The Government announced today (July 14) the reappointment of 10 incumbent members, as well as the appointment of five new members, namely Miss Grace Chan Man-yee, Ms Ip Shun-hing, Dr Jenny Lee Shun-wah, Ms Queenie Man Wei-yin and Mr Albert Su Yau-on, to the Elderly Commission (EC). Their appointments will take effect from July 30, 2023, for a term of two years.
 
     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, "The EC plays an important role in advising the Government on policies and initiatives relating to elderly care. The Commission's work will surely benefit from the diverse backgrounds and rich experience of the reappointed and newly appointed members. We will continue to join hands with the Commission to promote the well-being of elderly persons in Hong Kong."

     Mr Sun also thanked the outgoing members, namely Ms Maggie Chan Mei-kit, Ms Tammy Chan Yee-ching, Mr Chua Hoi-wai, Dr Elsie Hui and Ms Grace Li Fai, for their active participation in the work of the EC in the past.
 
     The membership of the EC for the new term is as follows:
 
Chairman
———–
Dr Donald Li Kwok-tung
 
Non-official members
————————
Professor Bai Xue
Dr Johnnie Casire Chan Chi-kau
Miss Grace Chan Man-yee
Ms Ip Shun-hing
Professor Daniel Lai Wing-leung
Professor Linda Lam Chiu-wa
Mr Lau Tat-chuen
Dr Jenny Lee Shun-wah
Mr Horace Lit Hoo-yin
Dr James Luk Ka-hay
Mr Theodore Ma Heng
Ms Queenie Man Wei-yin
Mr Kyrus Siu King-wai
Mr Albert Su Yau-on
Ms Macy Wong Chor-kei
Miss Yu Chui-yee

Official members
——————-
Secretary for Labour and Welfare or representative
Secretary for Health or representative
Secretary for Housing/Director of Housing or representative
Director of Health or representative
Director of Social Welfare or representative
Chief Executive, Hospital Authority or representative

     â€‹The Home Affairs Department will continue to open 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (July 7).
 
     The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Wah Kwai Community Centre
Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Wu Shan Road Community Hall
101 Wu Shan Road, Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
 
    In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.

     The Department of Health (DH) today (July 7) said that owing to their benefits no longer outweigh the risks, pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine would be deregistered and should not be available in the market with effect from January 1, 2024.

     Pholcodine is a centrally acting cough suppressant, which is used in adults and children to treat a non-productive cough. The Pharmacy and Poisons (Registration of Pharmaceutical Products and Substances: Certification of Clinical Trial/Medicinal Test) Committee (the Committee) of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong, at its meeting yesterday (July 6), decided to, in the public interest as stipulated by the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A), deregister pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine with effect from January 1, 2024, after taking into consideration various factors including the latest recommendations on pholcodine by overseas regulatory authorities, and advice given by local experts.

     The Committee has consolidated information from other countries and the advice of local experts that the use of pholcodine in the 12 months before general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) is a risk for developing NMBA anaphylaxis.

     In Hong Kong, there are currently 27 registered pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine. These products are listed in the Attachment. They are all Part 1 poisons controlled under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) and can only be sold at pharmacies under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.

     The DH will issue letters to healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical traders to inform them of the Committee's decision to deregister pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine, and to advise healthcare professionals to arrange suitable alternative treatments for their patients.

     "When the Committee's decision takes effect on January 1, 2024, all drug manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and healthcare professionals must stop selling or supplying pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine. Drug manufacturers and wholesalers are also required to recall all products concerned from the market by December 31, 2023. The DH will take enforcement action against any illegal possession or sale of such products afterwards," a spokesman for the DH said.

     Under the Ordinance, illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part 1 poisons are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.

     The DH advised that doctors and pharmacies should stop prescribing or dispensing pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine. There are other medicines for cough treatment available in local market. Patients taking pharmaceutical products containing pholcodine should consult their healthcare professionals to review their treatment plans as soon as possible.

     â€‹Two property owners were convicted and each fined over $110,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts last week for persistently failing to comply with removal orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

     â€‹The two cases involved two unauthorised structures of about 640 and 500 square metres erected respectively on the roof of two premises of an industrial building at Sze Mei Street, San Po Kong. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were constructed without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), removal orders were served on the owners under section 24(1) of the BO.

     â€‹Failing to comply with the removal orders, the owners were prosecuted by the BD in 2015 and 2018 and were each fined over $50,000 in 2015 and over $90,000 in 2018 upon conviction by the court. As the owners persisted in not complying with the removal orders, the owners were prosecuted for the third time. The owners were convicted again and each fined $112,050 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on June 28.

     â€‹A spokesman for the BD said today (July 6), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, so as to ensure building safety."

     â€‹Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year's imprisonment and a fine of $200,000, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (July 4):
 
Reporter: The Police obtained the warrants for the eight people. What's the actual practical benefit for the very high profile announcement because you can't capture them if they're not in Hong Kong? And what would it do to Hong Kong's image that you're trying to rebuild, given there are so many reactions from other governments already? And will…in contact or interacting with these people, face legal consequences, such as maybe sharing the posts or whatsoever? About the timing, is it related to the open letter issued by foreign organisations asking Washington to not let you attend the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit because they issued the letter on June 30 and it came out just days later? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: Well, the Police's action to use all possible legal means to arrest the wanted persons, who are suspected to have committed serious offences that endanger national security, is the execution of the duties, of an important duty, that is imposed on them. They should do it because these are suspected criminals who have violated serious offences. They should do it because we cannot allow people to just go away without taking the responsibility to face justice, to face the law. The Police should do it because that is a strong message to everybody that any act that endangers national security will not be tolerated, and serious action will be taken against that. The Police should do it because that's the message not just to Hong Kong, but to those who try to endanger our national security. We want them to know that we will not sit and do nothing.
 
     I am in support of the Police's action. It's not just that this is an important duty they should do. But it is to try to get as much assistance as possible from law-abiding citizens. A lot of them feel a strong responsibility to protect national security, and I think they will be very pleased to provide information to the Police. And that law-abidingness is important.
 
     I also want to tell the criminals that, well, the only way to end their destiny of being an abscondee who will be pursued for life is to surrender.
 
     I have strong faith in the Police's ability to do what they can to carry out their duties, and we'll be pursuing the abscondees' criminal responsibilities for life until they surrender themselves.
 
     As regard the action, I think the Police should take action as they consider appropriate, particularly considering the whole operational requirements. Our action is to tell everybody that endangering national security is not something we will tolerate. We'll do whatever legally to pursue the responsible person. How overseas politicians or officials say will not, in any way, change our strong belief in the need to uphold our protection of national security. I know that they have been doing things for their own political reasons, for their own political gains.
 
     The way we are handling national security cases is in conformity with the practices that will be taken for pursuing criminals that have absconded for their national security offences. Extraterritorial power exists in many countries' national security law. Hong Kong's National Security Law is one of the many such laws, as in other countries, that will have the same power of taking extraterritorial action against criminals who have contravened their country's law in this regard.
 
     I am not in any way troubled by any attempt to sabotage our action, because I have strong faith that Hong Kong Police will be able to do what they can. I'm not afraid of any political pressure that is put on us because we do what we believe is right. And safeguarding national security is the duty of the people of respective countries, particularly I, as the Chief Executive, have the constitutional duty to safeguard national security.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)