Three persons were convicted and fined a total of $12,000 today (July 8) at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) as a result of illegal waste disposal at Chung Hom Kok Road and Pak Pat Shan Road in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spares no effort to combat illegal waste disposal activities on all fronts. In addition to being assisted by surveillance camera systems in law enforcement, the EPD enhances inspections of fly-tipping black spots in various districts and carries out blitz operations according to a risk-based strategy. In December last year, the EPD successfully intercepted two cases of illegal waste disposal at Chung Hom Kok Road in Stanley and Pak Pat Shan Road in Tai Tam. Three offenders were caught in the blitz operation, which was proactively carried out in Southern District by the EPD based on analysis of intelligence and information collected at the scene. The waste deposited, including debris and waste produced from demolition in renovation works, not only created obstruction to passages, but also caused environmental hygiene problems.

     A spokesman for the EPD reminded all members of the renovation, construction and transportation sectors that they must properly deliver commercial and industrial waste as well as construction waste to government waste management facilities in accordance with the law. Under the WDO, first-time offenders who dispose of waste in public places are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 8) announced the results of a recently completed targeted food surveillance project on coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms (including Staphylococcus aureus) in ready-to-eat food. All samples passed the test.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said that a total of 300 ready-to-eat food samples were collected from different retail outlets (including online retailers) and food factories for testing of coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms this year. The samples included meat, poultry and their products (for example shredded chicken, siu mei and lo mei), salad, sashimi and sushi, dessert, Chinese cold dishes, sandwiches and steamed rice rolls.
 
     The spokesman pointed out that Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that can cause food poisoning. It exists widely in the environment and is commonly found in the nasal cavity, throat, hair and skin of healthy individuals. It is also present in large numbers in wounds and infected regions. If food handlers do not observe good personal hygiene, Staphylococcus aureus can pass to foods from them. Foods stored at ambient temperature for a prolonged period will allow the toxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus to multiply and form elaborate enterotoxins which can cause food poisoning. Although most cases of infection are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, other coagulase-positive staphylococci species can also produce enterotoxins which can lead to food poisoning.
 
     Food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms is usually associated with foods that require considerable manual handling during preparation and no subsequent cooking is required before consumption. The poisoning risk cannot be eliminated by reheating as enterotoxins produced by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms cannot be destroyed under normal cooking temperatures. Common symptoms of food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, often accompanied by diarrhoea.
 
     "Despite the fact that test results of the samples were all satisfactory, the trade and the public should not take the risk lightly. They should always maintain good personal, environmental and food hygiene to ensure food safety. To prevent food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms, members of the public are reminded to keep perishable foods or leftovers at or below 4 degrees Celsius or above 60 degrees C. The trade should adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practice that cooked food should be cooled from 60 degrees C to 20 degrees C as quickly as possible (within two hours), and from 20 degrees C to 4 degrees C within four hours or less," the spokesman said.

     The Task Force on School-based Management (SBM) Policy today (July 8) submitted its review report to the Education Bureau (EDB).
 
      The Chairman of the Task Force, Mr Tim Lui, said, "Since its establishment in November 2017, the Task Force has looked into the current implementation of the SBM policy in aided schools and related issues carefully. During the review process, the Task Force had launched an extensive consultation to collect views from the education sector and stakeholders for formulating the final recommendations."
 
       He added that the Task Force had considered all the views collected and hoped that with the joint efforts of the Government and the education sector, the recommendations of the Task Force will be fully carried out to achieve greater effectiveness in implementing the SBM policy, thereby fostering the provision of quality education that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
 
     The Task Force set up under the Education Commission (EC) has put forward a total of 27 recommendations with a view to improving the quality of governance, strengthening the administration capabilities of schools and unleashing capacity for teachers and principals, and enhancing the participation of major stakeholders in school governance. These include, among others, the provision of additional resources to strengthen administrative support of schools and management committees, streamlining of school administration, enhancement of training and support for school managers, proposal of soft training indicators for school supervisors and managers, and strengthening of communication between the EDB/Incorporated Management Committees and stakeholders. Despite the fact that complaint handling lies beyond the scope of the SBM policy, the Task Force, in view of the extensive discussion and concerns of the sector about handling of teachers' complaints in early 2019, deemed it necessary to deliberate on this issue and make recommendations for improvement in a bid to further enhance the fairness, impartiality and acceptance of the complaint handling mechanism. The recommendations are set out in the Annex.
 
     Having received the review report, the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung said, "I would like to express my heart-felt gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Task Force for their hard work and contributions to the review. The Task Force has been dedicated to conducting a thorough and in-depth review on SBM and various key issues with professional insight and wide engagement of stakeholders, before making the pragmatic and constructive recommendations.
 
     "The EDB attaches great importance to the effective implementation of SBM. We have earlier adopted the Task Force's preliminary views and announced that as from the 2019/20 school year, all public sector schools (including special schools) and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme would be provided with additional resources of $570 million each year to strengthen the administrative support for schools and their management committees, including the implementation of the 'One Executive Officer for Each School' policy. The EDB will further study the review report and consider the recommendations in detail for mapping out the way forward."
 
     The full review report can be viewed on the EC website at www.e-c.edu.hk/en/publications_and_related_documents/education_reports.html.
 

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, July 8, 2019 is 105.4 (same as last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, July 6, 2019 is 105.4 (up 0.2 against last Friday's index).

     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a restaurant in Tsuen Wan to suspend business for 14 days as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally.
   
     The restaurant, located on the ground floor at 75 Lo Tak Court, Tsuen Wan, was ordered to suspend business from today (July 8) to July 21.
   
     "In February this year, two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the restaurant. A total fine of $6,000 was levied by the court and 30 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the 14-day licence suspension," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.
   
     The licensee of the restaurant had a record of two convictions for the same offence in March and December in 2017. A total fine of $3,500 was levied and 30 demerit points were registered. The breaches led to licence suspension for seven days in March last year.
   
     The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.
   
     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/index.html).