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 (April 13) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Anglers' Beach in Tsuen Wan District as Grade 3, which means the water quality has improved and the beach is suitable for swimming. The red flag has been lowered.

     The red flag was hoisted on the beach earlier on due to the water quality being classified as Grade 4 and unsuitable for swimming.

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (April 13) that the FEHD and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) have conducted law enforcement operations in Sham Shui Po over the past few days to combat the increasingly rampant and suspected organised unlicensed hawking activities in the district, so as to keep streets clear of obstruction and maintain environment hygiene.

     The spokesman said that the department noticed that there have been a large number of suspected organised unlicensed hawking activities in Sham Shui Po recently in the evening and at night hours, including using vehicles as stalls to occupy the road for selling, causing serious nuisance to the public. Regarding unlicensed hawking activities near Pei Ho Street Market, the FEHD has received 156 complaints in the first three months of this year. Persons involved in unlicensed hawking activities have repeatedly ignored warnings issued by FEHD staff and even abused them. Intimidating behavior is unacceptable and it is necessary for the FEHD to step up its crackdowns. 

     The FEHD, together with the HKPF, conducted raids in the area of Tai Nan Street, Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building and Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po for five consecutive days from April 8 to 12. During the operations over the past few days, the FEHD conducted a total of 27 prosecutions against relevant offenders for suspected unlicensed hawking and obstruction of public places, and seized approximately 3.2 tonnes of goods or articles. The age of the unlicensed hawking persons involved ranged from 25 to 59 years old. During the operations, the HKPF also prosecuted relevant vehicles that violated regulations and caused obstructions, and issued a total of 36 fixed penalty notices. The person who acted intimidatingly towards FEHD staff has been arrested by the HKPF and is under investigation.

     According to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), no person is allowed to hawk on the streets unless he holds a valid hawker license issued by the FEHD. Offenders may be prosecuted. Upon conviction, first-time offenders may be fined up to $5,000 and imprisoned for one month. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for six months, and the goods and equipment involved will be seized and confiscated. If unlicensed hawking activities obstruct passageways, law enforcement officers may use the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228) to charge offenders causing obstruction by placing items in public places. Upon conviction, they may be fined $25,000 or imprisoned for three months.

     The spokesman pointed out that the FEHD will take appropriate actions based on the actual situation. Generally speaking, if the unlicensed hawking activities do not involve the sale of prohibited or restricted food or cooked food, and are not carried out on main thoroughfares or in places with a constant flow of pedestrians, FEHD staff will first give a verbal warning. If the warning is unheeded, prosecution action will then be taken. For elderly or disabled hawkers, FEHD staff will deal with them in a more lenient manner under reasonable circumstances. However, if unlicensed hawking activities cause serious nuisance to the public or severely affect environmental hygiene, it is necessary for the FEHD to take decisive enforcement actions.

     If members of the public discover suspected unlicensed hawking activities, they may call the FEHD hotline 2868 0000 to report them.

    

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Yellow fire danger warning

     The fire danger situation today (April 13) is yellow and the risk of fire is high. People are urged to prevent fires breaking out and hikers should also be vigilant.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (April 13). They are, on Hong Kong Island, Eternal Flame Action; in Kowloon, Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association; and in the New Territories, Urban Peacemaker Limited, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
      
     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people to distinguish among the three flag-selling activities. 

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on April 13 is as follows:
 

 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.

     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), together with Create Hong Kong, supported the screening of two Hong Kong films at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) in Brussels, Belgium from April 9 to 21 2024 (Brussels time).

     The HKETO, Brussels hosted a reception at the Hong Kong Film Night on  April 10 with the screening of a recent Hong Kong heist film "The Moon Thieves" by Yuen Kim-wai. The Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, spoke at the reception that Hong Kong films are the strongest testimony of the vibrant creativity and unique culture of the city. Hong Kong sees an increasing number of emerging actors and young filmmakers whose productions cover a diversity of genres.

     Ms Yung highlighted that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to supporting our film industry to strengthen its international visibility. "To further facilitate international collaborations and elevate Hong Kong cinema to the global stage, the Film Development Fund has recently launched a Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme", Ms Yung said.

     Ms Yung added that while Hong Kong has one of the largest and most dynamic film industries in the world, it also has a thriving art and cultural scene with all kinds of art exhibitions, auctions, galleries, cultural and performing art events awaiting visitors worldwide to check out for themselves.

     The BIFFF is one of the most important festivals of its kind in Europe. Some 100 films from the fantasy, horror, thriller and science-fiction genres are being screened at the BIFFF this year, including the other Hong Kong action thriller "Bursting Point" by Dante Lam and Calvin Tong. The BIFFF is also known for its enthusiastic audience participation and huge media coverage.