The Labour Department announced today (June 21) that, due to passageway blockage at Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, services at the Recruitment Centre for the Catering Industry and the Recruitment Centre for the Retail Industry, both located on G/F, and the Hong Kong East Job Centre on 34/F are suspended this afternoon.

     Correctional officers stopped a 29-year-old female person in custody attempting suicide by hanging in the institution hospital of Tai Lam Centre for Women today (June 21).

     At 7.56am today, a correctional officer found the person in custody attempting suicide by hanging herself with a bedsheet tied to the grille bars of the cell inside the institution hospital. The officer immediately called for reinforcement and stopped the act. The person in custody was found conscious. She did not need to be sent to a public hospital after receiving treatment provided by the institution Medical Officer. A clinical psychologist of the department will follow up on the case.

     The department uses all possible measures to prevent persons in custody from attempting suicide or self-harm. These measures include administrative arrangements, improvement of institution facilities, staff training and first aid services.

     The person in custody was sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of trafficking in a dangerous drug in October 2018.

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

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 21) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).

     Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 11 as Fair (Grade 2) and 13 as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Grade 2 beaches are:

Grade 3 beaches are:

* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
** Big Wave Bay Beach has been temporarily closed since June 4 due to the urgent works by Drainage Services Department at a nearby stream. The beach will be closed until further notice.

      Compared with the grading released last week, Kwun Yam Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Graded 1; Butterfly Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2; Big Wave Bay Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Cafeteria Old Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Kadoorie Beach and Silver Mine Bay Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.

     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades 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.

     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.

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

     A woman was fined $10,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts today (June 21) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in December last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Castle Peak Road in Yuen Long. During the inspection, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on an hourly basis.
      
     According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of inspection. The woman 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 will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through 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".