Police will implement special traffic arrangements in Causeway Bay and Tin Hau to facilitate members of the public visiting Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair.

A. Pedestrianisation

     The following roads will be pedestrianised daily from 4pm to 11.59pm from January 30 to February 1, from 12 noon to 3am the following day on February 2 and 3, and from 4pm on February 4 to 8am the following day:

– Lockhart Road east of Cannon Street;
– East Point Road; and
– Great George Street west of Paterson Street.

B. Road closure

     The following roads may be closed daily from 10am to 23.59pm from January 30 to February 1, and daily from 10am to 3am the following day on February 2 and 3:

– The access road of Electric Road to the car park of Park Towers between Yacht Street and Hing Fat Street, except for vehicles heading to Park Towers car park;
– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and green minibuses (GMBs);
– The lay-by on Hing Fat Street near Lau Li Street;
– Lau Li Street between Hing Fat Street and Ngan Mok Street (parking meters and disable parking spaces will not be affected); and
– If necessary, half lane of Electric Road between Gordon Road and Yacht Street will be closed to extend the pedestrian area.

     The following roads may be closed daily from 4pm to 23.59pm from January 30 to February 1, and daily from 4pm to 3am the following day on February 2 and 3:  

– Sugar Street;
– Northbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and Great George Street;
– Great George Street;
– Paterson Street;
– Cleveland Street;
– Northbound Gloucester Road between Great George Street and Tai Hang Road flyover (Northbound Tai Hang Flyover towards Central will remain open);
– Kingston Street; and
– Southbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and Causeway Bay flyover.
     
     The following roads may be closed daily from 4pm to 3am the following day on February 2 and 3:

– Lockhart Road east of Percival Street;
– Jaffe Road east of Percival Street; and
– Cannon Street.

     The following roads will be closed on February 4 by stages:

Stage 1 (from 10am or when necessary)

– Electric Road between Lau Li Street and Hing Fat Street, except for vehicles heading to Park Towers car park;
– Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and GMBs;
– The lay-by on Hing Fat Street near Lau Li Street;
– Lau Li Street between Hing Fat Street and Ngan Mok Street;
– If necessary, half lane of Electric Road between Gordon Road and Yacht Street will be closed to extend the pedestrian area.

Stage 2 （from 4pm or when necessary）

– Sugar Street; and
– Northbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and Great George Street.

Stage 3A （from 5pm or when necessary）

– Cleveland Street;
– Kingston Street;
– Paterson Street;
– Great George Street between Paterson Street and Gloucester Road; and
– Jardine's Bazaar.

Stage 3B （from 7pm or when necessary, except for franchised buses, GMBs and trams）

– Eastbound Hennessy Road between Percival Street and East Point Road;
– Eastbound Yee Wo Street;
– The leftmost lane of Pennington Street between Irving Street and Yee Wo Street;
– Eastbound Causeway Road between King’s Road and Moreton Terrace;
– Westbound Hennessy Road between Jardine’s Bazaar and Percival Street; and
– Irving Street.

Stage 4A (from 8pm or when necessary)

– Lockhart Road east of Percival Street;
– Jaffe Road east of Percival Street;
– Cannon Street; and
– Shelter Street.

Stage 4B (from 9pm or when necessary)

– Southbound Gloucester Road between Causeway Road and the down ramp of Causeway Bay flyover;
– Tai Hang Road flyover;
– Northbound Causeway Bay flyover;
– If necessary, the leftmost lane of Causeway Road between Tung Lo Wan Road (eastern section) and Tung Lo Wan Road (western section); and
– If necessary, Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Li Street, except for franchised buses and GMBs.

C. Traffic diversions

     Lau Li Street between Electric Road and Hing Fat Street will be re-routed one-way westbound with no access for public light buses from 5pm or when necessary on February 4.

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 9pm on February 4 or when necessary:

– Vehicles heading for southbound Tai Hang Road flyover will be diverted to eastbound Victoria Park Road, Wing Hing Street and King’s Road; and
– Vehicles heading for northbound Tai Hang Road flyover will be diverted to Tung Lo Wan Road, Moreton Terrace and Leighton Road for Central and Western District direction.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     All car parks and vehicular accesses within the closed roads will be suspended until further notice:

     All parking spaces in Hing Fat Street Car Park will be suspended from 10am on February 2 to 10am on February 5, except for disabled parking spaces.

     All on-street public parking spaces at the following locations will be suspended from 2pm on February 4 to 8am the following day:

– The closed roads mentioned above;
– Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Lockhart Road between Canal Road East and Cannon Street;
– Jaffe Road between Canal Road East and Cannon Street;
– Tsing Fung Street; and
– Lau Li Street.

E. Prohibition to learner drivers

     Learner drivers cannot use the following roads from 4pm on February 4 to 8am the following day:

– Leighton Road;
– Tin Lok Lane;
– Caroline Hill Road;
– Eastern Hospital Road;
– Tai Hang Road north of Lai Tak Tsuen Road;
– Tung Lo Wan Road;
– Electric Road south of Gordon Road;
– Morrison Hill Road north of Queen's Road East;
– Hennessy Road;
– Yee Wo Street;
– Causeway Road;
– King's Road;
– Gloucester Road service road;
– Hing Fat Street;
– Westbound Tin Hau Temple Road west of Cloud View Road; and
– Eastbound Wan Chai Road.
     
     Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport to go to the Fair.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of special traffic arrangements may be towed away without prior warning or subjected to multiple ticketing.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Motorists are advised to drive with care and patience and follow the instructions of the Police on site.

     A Sri Lankan illegal worker holding a recognisance form was jailed at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on January 26.

     Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in January. Enforcement officers arrested one Sri Lankan man, aged 39, conveying goods in Kwai Chung. Upon identity checking, he was found to be a holder of a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment, and further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant.  

     The illegal worker was charged at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on January 26 with taking employment after landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration or while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.
 
     The ImmD spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases.
      
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
      
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase, and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, on adjusting the eligible age for elderly Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) after attending a special meeting of the Panel on Welfare Services of the Legislative Council today (January 28):
 
Reporter: All the political parties are actually asking the Government to shelve the age change. Why does that not warrant the Government to consider shelving the whole idea?
 
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The policy decision has been made for more than two years already. The discussion has been thoroughly discussed and options have been considered, and the Government considered the present decision is proper. The only thing that we need to improve is the way that we are going to deliver, and to help those who are needing help to assist them to find jobs. I think that is the reason why we are making some of the refinements, so to speak, to accommodate the views of the community.
 
Reporter: Even though you are worsening the relationship with all the political parties, it is still good for you to go ahead with this policy change?
 
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: We will try our very best to improve the working relationship between the executive and the legislature.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, January 28, 2019 is 103.3 (down 0.2 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, January 26, 2019 was 103.5 (down 0.2 against last Friday's index).

     Hong Kong Customs has successfully prosecuted a manicurist of a nail parlour for engaging in misleading omission commercial practice under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO). The manicurist was sentenced today (January 28) at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts to carrying out community service of 80 hours. She was also ordered to pay the victim $300 in compensation.

     Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a staff member of a nail parlour had engaged in unfair trade practices in the sale of nail beautifying services. After investigation, the manicurist was suspected of misleading a customer to believe that a series of nail treatments were included in the purchased treatment plan. After delivering some of the treatments, the manicurist told the customer that additional charges would be required to complete the remaining procedures. A prosecution was subsequently made.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence of engaging in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).