Police today (August 16) appealed to the public for information on a Mainland man who went missing in Hung Hom. Chen Shulin, aged 65, went missing after he left a hotel on Hung Lok Road yes… read more
The Department of Health (DH) today (August 16) appealed to the public not to buy or use a topical product (no English name on the package, see photo) as it was found to contain an undeclared controlled drug ingredient.
Acting on a public complaint, the DH purchased a sample of the above product via a social media platform for analysis. Test results from the Government Laboratory revealed that the product contained betamethasone dipropionate, which is a Part 1 poison controlled under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (PPO) (Cap 138).
The DH’s investigation is continuing.
Betamethasone dipropionate is a steroid substance for treating inflammatory skin disorders. Inappropriate or excessive application of steroids could cause skin problems and body-wide side effects such as moon face (facial swelling), high blood pressure, high blood sugar, skin atrophy, adrenal insufficiency and osteoporosis. Products containing betamethasone dipropionate should only be used under a doctor’s directions and supplied by a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor’s prescription.
According to the PPO, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market. 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 public should not buy or use products of doubtful composition or from unknown sources. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of “HK-XXXXX”. The safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed.
People who have purchased the product should stop using it and consult healthcare professionals if in doubt or feeling unwell after use. They can submit the product to the DH’s Drug Office at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.
VI.D.O Productions Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay wages and defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) to two employees, contravening the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (August 16) and were each fined $36,000 for a total of $72,000.
The company failed to pay two employees’ wages of about $53,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage period or the date of termination of employment, as required by the EO. The employer also failed to pay the employees the same awarded sum within 14 days after the date set out by the terms of the LT award. The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
“The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and to pay the awarded sums according to the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board”, a spokesman for the LD said.
“The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added. read more
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, under the authority delegated by the Chief Executive pursuant to the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571), has appointed Mr Rico Leung as the Executive Director (Supervision of Markets) of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). The term is for three years from August 28, 2019, to August 27, 2022.
Mr Chan said, “With Mr Leung’s extensive regulatory experience, we are confident that he will contribute towards the effective performance of the SFC’s statutory functions, in particular in heading the Supervision of Markets Division for the supervision of exchanges and clearing houses.”
Mr Leung has worked for the SFC for over 18 years. He is currently the Senior Director (Supervision of Markets) of the SFC.
Mr Leung was selected through an open recruitment exercise led by a selection panel chaired by the Chairman of the SFC. Mr Leung will succeed Mr Keith Lui, who will retire on August 27, 2019.
“We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr Lui for his dedicated service to the SFC in the past 24 years. His effort has been conducive to consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre and the orderly operation of our securities and futures markets,” Mr Chan added. read more
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 16) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay*).
Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and four as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Repulse Bay Beach |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | Shek O Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Silverstrand Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Discovery Bay | St Stephen’s Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach | Stanley Main Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Trio Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
| Anglers’ Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Butterfly Beach | Lido Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
| Casam Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Golden Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Approach Beach | Castle Peak Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach |