The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (August 21) chaired the fourth meeting of the third-term Human Resources Planning Commission. At the meeting, representatives of t… read more
The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, chaired the fifth meeting of the Task Force on District Governance today (August 21) to follow up on the initiatives endorsed by the Steering Committee on District Governance. The meeting co-ordinated the preparatory work of various bureaux and departments for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the implementation progress of eight district issues.
Mr Cheuk said, “This year’s October 1 anniversary marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, which holds great commemorative value and significance. I am pleased to note that the preparatory work of various bureaux and departments has entered the final stage. They will launch a series of celebratory activities rich in content and diversity around National Day this year, and mobilise the support and collaboration of different sectors and organisations in the community. Members of the public will definitely be able to bask in a colourful and enthusiastic National Day atmosphere, and share in the joy of National Day together.”
The Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration has formulated an enhanced mechanism to handle some common complaints at the district level, and strategies in relation to eight district issues, covering areas of support for children and the elderly, environmental hygiene, law and order, road safety, pedestrian facilities and estate environment, as well as digital inclusion. The Task Force continued to follow up on the implementation details and progress of the relevant items at this meeting as follows:
(1) Expanding after-school care service and enhancing support for parents
The trial of the School-based After School Care Service Pilot Scheme will be extended to the 2024/25 school year and 100 primary schools in 18 districts, providing a total of 6 000 service places.
(2) Caring for the elderly and enhancing community support
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is gradually adding about 60 sets of covered seats to outdoor venues in 18 districts to promote active ageing in the community. This year, the LCSD will also organise about 80 free Briefings on Outdoor Fitness Training for about 2 000 participants, targeting mainly the elderly.
Under the Social Welfare Department’s pilot scheme, as at the end of this July, the District Services and Community Care Teams of Tsuen Wan and Southern Districts have visited and contacted more than 3 600 households of singleton and doubleton elderly persons, as well as carers of elderly persons and persons with disabilities, and continue to provide follow-up caring and support services.
(3) Fostering clean markets and mobilising the community to participate in anti-rodent work
The Task Force continues to actively follow up on the elimination of individual hygiene blackspots. As regards improving the environment of public markets, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will complete six toilet improvement projects in markets or cooked food markets by the end of 2024, and an additional 26 toilet improvement projects in 2024-26. The FEHD is about to complete the stall improvement works on a trial basis at the Queen Street Cooked Food Market, and plans to continue implementing the Market Modernisation Programme in 2025.
In terms of strengthening anti-rodent work, starting from this year, the FEHD has fully adopted thermal imaging cameras with artificial intelligence technology to conduct Rodent Activity Surveys. The survey for the first half of this year has been completed, and the overall Rodent Absence Rate of the territory is 95.1 per cent.
(4) Enhancing public order and combating crimes on all fronts
Police plan to install closed-circuit television in 615 locations with higher crime figures and busier pedestrian traffic across districts to serve as a deterrent against and an aid in the investigation of street crimes. As at this August, over 250 installations have been completed in various districts. The target is to complete 2 000 installations in 2025.
Police also conducted a number of Operations Levington in the first half of this year, in which they raided a number of venues across the territory and cracked down on money laundering syndicates, illegal gambling establishments, arms depots, drug warehouses and illegal petrol filling stations with notable results.
(5) Improving pedestrian facilities and ensuring road safety
The Highways Department (HyD) is expanding the repaving of footpaths. Among the 40 sections planned for repaving, works on 33 sections already completed. The Transport Department is installing auxiliary pedestrian crossing devices with red light-beam projections at pedestrian crossing black spots in various districts, with devices at 58 locations installed and commissioned. Installation at the remaining 42 locations will be completed within 2024.
(6) Enhancing the walking experience for citizens and creating a pedestrian-friendly environment
The HyD has selected 36 footbridges and pedestrian subways in 18 districts for renovation and beautification works. For the first 18 structures, the beautification designs have been completed, with expected completion by the end of this year. The HyD has also selected 10 suitable locations for installing bench railings for citizens to sit and rest on a trial basis. The installation is expected to be completed within this year.
(7) Improving the environment of public housing estates and creating comfortable homes
The Housing Department has preliminarily reviewed the peripheral environment of 15 public rental housing estates, and has commenced improvement works and design work for areas within the estates.
(8) Caring for the elderly and promoting digital inclusion
The Digital Policy Office has launched in mid-August this year an open invitation for institutions/organisations to submit project proposals for the Digital Inclusion Programme for the Elderlies, with a view to commencing the first batch of projects by the end of this year. The entire programme targets to benefit at least 100 000 elderly persons.
Mr Cheuk received reports from the relevant Heads of Departments on their work. He urged departments and District Councils to actively follow up on the various district initiatives of community interests under the refined district governance structure, with a view to enhancing the sense of achievement and satisfaction of the people.
The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, together with the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene, began a visit to Jiangsu Province today (August 21).
The delegation arrived in Nanjing in the afternoon and visited the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government. They met with Deputy Mayor Mr Ji Tiejun and exchanged experiences on policy measures and the latest developments of various subjects.
Mr Tse said that during the visit, he hoped to learn more about Nanjing’s successful experiences in applying technology to environmental hygiene facilities and street management, exchange views on food safety and learn from Jiangsu Province’s experiences in promoting the sustainable development of fisheries and agriculture, so as to further deepen exchanges and co-operation between the two places.
Mr Tse and the delegation will continue their visit to Jiangsu Province tomorrow (August 22).
The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 21) conducted an enforcement operation in Wong Tai Sin and Mong Kok to continue its efforts against illegally displayed smoking product advertisements. The Government will continue to strive to lower the demand for smoking products and motivate smokers to quit smoking through a multipronged approach of tobacco control measures in order to effectively reduce the use of tobacco products to safeguard the health of the community.
During the operation, officers from TACO found four stores suspected of illegally displaying smoking product display boxes. TACO officers immediately issued warning to the respective persons-in-charge of the stores. The stores were suspected of contravening the provisions of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371) related to the prohibition of smoking product advertisements. TACO’s investigation is ongoing. In accordance with the Ordinance, no person shall display or cause to be displayed any smoking product advertisement. Any person who contravenes the prohibitions is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further penalty of $1,500 for each day during which the offence continues.
A spokesman for the DH stressed that TACO has been closely monitoring the market situation and taking stringent enforcement actions against violations of the Ordinance, and will appropriately adjust its enforcement strategies according to the actual circumstances from time to time. Apart from following up and investigating each complaint, proactive plainclothes enforcement and interdepartmental joint operations have also been strengthened since 2023. From January 2023 to July 2024, TACO removed over 2 130 webpages, social media accounts or posts with smoking-product advertisements, and issued 124 summonses and 43 warning letters regarding offences of displaying or distributing smoking-product advertisements during the same period. Furthermore, the number of smoking-offence prosecutions has significantly increased from about 6 290 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) in 2022 to over 10 260 in 2023, representing an over 60 per cent increase, indicating the effectiveness of the enforcement strategies.
To step up efforts in combating illegal waterpipe smoking in no-smoking areas, TACO conducted over 100 operations against illegal waterpipe smoking activities in no-smoking areas in the past 12 months. A total of 145 FPNs were issued against offending smokers, while 74 summonses were issued to staff members and operators of the bars/restaurants for aiding and abetting illegal smoking and other related offences.
The spokesman pointed out that in order to effectively reduce the use of all tobacco products, it is necessary to lower the demand and motivate smokers to quit smoking through a multipronged approach of tobacco control measures, among which the most proven and effective measures are to increase the tobacco duty, as well as to combat the publicity and promotion of tobacco products, reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products (such as implementation of plain packaging and banning of flavoured tobacco), and to step up the promotion of smoking cessation. The Government announced in June this year the plan to introduce relevant tobacco control measures in the short term, and continue to explore various tobacco control measures in the medium and long term, thereby eliminating the social hazards posed by tobacco products in all aspects and safeguarding the health of the community with a multipronged approach.
Both the World Health Organization and the World Bank have pointed out that exaggerating illicit cigarette trading activities is the most common tactic used by the tobacco industry to counteract effective tobacco control measures. Raising the tobacco duty and combating illicit cigarette trading activities should be regarded as complementary measures. The 10 short-term measures announced by the Government include the introduction of a duty stamp system in order to differentiate duty-paid cigarettes from duty-not-paid ones. The Government will also amend the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) to require tobacco products being sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty need to be proved duty-paid, and to increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco. These measures will further enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and combat illicit tobacco more effectively.
TACO will continue to carry out relevant enforcement operations, and follow up and investigate every complaint regarding smoking-product advertisements, as well as refer any suspected cases of illicit cigarettes that involve violations of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) to the relevant department for further investigation.
The spokesman reiterated that all smoking products, regardless of whether they are duty paid or not, pose significant health risks. Smokers should quit smoking as early as possible for their own health and that of others. Information on smoking cessation can also be obtained from www.livetobaccofree.hk.
The Department of Health (DH) today (August 21) requested a licensed Chinese herbal medicine (Chm) wholesaler, Tai Po Chinese Medicine Clinic O/B Brilliant Health Medicine Limited (Brilliant Health), recall from the market one batch of Chm, Semen Platycladi (batch number: 2308001), as aflatoxins detected in the sample exceeded the limits set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK).
During the DH’s market surveillance, a sample of the above Chm was collected for analysis. Testing result of the sample from the Government Laboratory revealed that the level of aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 in each kilogram of the Semen Platycladi sample was 21 micrograms and 20mcg respectively, exceeding the limits set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the CMCHK (each kilogram of the above Chm should not contain more than 10mcg of aflatoxins and 5mcg of aflatoxin B1).
A preliminary investigation indicated that the above batch of Semen Platycladi was imported by Brilliant Health from the Mainland. The DH is tracing the distribution of the affected Chm. So far, no adverse reports related to the use of the above Chm have been received. The investigation is ongoing.
Brilliant Health has set up a hotline (2665 6738) for public enquiries. The DH will closely monitor the recall.
According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549), Semen Platycladi, the ripe kernel of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, is a Schedule 2 Chm. Semen Platycladiis is used to nourish the heart, tranquilise the mind, moisten the intestines, relax the bowels and relieve sweating.
“Aflatoxins are a family of heat-resistant compounds produced by the moulds Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and related species. Hot and humid conditions and poor storage can contribute to a higher occurrence of moulds and consequently high levels of aflatoxins in contaminated Chm. The DH advises the industry to have strict control on the temperature and humidity of the storage facilities for Chm that is susceptible to mould infestation and members of the public to properly store Chm at a dry and cool place,” a spokesman for the DH said.
The spokesman added that the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified aflatoxins as carcinogenic to humans. Aflatoxins can lead to liver cancer after long-term ingestion, and the risk for hepatitis B carriers is relatively high. Members of the public may visit the following website of the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office (CMRO) of the DH for more information on the adverse health effects of aflatoxins and proper storage of Chm:
www.cmro.gov.hk/files/en/useful_information/public_health/pamphlet/Herbal_Medicines_and_Aflatoxin_Eng.pdf
According to section 52 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), selling any drug not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser is liable to a maximum penalty of $10,000 and three months’ imprisonment. Upon completion of investigation, the DH will work with the Department of Justice on prosecution matters and will refer the case to the CMCHK for possible disciplinary action.
The DH urged members of the public who have purchased the above affected batch of Chm to stop using it immediately and submit it to the CMRO of the DH on 16/F, AIA Kowloon Tower, Landmark East, 100 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, during office hours for disposal. Members of the public who have used the above Chm and feel unwell should seek advice from healthcare professionals.
