Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 31) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).

     Twenty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 15 as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	South Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	St Stephen’s Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers’ Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach	Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Pui O Beach
Casam Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Golden Beach

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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.

     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 EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Note 1: In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on July 13 that all beaches would be temporarily closed from July 15 until further notice.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, July 31, 2020 is 106.1 (down 0.3 against yesterday’s index). read more

     In line with the extension of the special work arrangements announced by the Government, the Government Records Service (GRS) today (July 31) announced that during the period between August 3 to August 9, the Search Room of the… read more

     A man was fined $1,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts today (July 31) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.

     The court heard that in September last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department, when searching the Internet for intelligence about unlicensed guesthouse activities, identified a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Tsing Ying Road in Tuen Mun. The OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis through an Internet platform.

     According to the OLA’s records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of lodging. The man 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 can lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years’ imprisonment. Guesthouse licensees may advertise or offer to provide sleeping accommodation on the Internet. To assist the public and tourists to identify licensed guesthouses, the licensees should indicate clearly “Licensed guesthouse” in all promotional advertisement materials or advertisements related to the guesthouse.

     â€‹The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA by 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”. read more

     In line with the extension of special work arrangements for government employees in response to the latest situation of COVID-19, the Planning Department (PlanD) announced today (July 31) that the department will continue … read more