Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 27) that due to urgent maintenance works caused by a burst water pipe, Lai Chi Kok Park Swimming Pool in Sham Shui Po District has been temporarily closed until further notice.
The Drainage Services Department (DSD) and the Environmental Protection Department announced today (December 27) that after three months of emergency repairs, most of the mechanical equipment that was damaged by typhoon Mangkhut at the Sai Kung Sewage Treatment Works (SKSTW) has been fixed. The SKSTW fully resumed its secondary sewage treatment operation in accordance with its original design capability last week and its effluent fully complied with the associated discharge standards. The installation of the newly purchased UV disinfection system also commenced in December. Its testing and commissioning works are expected to be completed in January 2019.
To strengthen the resilience of the SKSTW's seawall against high waves under extreme weather conditions, the DSD completed the preliminary strengthening works for the damaged seawall in October with the assistance of the Civil Engineering and Development Department. Further enhancement works is expected to be completed by mid 2019.
Hongkong Post announced today (December 27) the release of a set of special stamps themed on the Year of the Pig, together with associated philatelic products, which will go on sale on January 12 (Saturday).
An integral part of Chinese history and culture, the 12 Chinese zodiac animals convey good wishes and bear symbolic meanings, and have therefore been a popular theme in arts and crafts since ancient times. To herald the arrival of the Year of the Pig in 2019, Hongkong Post presents the stamps as the eighth issue of the fourth Lunar New Year special stamp series, featuring a set of four stamps portraying pigs in different art forms, namely, cloth art, woodcarving, ceramic and jade, to underscore the theme of the Year of the Pig. A silk stamp sheetlet featuring a gold mother pig and piglets pendant against a background of graceful and enchanting peonies to usher in a propitious year ahead, will also be issued to mark the joyous occasion.
Furthermore, Hongkong Post is releasing a Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Dog/Pig as the seventh issue of the second series. The dog stamp is hot-foiled with silver while the pig stamp is affixed with 22K gold-plated lace metal. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, this stamp sheetlet makes a perfect collectible. Additionally, as the second issue of the second series, Hongkong Post is releasing "Silver Hot Foil Lunar New Year Animal Stamps – Monkey / Rooster / Dog / Pig" special stamps. Printed in lithography with silver hot foil stamping and an embossing effect, the zodiac animals glitter and shine, bringing vigour and vitality to herald the new year.
Two Heartwarming Stamps (2019 Version) Year of the Pig mini-panes, which adopt the respective designs of the $2 and the $4.90 mint stamps in the "Year of the Pig" special stamp issue of 2019, will be released for sale at all philatelic offices from January 12.
In addition to stamps, Year of the Pig red packets, featuring images of the four mint stamps on the same theme, will go on sale at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office, as well as Hongkong Post's Online Shopping Mall "ShopThruPost" (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk), starting from January 12 while stock lasts.
Official First Day Covers for the Year of the Pig, official souvenir covers for the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Dog / Pig" and official souvenir covers for the "Silver Hot Foil Lunar New Year Animal Stamps – Monkey / Rooster / Dog / Pig" will be put on sale at $1.30 each at all post offices from December 28. A prestige version of the aforesaid covers will also be available at $8 each at all philatelic offices on the same day.
These items will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office from the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from December 28 to January 3.
In addition to the above products, a newly designed 2019 Souvenir Cover will be put on sale at $1.30 at all philatelic offices, as well as Hongkong Post's Online Shopping Mall "ShopThruPost" (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from December 28, 2018 to December 31, 2019.
All philatelic offices will extend their operating hours until 5pm on January 12, except for the General Post Office and the Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office which will be open until 6pm and the Airport Post Office until 8.30pm. Non-philatelic post offices will be open during their normal business hours (please refer to Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.hk for details).
Information about this special stamp issue and associated philatelic products is available on Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.hk and Hongkong Post Mobile App.
The Lands Department announced today (December 27) that the tender for a site, New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6575 at Kai Tak Area 4B Site 2, Kai Tak, Kowloon, has been awarded to the highest tenderer, Macfull Limited (parent company: China Overseas Land and Investment Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $8,033,880,000.
The tenderers, other than the successful tenderer, in alphabetical order, with the name of the parent company where provided by the tenderer in brackets, were:
(1) Castle Energy Limited (Chime Corporation Limited);
(2) Centenary Investments Limited (CK Asset Holdings Limited);
(3) Dragon Star HK Investments Limited (K Wah International Holdings Limited and Sino Land Company Limited);
(4) Infinite Sun Limited (Wheelock Properties Limited, New World Development Company Limited, Henderson Land Development Company Limited and Empire Development Hong Kong (BVI) Limited); and
(5) World Dynasty (HK) Limited (Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited).
New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6575 has a site area of about 9 048 square metres and is designated for private residential purposes. The minimum gross floor area is 33 116 sq m and the maximum gross floor area that may be attained is 55 192 sq m.
A Pakinstani illegal worker holding a recognisance form was jailed at Shatin Magistrates' Courts on December 24.
Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in September. Enforcement officers arrested one male Pakinstani worker, aged 25, conveying goods in Kwun Tong. Upon identity checking, he was found to be a holder of a recognisance form issued by ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment, and further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
The illegal worker was charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts on December 24 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 18 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.