Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Pending fighting in a public place and death on arrival case in Cheung Sha Wan reclassified as affray and manslaughter
Police reclassified a pending fighting in a public place and death on arrival case in Cheung Sha Wan yesterday (June 14) as affray and manslaughter.Issued at HKT 22:56
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SITI commences visit to Netherlands (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, began his visit to the Netherlands today (June 15, Amsterdam time).
Professor Sun met with the management of an internationally renowned semiconductor company Nexperia to learn about its latest development directions and technology, as well as its businesses in Hong Kong and globally. He also explored with the company on its plan of further expansion in Hong Kong. Nexperia has businesses around the globe with research and development (R&D) facilities established in the Hong Kong Science Park.
Professor Sun visited the showroom of Renault Group in Paris, France and met with the group’s management yesterday (June 14, Paris time). BeyonCa, a premium electric vehicle enterprise backed by France’s Renault Group and China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation, was established in Hong Kong in 2021 with its international headquarters being set up at the Hong Kong Science Park. Professor Sun was briefed on the latest development and planning of the group and its brands as well as its various innovative businesses. Both sides also explored ways to deepen collaboration.
Professor Sun said, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has clearly stated in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint that the development of advanced manufacturing and new energy are one of the strategic technology industries, and is actively enhancing support for strategic industries such as new energy vehicles and semiconductor technology, so as to promote new industrialisation in Hong Kong. In promoting microelectronics R&D, the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute was established in September last year to spearhead collaboration among universities, R&D centres and the industry on the R&D of third generation semiconductor core technology. The institute leverages the Greater Bay Area’s well-developed manufacturing industry chain and enormous market, and promotes the ‘1 to N’ transformation of R&D outcomes and industry development. It is preparing the set-up of two pilot lines at the Microelectronics Centre this year, striving to put them into operation next year to support product development and trial production.”
During his stay in Paris, Professor Sun was interviewed by local media to introduce the latest situation and opportunities of Hong Kong’s I&T, telling the good I&T story of Hong Kong.
Professor Sun will depart for The Hague this evening to continue his visit to the Netherlands.
Mable Chan to visit Shanghai
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Transport ＆ Logistics Mable Chan will begin a two-day duty visit to Shanghai tomorrow to promote Hong Kong’s strengths in maritime services to the Mainland shipping sector.
During the visit, Ms Chan will also inspect an automated port terminal to explore collaboration opportunities, and meet local government officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.
Ms Chan will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon. During her absence, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau will be Acting Secretary for Transport & Logistics.
HAD’s emergency hotline stood down
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HAD’s emergency hotline stood downIssued at HKT 15:41
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STL to visit Shanghai
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, will start a two-day duty visit to Shanghai tomorrow (June 16).
During the visit, she will promote Hong Kong’s strengths in maritime services to the Mainland shipping sector and inspect an automated port terminal to explore collaboration opportunities. She will also meet with local government officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.
Ms Chan will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon (June 17). During her absence, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, will be the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics.
Police launch e-traffic tickets
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Police today officially launched the digitalisation of Fixed Penalty Notices, and will issue penalty tickets for illegal parking and moving traffic offences electronically from now on.
Additionally, a thematic portal and mobile application have also been launched to facilitate vehicle owners and drivers to verify and settle their fines using electronic payment methods.
The force will issue electronic penalty tickets (ePTs) according to the verified e-contact means (ECM) submitted by offenders to the Transport Department – SMS tickets for those who have provided a Hong Kong mobile phone number, and email tickets for those who have provided an email address.
It will continue to issue printed paper penalty tickets to those that have not submitted their verified ECMs.
At the initial stage of implementation, Police will adopt a “dual-track” transitional arrangement. Offenders will receive both ePTs and printed paper tickets, and they are only required to settle their fines using either one. Members of the public are encouraged to use ePTs.
The formats of penalty tickets have also been updated to include new payment information and methods.
The force reminds the public that all SMS tickets are issued under the SMS sender name “#HKPF-eTT”, and a purported SMS ticket that is not sent under this sender name must be fake.
Moreover, all SMS or email tickets do not contain any hyperlinks, and people should avoid clicking on any suspicious hyperlinks or providing any personal information.
Lastly, the platform’s thematic portal has a domain ending with “.gov.hk”. Websites that do not end with “.gov.hk” are not government official websites.
Water testing up to int’l standards
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
In response to a media report about impurities found in drinking water samples from various districts, the Development Bureau pointed out that the tests mentioned in the report were not conducted in strict compliance with the international standards adopted by Hong Kong’s drinking water testing programme.
The bureau said, as understood, the media organisation had mainly collected samples of impurities from aerators of water taps, commonly known as strainers, and then placed the samples into water for laboratory testing.
It noted that aerators are a kind of filter accessory commonly installed at household water taps and shower heads to help block impurities, hence the presence of impurities in the samples is simply a result of the strainer functioning, and is not abnormal.
In the past, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) had received similar inquiries, and staff members were deployed immediately to conduct onsite inspection.
They also arranged for flushing of consumers’ water meter, reminded them to cleanse the strainers, and checked for any irregularities in water quality. If a water quality issue is suspected, the WSD would collect drinking water samples for testing and notify consumers about the results.
In fact, only a few of such cases required water sample testing in the past three years, and the testing results showed that the water samples complied with Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards (HKDWS).
The bureau stressed that water quality testing must be conducted in accordance with international standards, including taking reference to ISO5667 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for sampling, and referencing Chinese National Standard GB/T 5750 and the American Public Health Association’s in testing methods and procedures.
The samples tested must be drinking water samples, not those collected from strainers as arranged by the relevant media organisation. In other words, the type of samples, methods and procedures will affect the validity and representativeness of the tests.
As mentioned in the report, impurities collected from the strainers include resin, plastic and silicone. The bureau said it may relate to materials peeling off from pipes or fittings of the inside service of the building. These substances are not soluble in water. If they are found, the inside service should be cleansed as soon as possible.
The bureau explained that the drinking water supplied by the WSD undergoes strict treatment and meets HKDWS. However, materials may peel off from public or inside service pipes of buildings due to aging or water pressure, necessitating the installation of strainers at pipes.
Property owners, registered agents and management offices must carry out regular and proper maintenance of building’s inside service, including cleansing sump and rooftop tanks, to maintain good drinking water quality at the consumers’ taps.
To ensure the city’s drinking water quality, the WSD runs a routine drinking water testing programme, randomly collecting water samples from over 28,000 publicly accessible consumers’ taps in shopping centres, community facilities, sports venues and government offices, for testing every year.
The sampling rate is based on international standards and the water quality parameters are drawn up in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines.
Moreover, the WSD randomly selects about 670 residential and non-residential water accounts each year to collect drinking water samples at their water taps and test for six metals, namely, antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and nickel, to ensure HKDWS compliance. The test results are regularly published on the department’s website.
The bureau added that the WSD had requested more detailed information, including sampling locations, for follow-up with the consumer when enquiries were received from the media organisation. It is still awaiting such information.
Citizens may call the WSD’s 24-hour hotline 2824 5000 to enquire about drinking water quality.
Hong Kong Customs detects drug trafficking case involving incoming passenger at airport (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs detects drug trafficking case involving incoming passenger at airport (with photo)Issued at HKT 17:48
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Employers and employees should make prior work arrangements in times of tropical cyclones and rainstorms
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Employers and employees should make prior work arrangements in times of tropical cyclones and rainstorms
“In drawing up and implementing the work arrangements and contingency measures
To avoid misunderstandings, disputes and confusion, employers should consult and engage employees when drawing up the arrangements and make appropriate updates or amendments based on the experience of each occasion and the needs of both employers and employees, as well as the actual situations. The work arrangements should cover the following matters:
* arrangements in respect of reporting for duty;
* arrangements in respect of early release from work;
* arrangements in respect of resumption of work (e.g. the number of hours within which employees should resume duty after the warning concerned is cancelled or when the extreme conditions come to an end, and when safety and traffic conditions allow);
* arrangements in respect of remote work such as work from home (if applicable) (e.g. duty and work arrangements during and after tropical cyclone warnings, rainstorm warnings or extreme conditions);
* arrangements regarding working hours, wages and allowances (e.g. calculation of wages and allowances in respect of reporting for duty and absence); and
* special arrangements in respect of staff required to report for duty in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions.
“Employers should conduct a timely and realistic assessment of whether there is any need for requiring staff to report for duty at workplaces
When a Pre-No. 8 Special Announcement is issued during working hours, within two hours before the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 is expected to take effect, employers should release employees from workplaces or from work in stages or arrange for them to work remotely according to the agreed work arrangements. To ensure the safety of employees and to enable them to arrive home before suspension of public transport services, employees who have mobility problems (for example, pregnant employees or those with a disability), employees who rely on transport services which are prone to being affected by adverse weather conditions (for example, ferry services) to get home, and those who work in or are living in remote areas (for example, outlying islands) should be given priority to leave. Other employees should be released from workplaces or from work in stages according to their travelling distance or the time required for returning home.
If an Amber, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued during working hours, employees working indoors should continue to work as usual unless it is dangerous to do so. Supervisors of employees working outdoors or in exposed areas should suspend outdoor duties as soon as practicable. They should arrange for their employees to take shelter temporarily and resume duty only when weather conditions permit. If the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is still in force by the end of working hours, employees should stay in a safe place until the heavy rain has passed. A suitable area in the workplace should be made available by employers as temporary shelter for employees.
If it is necessary for employees to report for duty at workplaces under adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should discuss and agree with them in advance on the duty arrangements and contingency measures. If public transport services are suspended or limited when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (T8) or higher, Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force, employers should provide safe transport services for employees travelling to and from workplaces, or grant them an extra travelling allowance.
The spokesman also 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 work on time due to adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonuses 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,” he 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. If employees are required to work in times of tropical cyclone warnings, rainstorm warnings or extreme conditions, employers should ensure that the risks at work are reduced as far as reasonably practicable. 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 there is a T8 signal or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are 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.pdfIssued at HKT 12:20
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“ICH Infinity∞” Fun Day temporarily suspended
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​As the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 will be issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the “ICH Infinity∞” Fun Day held at the Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (at Sam Tung Uk Museum, Tsuen Wan) today (June 14) will be temporarily suspended in the afternoon. Members of the public are advised not to visit.
Depending on the weather condition, the “ICH Infinity∞” Fun Day may re-open where circumstances permit. Please pay attention to the relevant news announcement.