The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, July 13, 2020 is 106.9 (down 0.1 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, July 11, 2020 was 107 (down 0.2 against last Friday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (July 13) announced that confirmation was received from the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) earlier on the approval of seven applications of non-locally trained doctors for practice with limited registration in public hospitals to help relieve the frontline workload. Among the seven applications, three are new applications while the other four are for renewal. The seven doctors will be serving in anaesthesia, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, paediatrics and radiology departments.
 
     The HA spokesperson said that the recruitment of non-locally trained doctors will continue. Selection interviews by user departments will be arranged for eligible applicants. The HA will submit limited registration applications to the MCHK for the non-locally trained doctors who are considered suitable for appointment according to their intended date of reporting duty.
 
     Currently, there are 26 non-locally trained doctors working in public hospitals under limited registrations to relieve the manpower shortage and workload pressure of frontline doctors in the specialties of anaesthesia, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, radiology and surgery. 
 
     From April this year, the recruitment criteria of non-locally trained doctors with limited registration in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and paediatrics have been updated to include eligible applicants with pre-intermediate qualifications recognised by the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, aiming to attract more eligible applicants and alleviate the heavy workload of frontline doctors. The HA currently recruits non-locally trained doctors as Service Residents in all specialties, and non-locally trained specialists at the rank of Associate Consultant in specialties which face a significant shortage of specialists (including anaesthesia, anatomical pathology, cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngology, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, radiology, nuclear medicine, neurosurgery and plastic surgery).

     An Indonesian illegal worker holding a recognisance form was jailed by Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on July 11.

     During operation "Twilight" conducted on July 8, Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators raided a bar in Central. A female Indonesian illegal worker, aged 40, was arrested while working as a cleaning worker. 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. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was also arrested and an investigation is ongoing.

     The illegal worker was charged at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on July 11 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. She 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 an initial screening on 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 threats 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 intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary has recently been receiving a large number of complaints against the same judge or judicial officer in relation to various judicial decisions and court cases, with such complaints being of an identical or similar nature. As instructed by the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, to enable more efficient communication and handling of such complaints, as of today (July 13), the Secretariat for Complaints against Judicial Conduct may, where appropriate and on the direction of the relevant Court Leader, post the gist of and response to these complaints on its website instead of replying to each complaint individually (www.judiciary.hk/en/about_us/judicial_conduct.html).

     The Judiciary would like to reiterate that complaints against judicial or statutory decisions cannot and will not be handled. The only appropriate way of dealing with any dissatisfaction with judicial or statutory decisions is for the parties to the proceeding to use appropriate legal procedures such as appeal or review. 

     Besides, to avoid undermining judicial independence, complaints with ongoing court proceedings (including appeals) will only be handled after the conclusion of all relevant court proceedings.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     US Dollar Liquidity Facility tender notice:
 

 
Note: Licensed Banks interested in participating in the tender for the first time are encouraged to provide US dollar settlement instructions by email (settlementsection@hkma.gov.hk) to the HKMA's Settlement Team in advance, preferably two days prior to the tender. Required information includes name of corresponding bank, name of final beneficiary (must be the Licensed Bank participating in the tender), and account or CHIPS number of a US dollar bank account to be settled in the US. Such information needs to be provided once only, unless there is further change.