Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 17) seized about 2.2 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and about 270 grams of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $1.3 million in Cheung Sha Wan. … read more
A Bangladeshi worker holding a recognisance form was jailed at Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (September 17).
Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in August. Enforcement officers arrested a male Bangladeshi worker, aged 40, was found working as odd-job worker in a flat under renovation in Yuen Long. Upon identity checking, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant.
The illegal worker was charged at Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday 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. read more
Veteran Cantonese opera stars Chan Ho-kau, Yau Sing-po and Yuen Siu-fai will collaborate with other Cantonese opera performers and talented young actors in an upcoming production entitled “Four Generations on Stage”.
Each performance will showcase three of Guan Hanqing’s plays, which have been adapted for Cantonese opera playlets by the acclaimed Cantonese opera artist Yuen Siu-fai. Details of the performances are as follows:
November 4 (Sunday) 7.30pm
Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall
Ticket: $120, $180, $240 and $300
November 19 (Monday) 7.30pm
Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre
Ticket: $120, $220, $300 and $380
December 3 (Monday) 7.30pm
Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall
Ticket: $120, $220, $300 and $380
The first short play, “Saving a Prostitute”, follows a courtesan named Song Yinzhang who pledges her love for scholar An Xiushi. But, lured by the sweet talk of a rogue called Zhou She, Song Yinzhang marries Zhou She instead, despite the disapproval of her confidante, Zhao Paner. After marriage, Song Yinzhang suffers from the abusive Zhou She, and seeks help from Zhao Paner. Zhao Paner then devises a scheme to trick Zhou She into divorcing Song Yinzhang. With the divorce letter, Song Yinzhang is free. An Xiushi and Song Yinzhang finally become husband and wife.
The second short play, “The Riverside Pavilion”, follows a scholar official, Bai Shizhong, who meets a widow, Tan Jier, and the two are married. But Yang the Court Officer wants to have Tan Jier for himself, so he lies to the Emperor to obtain an imperial decree and a sword to have Bai Shizhong executed. Tan Jier disguises herself as a fishmonger and meets Yang the Court Officer at the Riverside Pavilion. Tan Jier flirts with him and gets him drunk, then escapes with the imperial decree and the sword. Yang’s fraudulent claim is discovered and his official title is taken away.
The third short play, “Meeting the Enemies Alone”, is set in the Three Kingdoms period. To demand the return of Jingzhou to the Wu Kingdom, Lu Su invites Guan Yu to a banquet across the river where an ambush is waiting. Knowing very well that it is a set-up, Guan Yu goes to the banquet with his attendant Zhou Cang, while his sons Guan Ping and Guan Xing stand by as reinforcements near the river. At the banquet, Guan Yu and Lu Su confront each other with their weapons after a few drinks. When Lu Su loses, Guan Yu takes him hostage on his boat, so that Lu Su dares not order his ambushers to attack. Guan Yu returns to his camp unscathed.
In addition to the three veteran stars, the cast includes Szeto Chui-ying, Ng Lap-hei, Li Qiuyuan, Lee Lung, Chui Yuet-ming, Chan Wing-yee, Tong Yuen-ying, Kwok Chun-sing, Leung Wai-hong, Cheung Kit-ha, Wan Yuk-yu, Jim Ho-fung, Sun Kim-long, Loong Koon-tin and Lo Lai-see.
“Four Generations on Stage” is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_618.html.
A post-performance talk (in Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on December 11 (Tuesday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Speakers will include Yuen Siu-fai, Li Qiuyuan and Wan Yuk-yu, and the moderator is Barbara Tang. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. read more
Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible: Here is an item of interest to swimmers. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced t… read more
The Labour Department (LD) will hold a large-scale job fair at Tuen Mun Town Hall on September 20 and 21.
With the theme of “Middle-aged and Elderly Employment”, the job fair aims to enhance the employment opportunities of mature job seekers. A total of 44 organisations, mainly from the catering, retail and property management industries, offering about 5 200 vacancies, will participate in the fair. They will set up counters and conduct on-the-spot recruitment.
The vacancies offered cover a wide variety of positions including clerk, gardener, Chinese medicine pharmaceutical staff, customer service assistant, shop assistant, optometrist, physiotherapist, security guard, driver, car park attendant, cook, waiter/waitress and technician. Job seekers can find more information on the LD’s Interactive Employment Service website (www.jobs.gov.hk).
Around 71 per cent of the vacancies are full-time jobs, most of which offer monthly salaries ranging from $8,000 to $18,000. The remaining 29 per cent of the vacancies are part-time jobs, with more flexible working hours. About 98 per cent of the vacancies require a Secondary Six education level or below. Around 80 per cent are open to job seekers who may lack relevant experience.
Job seekers can submit applications on the spot and may be selected for on-site interviews. They can also make enquiries on the employment programmes and services provided by the LD at its counter at the venue.
The job fair will be held from 11am to 5.30pm at the Exhibition Gallery, 1/F, Tuen Mun Town Hall, 3 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun. Admission is free. read more