Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 15) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit. The case is detailed below:
 

Sex	Male
Age	53
Affected area involved	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
High-risk exposure	Camel contact
Hospital	Ruttonjee Hospital
Condition	Stable
MERS-Coronavirus preliminary test result	Pending

     “Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV),” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Locally, the CHP’s surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization’s latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP’s health advice on MERS. read more

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 15) that a sample of swordfish sashimi was found to contain a metal contaminant, mercury, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
      
     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from an online shop for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained mercury at a level of 0.96 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm.”
      
     The spokesman said that the CFS had informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and had requested the vendor to stop sales of the affected batch of the product. The Centre is tracing the source of the product concerned.
      
     “Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults. Furthermore, as some international organisations such as the World Health Organization have pointed out, consuming predatory fish species is the main source of mercury intake for human beings. The report of the CFS’ Total Diet Study has also pointed out that large fish or predatory fish species may contain high mercury levels (for example, tuna, alfonsino, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and king mackerel). Hence, groups particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of mercury, such as pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children, should opt for fish that are smaller in size for consumption and avoid consumption of the above-mentioned types of fish which may contain high mercury levels to minimise the health risk posed to the foetus, infants and young children by excessive exposure to metal contaminants in food,” he added.
      
     According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit may be prosecuted and is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
      
     “People are advised to maintain a balanced and varied diet. To avoid health risks posed by excessive intake of metallic contaminants, pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should avoid eating large or predatory fish,” the spokesman said.
      
     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing. read more

     TNG FinTech Group opened the Wall Street Factory (WSF) today (July 15) as part of the group’s strategy to enhance its services for fintech entrepreneurs via a one-stop interactive platform.
     
     The WSF is a new space of over 25 800 square feet in North Point, intended as a comprehensive platform offering all-round solutions from business incorporation, office space, operation support and business referral to fundraising and capital market advisory for the growing fintech communities in Hong Kong. It has 12 conference rooms and three main event spaces, namely Arena, Wall Street Corner and Sandbox, among other facilities and amenities.
     
     The Founder and Chairman of TNG, Mr Alex Kong, said the group’s establishment in Hong Kong has positioned it at the forefront of the fintech industry to win a growing cluster of clients from diverse sectors. Its WSF will strive to collaborate with them, including global e-wallets and financial institutions, in offering and promoting their open banking APIs (application programme interfaces) to global fintech, wealthtech, insurtech and proptech companies and more.
     
     Mr Kong said, “We are really excited to witness the launch of the WSF, which perfectly matches TNG’s commitment to elevating the lives of billions with financial empowerment and financial services. The WSF is designated to help start-ups grow from being rising stars to unicorns, and then to public listings in major stock exchanges, by providing them with a host of business and fundraising solutions.”
     
     The Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, said, “Hong Kong’s fintech ecosystem is growing rapidly and attracts players from Mainland China and those from around the globe. The number of homegrown fintech enterprises is also on the rise. The WSF turns a new page in Hong Kong’s fintech development. With this one-stop platform, Hong Kong’s fintech communities will have the sort of comprehensive support they need to grow stronger.”
     
About TNG FinTech Group
 
     TNG FinTech Group aims to provide next-generation financial services to the 1.2 billion unbanked population in Asia through its various e-wallet platforms. The financial services it provides include electronic payments, global remittance, global cash withdrawal and settlement, wealth management and more. Its Global Emoney Alliance currently covers Hong Kong and 14  Asian countries, including Mainland China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, and provides 24/7 cash-in and cash-out services to its users through a network of over 5 000 banks and over 400 000 cash pick-up points globally. For more information, please visit www.tngfintech.com.
     
About Invest Hong Kong
 
     Invest Hong Kong is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
     
     For an event photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157709592076597.
 

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     Harvest Time Engineering Limited and its two directors were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay wages and defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) to one employee, contrary to the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and the two directors pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today (July 15) and were each fined $60,000 for a total of $180,000. In addition, the company and the two directors were ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $310,000 to the employee concerned.

     The company failed to pay one employee’s wages of about $60,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage period or the date of termination of employment, and the awarded sum of about $330,000 within 14 days after the date of the LT Award, as required by the EO. The two directors concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     “The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers 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 Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, today (July 15) led a delegation comprising representatives from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the environmental sector as well as relevant professionals and academics in attending an exchange session on the green circular economy in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Afterwards, Mr Wong and the delegation visited an environmental industry facility that manages solid waste.

     Upon their arrival in the morning, Mr Wong and the delegation attended the exchange session. Representatives from relevant authorities and organisations of Guangdong Province, including the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province (GDDEE), the Office of the Leading Group on Construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the Guangdong Association of Environmental Protection Industry also participated in the exchange session. After Mr Wong and the Director-General of the GDDEE, Mr Lu Xiulu, had delivered their speeches, representatives from the two places shared details of their experience in the management of solid waste and the green circular economy.

     Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Wong said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attaches great importance to the development of environmental protection and the recycling industry. Mr Wong said that the visit was also aimed at promoting technology exchange in relation to the management of solid waste in cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as enabling Hong Kong to establish better contact with Mainland cities to facilitate closer liaison between the two places in future.

     In the afternoon, Mr Wong and the delegation paid a visit to an environmental industry facility that manages solid waste. The facility has a comprehensive industrial network to manage solid waste. While focusing on turning municipal waste into energy, it also has treatment components on food waste, sludge and more. Overall, it converts various types of municipal waste into resources, demonstrating the concept of a circular economy. Mr Wong and the delegation will return to Hong Kong after the visit.

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