The Government announced today (May 31) that the community isolation facilities (CIFs) sites at Hung Shui Kiu, the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and Ma Sik Road in Fanling will be released for their original planned uses:

1. The site at Hung Shui Kiu will be developed into multi-storey buildings for modern industries (MSBs) in accordance with the development of sites for industries in the Northern Metropolis. The MSBs will provide floor space for relocation of some brownfield operators affected by development projects. The site is included in the 2024-25 Land Sale Programme as an industrial site. The Government will announce the specific disposal timeline for this site in due course; 

2. The site at the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the HZMB will be released to the Airport Authority Hong Kong to serve as back-up sites to support the operation of Hong Kong International Airport and AsiaWorld-Expo; and

3. The site at Ma Sik Road in Fanling will be returned to the land owner for private housing development to align with the development schedule of the Fanling North New Development Area.

     Drawing on the successful experience of transferring and reusing the CIFs in the southern end of the Loop early this year, the Government will transfer the CIFs at the aforementioned sites to other suitable locations for reconfiguration and reuse in an orderly manner in order to implement the principle of making good use of CIFs. They will mainly serve as site offices, rest rooms for site staff, material storage rooms and more in government works projects. The Development Bureau will arrange for the constructors to begin transferring the facilities soon, aiming to complete the process within the third quarter of this year.

     Up till now, the Government has announced the use of a number of community isolation and treatment facilities, and implemented the arrangements. They include:
 

• The Hospital Authority has been providing medical diagnostic and investigation-related services at the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital in the Loop since last year, and will continue to make better use of the facility for healthcare-related purposes;

• The transfer of the CIF in the southern end of the Loop to government works projects for reuse was completed in March this year. The Civil Engineering and Development Department is carrying out site formation works on the released site, so that the construction of the five buildings in batch one under Phase 1 of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park can commence as early as possible;

• The CIF in Tam Mei, Yuen Long, has been used as centralised quarters for imported labour for the construction sector since last year;

• The CIF in San Tin has been used for holding training courses and trade tests for the construction industry since last year; and

• The CIF in Tsing Yi has become a base for youth development and national education, which provides a venue and ancillary facilities to youth uniformed groups for holding training on flag raising, foot drill and other youth development-related activities since April this year. 

     It is the Government's goal to maintain the city's capacity to respond to changes in an epidemic situation, while taking into account Hong Kong's economic, livelihood and social needs. The Government will continue to make subsequent arrangements for other community isolation and treatment facilities, releasing the sites in phases or utilising the facilities for other purposes. Announcements will be made and the implementation of related work will be carried out in a timely and orderly manner.

     The Transport Department (TD) announced today (May 31) that the application period for the Taxi Fleet Licence ended at noon today, with a total of 15 applications received.

     An assessment panel formed by representatives from the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the TD will assess the applications received in accordance with the marking scheme provided in the invitation document. The application results are expected to be announced in July this year. The main assessment criteria are (i) management capability of applicant; (ii) vehicle quality and safety-related equipment/devices; (ii) management and quality of fleet drivers; (iv) service level and customer service; (v) online hailing and fleet dispatch plan; and (vi) daily operation, maintenance and contingency plan. Taxi fleet operators will be required to commence operation within 12 months after the grant of Taxi Fleet Licences. The TD will encourage and assist the fleet operators to form taxi fleets and commence operation as early as practicable.

     A Government spokesman said, "We are pleased to see that the trade responded positively to the application of the Taxi Fleet Licence. The applicants are diverse, and in addition to the taxi trade, members of other transport sectors also participated. Taxis provide personalised point-to-point public transport service to the general public. We believe that through the introduction of a new taxi fleet regime, the taxi fleets providing quality service can set a leading and exemplary role in the trade and foster healthy competition between different taxi fleets, as well as taxi fleets and non-fleet taxis, and gradually change the trade's ecology through market evolution. This will encourage the taxi trade to strive for excellence, and enhance the standard of services and the image of the trade for the benefit of passengers, drivers and society as a whole."

     No more than five taxi fleet licences are intended to be issued in this invitation. The TD will issue Taxi Fleet Licences and regulate the operation and management of taxi fleets through licensing conditions, including the requirements in relation to fleet size, age of vehicles and services to be provided by the fleet licensee, such as the provision of online booking channels (including mobile application and website) and e-payment means, as well as the installation of CCTV systems and technological devices to enhance driving safety inside the compartments. The taxis must not be more than three years old when they join the fleets and must not be more than 10 years old throughout the license period. As regards the fleet size, a mixed or urban taxi fleet shall have 300 to 1 000 taxis, while a New Territories taxi fleet shall have 100 to 350 taxis.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

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

     As Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No.3 has been issued, the Marine Department reminds vessel owners, masters and persons-in-charge of vessels that they should take precautionary measures immediately and properly secure their vessels at safe locations.     

     In case of an accident, a report should be made immediately to the Vessel Traffic Centre at 2233 7801.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs mounted an operation against the illegal importation of frozen meat codenamed "Ice Breaker" with Mainland Customs between April and May 2024. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected illegal importations of frozen meat cases. A total of about 1 200 kilograms of suspected illegally imported frozen meat with a total estimated market value of about $72,000 were seized.
      
     On April 10, Hong Kong Customs, acting on intelligence analysis, concluded that some persons would illegally import frozen meat into Hong Kong from the Mainland side of Chung Ying Street in Sha Tou Kok. Customs officers then took action and intercepted four suspicious vehicles in Sheung Shui. A total of about 1 200kg of frozen meat was seized at the scene and four men aged between 32 and 57 were arrested.
      
     In the second case, Hong Kong Customs officers intercepted a man who entered Hong Kong from the Lo Wu Control Point on May 29. About 2kg of frozen meat and a batch of eggs were found in his trolley. The 30-year-old man was subsequently arrested and the case was handed over to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for follow-up investigation.
      
     Under the Import and Export (General) Regulations, it is an offence to import frozen or chilled meat into Hong Kong without an import licence issued by the FEHD. An offender shall be liable on conviction to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     According to the Imported Game, Meat, Poultry and Eggs Regulations (Cap. 132AK), it is an offence to bring any game, meat, poultry or eggs into Hong Kong without a health certificate issued by an issuing entity of the place of origin and/or without prior written permission granted by the FEHD. An offender shall be liable on conviction to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 31) that a sample of prepackaged frozen confection was found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit. The affected batch of product has not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the incident.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Earl Grey Tea Handmade Gelato
Brand: tea-ed TEA
Place of origin: Hong Kong
Net volume: 125 ml
Best-before date: May 31, 2025
Manufacturer: Tea-ed Limited
     
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a frozen confection factory in Chai Wan for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained 200 coliform bacteria per gram, exceeding the legal limit."

     "The CFS has informed the manufacturer concerned of the irregularity. The affected batch of product has not entered the market. The CFS has provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff concerned, and will request them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection," the spokesman said.

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the coliform count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.