The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 21) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).

     Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 11 as Fair (Grade 2) and 13 as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Grade 2 beaches are:

Grade 3 beaches are:

* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
** Big Wave Bay Beach has been temporarily closed since June 4 due to the urgent works by Drainage Services Department at a nearby stream. The beach will be closed until further notice.

      Compared with the grading released last week, Kwun Yam Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Graded 1; Butterfly Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2; Big Wave Bay Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Cafeteria Old Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Kadoorie Beach and Silver Mine Bay Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.

     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.

     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.

     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     A woman was fined $10,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts today (June 21) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in December last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Castle Peak Road in Yuen Long. During the inspection, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on an hourly basis.
      
     According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of inspection. The woman responsible for managing the premises was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
      
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that the lifesaving services at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District resumed today (June 21). The lifesaving services at the beach were suspended earlier due to an insufficient number of lifeguards on duty.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following message as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     Owing to serious road blockage around Arsenal Street in Wan Chai, the Report Room service in Wan Chai Police Station has been suspended until further notice. For emergencies, please call 999.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, at a media stand-up after the meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Public Service today (June 21):

Reporter: Mr Law, just tell us how it is affecting civil servants right now. The CGO is being closed multiple times. Did you receive any complaints from civil servants themselves? And how is the contingency plan working so far?

Secretary for the Civil Service: The relevant bureaux and departments in CGO (Central Government Offices) have put in place their contingency plans under which civil servants can continue to provide our services and serve the public on a day-to-day basis. We hope by doing this, we can minimise the impact on the community. I believe our civil servants are professional. They will be able to adjust and adapt to all the different situations and continue to do our best to provide the best quality service for the public.

Reporter: Did you receive any complaints from civil servants themselves, now the CGO is being closed? Are they being affected?

Secretary for the Civil Service: All the civil servants who are affected will work according to our contingency plan. Thank you.