and the Mainland, providing important connections among these core CWD habitats, and facilitating the movement of CWD between such habitats. The proposed NLMP also connects with the Hong Kong International Airport Approach Areas to form an interlinked water body and provide a synergistic effect for the conservation of marine ecology and fisheries resources."

     The draft map of the NLMP was made available for public inspection for a period of 60 days from March 3 to May 1, 2023. The Country and Marine Parks Authority did not receive any objection during the period. The Chief Executive-in-Council approved the draft map in accordance with section 14(1)(a) of the Marine Parks Ordinance (Cap. 476) on September 5, 2023. Copies of the approved map signed by the Authority were deposited in the Land Registry, headquarters of the AFCD and headquarters of the Marine Department for public inspection in accordance with section 14(5) of the Ordinance. The deposit of the maps was notified in the Gazette by the AFCD on September 29, 2023.

     The spokesman said that activities in the waters concerned will be regulated by the Ordinance and the Marine Parks and Marine Reserves Regulation (Cap. 476A) after the designation of the marine park. In the long run, it can provide a better habitat for marine life and, in particular, be conducive to protecting marine mammals and maintaining marine biodiversity.

     The Marine Parks (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2024 will be tabled at the Legislative Council on June 19, 2024, for negative vetting and coming into effect on November 1, 2024.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     As the Red Rainstorm Warning Signal has been cancelled, the Home Affairs Department's Emergency Co-ordination Centre and the emergency hotline 2572 8427 have ceased to operate.

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (June 14) reminded the public again that holders of toll tickets can visit the TD's designated outlets to apply for a refund on or before June 30, otherwise no refund can be made. The details of the refund locations are as follows:
 

     Applicants are advised to fill in the application form (www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_5214/ops_form_182.pdf) in advance and bring along the toll tickets for refund. Applicants who apply for a refund for a large quantity of toll tickets are suggested to contact the contractor by email (info@wilsonparking.com.hk) or call 2830 3814 before visiting the designated refund outlets to ensure that they would be provided with the necessary assistance.

     The Labour Department (LD) today (June 14) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.
      
     "For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work," an LD spokesman said.
      
     The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees' Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.
      
     "As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or 'extreme conditions', employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees' entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty," the spokesman said.
      
     Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or "extreme conditions" is in force.
      
     The LD has published the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'", which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).