Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 11) called on the public to stop consuming loose-pack boletes sold at a shop in Sheung Wan as the mushrooms concerned were suspected to contain inedible or poisonous species of mushrooms.

     A CFS spokesman said, “The CFS is following up on a food poisoning case suspected to have been caused by consuming boletus, which was referred earlier by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health. According to an assessment by a mycologist, the mushroom dish concerned contained inedible or poisonous species of mushrooms. Follow-up investigation showed that the mushrooms concerned came from a shop in Sheung Wan and were already sold out. The shop has initiated a recall according to the CFS’ instructions. Members of the public may call the shop at 2517 7333 for enquiries during office hours.”

     The CFS appealed to members of the public who had purchased boletes from the abovementioned shop earlier not to consume them. If symptoms develop after consuming the food, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

     Mushroom poisoning is generally acute and manifested by a variety of symptoms, depending on the species and amount consumed. The incubation period is usually short. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain are the commonest symptoms. Sometimes distinguishing features such as extreme thirst, profuse sweating, hallucination, coma and other neurological symptoms may occur.

     Consumers are advised to heed the following points when buying and eating fresh mushrooms:

• Do not buy mushroom products which are doubted to have carried a mix of unknown species;
• Do not buy mushrooms which look unhygienic (with growing substrates left with the product) or show signs of spoilage (with coloured spots/abnormal smell/slime, etc);
• Wash and cook mushrooms thoroughly before consumption; and
• Seek medical treatment immediately if mushroom poisoning is suspected.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take necessary action to safeguard food safety and public health. read more

     Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the press conference on education initiatives in the Chief Executive’s 2018 Policy Address today (October 11):
 
     Education is the key to nurturing talent, which is the most important element in Hong Kong’s continuous development. We therefore propose in this year’s Policy Address a wide range of new initiatives to improve the quality of education. Some of which are based on the recommendations of the various task forces set up last year for reviewing the major policy areas in education. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the stakeholders involved.
 
     First, we will inject $20 billion into the Research Endowment Fund to help attract and retain talents. We will also launch a new Research Matching Grant Scheme with a total commitment of $3 billion for three years. Besides, the Research Grants Council will introduce three new regular Fellowship Schemes for post-doctoral fellows, and researchers at associate professor and professor ranks. We believe these initiatives will foster a stronger research culture, thereby promoting the vigorous development of industries and technological innovation. These are conducive to Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology hub.
 
     Secondly, we are implementing measures to support our teachers. All teaching posts in public sector primary and secondary schools will be converted to graduate posts in the 2019/20 school year. We will also provide public sector schools and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) with additional resources of $570 million each year to strengthen the administrative support for schools and their management committees.
 
     Thirdly, regarding our students, we will provide, starting from the 2019/20 school year, a new recurrent Life-wide Learning Grant with an annual provision of $900 million to support public sector schools and DSS schools to enable students to broaden their horizons and foster their whole-person development. Furthermore, we will enhance our support for students with special educational needs (SEN). The Learning Support Grant, Intensive Remedial Teaching Programme and Integrated Education Programme will be restructured, with doubling the grant rate for tier-3 support and the provision of permanent teaching posts. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator post of schools with comparatively large number of SEN students will be upgraded to a promotion rank, and the Enhanced School-based Educational Psychology Service will be extended. We will also provide schools with more comprehensive school-based speech therapy services. All these mean an $800 million increase of recurrent expenditure on integrated education.

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     Police today (October 11) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kwai Chung.      Hou Po-hing, aged 53, went missing after he was last seen in a hostel on Shek Yam Road yester… read more

     The Immigration Department (Immd) mounted a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed “Sahara” yesterday (October 10) to combat illegal employment activities in Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po and Tsui Sha Tsui districts. A total of 13 illegal workers, 12 suspected employers and an overstayer were arrested. 

     During operation “Sahara”, enforcement officers raided 1 176 target locations including restaurants, guest houses, motels, street stalls, shops, a salon and residential flats. Thirteen illegal workers and 12 employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised 10 men and three women, aged 22 to 47. Among them, seven men and a woman were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. Meanwhile, 10 men and two women, aged from 21 to 92, were suspected of employing the illegal workers. A female overstayer, aged 36, was also arrested.

     “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” an ImmD spokesman said.
 
     The 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. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
 
     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 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, as a standard procedure, will 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.

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     IBI Limited, the renovation works contractor of Eaton Hotel Hong Kong at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, caused dust dispersion when loading and unloading construction waste into a skip near the hotel. The contractor was convicted at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (October 11) for contravening the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation. The works contractor and its sub-contractor were also convicted on October 4 for the illegal installation of a signboard using powered mechanical equipment during night-time, which contravened the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO). The contractor and its sub-contractor were fined a total of $40,000 for these two cases.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) received a complaint in March this year that several skips were placed at the roadside near the hotel for loading of construction waste generated by the renovation works of the hotel, which caused dust dispersion and affected pedestrians and nearby residents. EPD enforcement officers conducted an investigation on-site and found that the contractor concerned had not taken any precautionary measures to control the spread of dust when loading and unloading construction waste, causing dust dispersion. During the same period of time, the contractor and its sub-contractor were also found to install a signboard using an electric drill after 7pm and caused noise nuisance to nearby residents. The contractor concerned did not apply for the relevant construction noise permit (CNP) before the commencement of the works. Upon investigation and evidence gathering, the EPD subsequently prosecuted the contractor and its sub-contractor accordingly.

     The spokesman said that renovation works contractors should comply with the Regulation and the NCO to avoid affecting nearby residents and the environment. Anyone who violates the Regulation is liable to a fine of $25,000 for the first offence, while first-time offenders who violate the NCO are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. A maximum fine of $200,000 may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions. read more