A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (May 27) that the FEHD has conducted blitz operations over the past few days in Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong districts. These operations aim to crack down on the illegal discharge of wastewater into roadside gullies by food premises in the districts by strengthening inspection and taking stringent enforcement action with a view to maintaining environmental hygiene.

     The FEHD officers conducted blitz inspections to a total of 110 licensed/permitted food premises in Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong districts for five consecutive days (from May 20 to 24) and mounted intelligence-led enforcement operations against food business operators for illegal discharge of wastewater into roadside gullies, as well as carrying out scullery and food preparation in yards leading to the discharge of wastewater into storm drains. During the operations, FEHD officers issued 12 fixed penalty notices and instituted three prosecutions in total against the relevant offenders pursuant to the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation (Cap. 132BK) and the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) respectively.

     The spokesman said, "Illegal discharge of wastewater into roadside gullies by food premises will not only affect the environmental hygiene at the subject location, but may also pollute the sea. The FEHD has zero tolerance towards such an illegal act and will take immediate enforcement action without prior warning upon discovery."

     The spokesman reminded that food business operators must comply with the licensing conditions, and disposal of food waste and wastewater in rear lanes and surface channels are not allowed. Food premises must be operated in accordance with the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) and the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), as well as provisions of its subsidiary legislation relating to food safety and environmental hygiene, or else they may face prosecution.

     The FEHD has implemented a demerit points system against licensed food premises. A prescribed number of demerit points will be registered against a licensee upon conviction of an offence under relevant legislation. If the licensee has accumulated certain demerit points within a period of time, the licence will be suspended immediately. If the violation persists, the licence will be cancelled. Moreover, under the warning letter system of the FEHD, the department will consider cancelling licences of food premises breaching licensing requirements or conditions repeatedly without rectification after receiving warning letters.

     In accordance with the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation (Cap. 132BK), any person who disposes of waste including wastewater in public places commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. The FEHD may also issue a $3,000 fixed penalty notice to an offender under the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance (Cap. 570).

     The spokesman emphasised that the FEHD will continue to step up inspections and enforcement action in Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong districts, and consider extending the operation to other districts to ensure the environmental hygiene of food premises and adjacent areas. Staff will also provide health education to operators of food premises during routine inspections, reminding them not to discharge wastewater illegally.

     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, will begin her visit to Chicago, New Orleans and New York of the United States (US) on May 27 (US time) to promote the advantages of Hong Kong as an international post-secondary education hub. She will also attend the NAFSA 2024 Annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans.
 
     The Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee, Professor James Tang, and members of the Heads of Universities Committee Standing Committee on Internationalisation will join part of the visit.
 
     During the trip, Dr Choi will visit local schools and exchange views with education experts to learn about the local education developments. She will also meet Hong Kong youngsters studying or working in the US.
 
     Dr Choi will conclude her visit and return to Hong Kong on June 2. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Sze Chun-fai, will be the Acting Secretary for Education.

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, this afternoon (May 27) visited the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) to learn about the athletes' preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and to cheer for them.
 
     Accompanied by the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Sam Wong, Mr Yeung toured various facilities at the HKSI, including the fencing hall, the table tennis hall, the fitness training centre and the swimming complex. The visiting officials exchanged views with athletes and coaches to learn about their training arrangements as well as the support provided by the HKSI, encouraging the athletes to give their best performance in the Games.
 
     Mr Yeung said, "The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will soon be held in Paris. I hope the participating Hong Kong athletes will perform well. During their stay in Paris, I encourage them to have more exchanges and interactions with athletes of other delegations, demonstrating their sportsmanship and sharing the latest of Hong Kong.
 
     "The Government successfully procured the broadcasting rights of the Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Hong Kong. Three local licensed television broadcasters and Radio Television Hong Kong will broadcast the Games in accordance with government requirements, allowing all Hong Kong citizens to watch the Games for free, and give support to Mainland and Hong Kong athletes. The arrangement is generally well received by all sectors of society, and is considered conducive to promoting sports development in Hong Kong. I look forward to watching the Games with everyone and supporting the athletes," he said.
 
     The Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be held July 26 to August 11 and August 28 to September 8 respectively. In addition to the HKSI's support, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau has set aside funds under the Arts and Sport Development Fund (Sports Portion) to support the athletes to prepare for and participate in the Games.

        

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (May 29) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2024 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.

     In addition, the Construction Industry Security of Payment Bill will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

     On Members' motions, Professor Lau Chi-pang will move a motion on developing digital education. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Professor William Wong, Mr Shang Hailong, Professor Chan Wing-kwong and Mr Kenneth Leung will move separate amendments to Professor Lau's motion.

     Mr Chan Hak-kan will move a motion on seizing the opportunities of accelerating the development of new quality productive forces in the country. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Dr Johnny Ng, Professor William Wong, Mr Sunny Tan, Mr Shang Hailong, Mr Dennis Leung, Dr Tan Yueheng and Mr Yim Kong will move separate amendments to Mr Chan's motion.

     Mr Duncan Chiu will move proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 3.

     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

     On the first day of the expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) to cover eight Mainland cities, namely Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (May 27) visited the Hong Kong International Airport Visitor Centre of the Hong Kong Tourism Board to ensure that relevant units are well prepared to welcome visitors from the eight cities with a view to providing them with comprehensive travel information about Hong Kong and extending warm hospitality to the visitors.

     "The further expansion of the IVS to cover all provincial capitals in our country will help Hong Kong better connect and interact with residents from all provincial capitals through tourism activities, while promoting two-way visits between Hong Kong and different provincial capital cities and attracting more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong. We look forward to welcoming more visitors from different cities to come to explore Hong Kong and experience Hong Kong's unique appeal as an international tourism destination," Mr Yeung said.

     The Government has prepared a series of arrangements to allow Mainland visitors to personally experience the extraordinary charm of Hong Kong as an international metropolis and a culinary capital, which includes distributing vouchers valued at $200 by the Hong Kong Tourism Board to IVS visitors from the eight cities to enable them to spend at various types of restaurants and shops, as well as inviting representatives from the tourism trade of the eight cities and relevant Mainland media to Hong Kong to introduce to them Hong Kong's unique features, including the latest information of tourism products, with the aim of jointly promoting visitors' touring and consumption in Hong Kong.

     â€‹Starting from May 27, 2024, the number of designated Mainland cities eligible for the IVS have been increased to 59.