The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 is 104 (down 0.2 against yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (October 8) announced the appointment of Ms Michelle Lam Mei-sze as a District Judge. The appointment will take effect on October 9, 2024.

     The appointment is made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

     Further judicial appointments will be announced in due course.

     The biographical note of Ms Lam is as follows:

     Ms Lam was born in Hong Kong in 1969. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1990. She further obtained an LL.B. from the University of London, the United Kingdom, and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2000 and 2001 respectively. She obtained an LL.M. from the Renmin University of China in 2006 and became a Mediator accredited by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution in 2010. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2001. She was in private practice from 2002 until she was appointed as Permanent Magistrate in 2012.

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     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 8) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on October 7 to noon today (October 8), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 206 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 90 645 samples of food imported from Japan (including 57 844 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 20 456 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 8) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Trzebnica District of DolnoÅ›lÄ…skie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 620 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland in the first six months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.