The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold the 16th Cantonese Opera Day on November 25 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) and the Hong Kong Space Museum. Admission is free.
 
   This entertaining annual event includes a film about Cantonese opera, which will start at 10.30am at the Hong Kong Space Museum Lecture Hall, and a variety of activities for family enjoyment to be held at the Piazza, Foyer, Exhibition Gallery and conference rooms of the HKCC, starting at 1pm.
 
   Programmes will include performances of Cantonese opera excerpts and operatic songs; talks; demonstration workshops on Cantonese opera stylised movement and posture; Cantonese opera costume sewing techniques, make-up and dressing-up; Cantonese opera music and singing styles; game stalls; and a Cantonese opera exhibition. Cantonese opera virtuosos Ng Chin-fung, Wan Fai-yin, Sun Kim-long, Nam Fung, Hong Hai, Chan Ka-ming, Wan Yuk-yu, Ko Lai, Wai Chun-fai, Tang Mi-ling, Lam Tin-yau and Cheng Wing-mui will also be present for autograph signing.
 
     To further Hong Kong's image as a centre of Chinese and Western culture, Putonghua and English guided tours will be available to introduce this legendary art form to visitors.
 
     Since 2003, the cultural sectors of Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong have designated the last Sunday of every November as Cantonese Opera Day to promote the valuable vernacular art of Cantonese opera. By holding this territory-wide activity on a regular basis, it is hoped that a broader audience base can be developed to hold the torch of Cantonese opera alight for future generations.
 
   For more information, please refer to the programme leaflet or visit the website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_668.html. For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325.

     Three illegal workers, comprising two Indians and a Vietnamese, were jailed by Shatin Magistrates' Courts on November 9.

     Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators received referrals from the Police to further investigate an illegal employment case in September. Two male Indian illegal workers, aged 27 and 28, were arrested at Tseung Kwan O. When intercepted they were working as delivery workers. Upon identity checking, they produced for inspection recognisance forms issued by the ImmD, which prohibit them from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that they were non-refoulement claimants.
 
     In addition, during an anti-illegal worker operation mounted on November 7, ImmD investigators raided a restaurant in the Mid-levels. A female Vietnamese illegal worker, aged 47, was arrested. When intercepted, she was washing dishes. Upon identity checking, she produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits her from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that she was a non-refoulement claimant. In addition, she was also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged identity card. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
  
     The three illegal workers were charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts on November 9 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. They pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. In addition, the Vietnamese illegal worker was also charged with using a forged Hong Kong identity card and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently, making a total of 18 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.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

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

     The Marine Department today (November 12) reminded masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels navigating in Hong Kong waters to proceed at a safe speed and exercise extreme caution because restricted visibility of less than 2 nautical miles has been reported.

     Appropriate sound signals shall be made when underway or at anchor. All vessels must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea.

     Also, when radar is used without the benefit of adequate plotting facilities, the information obtained from the equipment is rather limited and should be construed accordingly.

     Visibility reports are broadcast by the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) on VHF channels 02, 12, 14, 63 and 67.

     In the event of an accident, a report shall be made immediately to the VTC at Tel: 2233 7801.

     Super Gourmet, a food premises located at Lei Tung Market in Ap Lei Chau, illegally installed furnaces and an exhaust system without obtaining prior approval from the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). The restaurant owner, Fancy Vantage International Limited, was convicted and fined $10,000 at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (November 12) for contravening the Air Pollution Control (Furnaces, Ovens and Chimneys) (Installation and Alteration) Regulations.
      
     The EPD received a complaint from a member of the public this April against the nuisance caused by the cooking fumes emitted from the food premises at Lei Tung Market. Upon investigation, it was found that the total fuel consumption capacity of the cooking equipment installed at Super Gourmet exceeded the statutory limit. However, prior approval had not been given by the EPD for the installation works. In addition, the inappropriate positioning of the outlet of its exhaust system hindered the effective dispersion of emissions, thus affecting nearby residents. The EPD subsequently prosecuted the operating company under the Regulations.
      
     The spokesman reminded members of the food business that if they intend to install or alter furnaces, ovens, chimneys or flues with total gaseous fuel consumption capacity exceeding the exemption limit of 1150 megajoules per hour, they have to submit an application to the EPD for the installation or alteration works in accordance with the regulations requirements, and such works can only be carried out after obtaining approval from the EPD. In addition, the exhaust system and other air pollution control systems of fuel-burning equipment should be properly designed to avoid causing air pollution or nuisance to the public.
      
     According to the Air Pollution Control (Furnaces, Ovens and Chimneys) (Installation and Alteration) Regulations, offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and a daily fine of $500 may be imposed for a continuing offence.

The following is issued on behalf of the Advisory Committee on Arts Development:
 
     The Advisory Committee on Arts Development (ACAD) today (November 12) launched the eighth-round funding exercise under the Arts Capacity Development Funding Scheme (ACDFS). The ACDFS provides funding support for innovative and impactful proposals that contribute to the capacity development objectives of arts practitioners, arts groups, art forms and/or the arts sector, programme/content development, audience building and arts education, including large-scale and cross-year arts and cultural initiatives and covering various art forms such as performing arts, visual and media arts, arts education, arts administration, community arts and multi-disciplinary arts. The ACAD hopes that the scheme will help cultivate a supportive culture for arts in the community and foster a tripartite partnership between the Government, arts groups and the private sector to promote arts and cultural development in Hong Kong.
      
     Assessment criteria for applications include artistic/professional merit, creativity and originality, impact on the arts sector and the community, technical feasibility and financial viability of the proposed initiatives and activities, as well as the experience and execution capability of the applicant and participating arts practitioners.
      
     The ACDFS will disburse an annual provision of approximately $30 million in the form of Springboard Grants and Project Grants.
      
     Springboard Grants are matching grants that support arts groups in their overall development, elevating them to a higher level of professional operation. The minimum pledged income or sponsorship of applicant arts groups is $1 million, of which not less than $250,000 has to come from non-government sponsorship and/or private donation. A 200 per cent matching grant up to a maximum amount of $3 million may be provided and the funding period may last for a maximum of two years. Successful applicants with proven performance may apply for a second Springboard Grant up to a maximum amount of $4.5 million with a funding period of three years at most. For a second Springboard Grant, the minimum pledged income or sponsorship for arts groups is $1.5 million, of which not less than $375,000 has to come from non-government sponsorship and/or private donation. It is envisaged that a maximum grant of $7.5 million for two terms of support in five years will help promote the growth of an arts group.
      
     Project Grants are direct grants which provide successful applicants with funding support up to a ceiling of $2 million to organise large-scale and impactful projects, which may require a longer duration for implementation. The overall expenditure of the proposed activities in an application should be at or above $800,000.
      
     The eighth-round funding exercise under the ACDFS is open for application from today to January 4, 2019 (up to 6pm). The Guide to Application and relevant materials have been uploaded to the website of the Home Affairs Bureau (www.hab.gov.hk). Application workshops will be held on November 15 and 22 and details can be found on the above website. ACAD expects that application results will be released around June 2019.