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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited relating to a fraudulent social media post, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the social media post concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Pesticides Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Notice 2023 was published in the Gazette today (June 9). The Notice aims to amend Schedule 1 to the Pesticides Ordinance (Cap. 133), listing a type of pesticides called pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters (PCP), in order to give effect to the 2015 amendment to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The amendment will tighten the regulatory regime regarding PCP, thereby safeguarding public health and protecting the environment. The Government will table the Notice at the Legislative Council on June 14, 2023. 

     A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau said, "PCP is a persistent organic pollutant that is usually used as pesticides, and is already regulated by Pesticide Permit conditions under the Pesticides Ordinance. Any person who imports, manufactures, sells, supplies, is in possession of or uses such pesticides must hold a valid permit. After PCP is listed in Schedule 1 to the Pesticides Ordinance, its exports will be further restricted."

    The Stockholm Convention is an international treaty for safeguarding human health and protecting the environment, through controlling or restricting the trade, production and use of persistent organic pollutants, to reduce and ultimately eliminate the production and release of such pollutants. The treaty has been effective in China since 2004 and is applicable to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The amendment in relation to PCP entered into force in China on June 6, 2023.

     The above amendment will enter into force in Hong Kong on October 20, 2023. Any person who exports, imports, manufactures, sells, supplies, possesses or uses PCP without holding a Pesticide Permit commits an offence. Offender would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and an imprisonment for one year on conviction.

　　The Government will table the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Order 2023 (Amendment Order) before the Legislative Council on June 14. The Amendment Order will add several hazardous chemicals that are newly regulated under international conventions into the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (Cap. 595) (the Ordinance), to reduce the risk of public exposure to these chemicals, thus protecting public health and the environment.
 
      According to a spokesperson for the Environment and Ecology Bureau today (June 9), newly regulated hazardous chemicals will be prescribed in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2. Those to be added to Schedule 1 include (i) hexachlorobutadiene, (ii) polychlorinated naphthalenes, and (iii) decabromodiphenyl ether. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins, currently prescribed in Schedule 2, will be added to Schedule 1 instead for more stringent control. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and its PFOA-related compounds will be added to Schedule 2. Under the Ordinance, the manufacture, import, export, and use of regulated hazardous chemicals are subject to permit controls.

　　 The spokesperson added, "The amendment puts these hazardous chemicals under the control mechanism of the Ordinance. This helps Hong Kong implement the latest amendments to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (the Stockholm Convention) and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (the Rotterdam Convention) regarding the control of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and hazardous chemicals."

      The Stockholm Convention is an international convention that aims to control or restrict the trade, production and use of POPs, as well as to reduce and ultimately eliminate the intentional production of POPs and the release of unintentionally produced POPs. Another international convention, the Rotterdam Convention, implements a prior informed consent procedure in the international trade of specified hazardous chemicals. The Rotterdam Convention aims to promote shared responsibility and co-operative efforts among parties to the Convention, with a view to protecting human health and avoiding potential harm to the environment caused by such chemicals.
 
      Starting from October 20, 2023, the aforementioned hazardous chemicals will be regulated under the Ordinance. Any person found guilty of manufacturing, importing, exporting, or using regulated chemicals without a permit is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year.

     â€‹The Government gazetted today (June 9) the proposed road works in Ngau Tau Kok, including the construction of a pedestrian subway for crossing Kwun Tong Road and Elegance Road, with lift and staircase provisions. This aims to enhance the connectivity, walkability and environment of pedestrian links in the area for facilitating the transformation of Kowloon East into another core business district.
      
     Details of the proposal are set out in the Annex. The plans and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:
 
Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
     
Kwun Tong Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Eastcore,
398 Kwun Tong Road,
Kwun Tong, Kowloon
 
District Lands Office, Kowloon East,
4/F, South Tower,
West Kowloon Government Offices,
11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
 
     The gazette notice, scheme, plans and location plan are available at www.tlb.gov.hk/eng/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.html.

     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Logistics Bureau's Drop-in Box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettetlb@tlb.gov.hk.

     â€‹A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics not later than August 8, 2023.

     The Highways Department (HyD) today (June 9) invited tenders for Improvement Works at Tsuen Tsing Interchange (Contract No. HY/2022/18).
 
     The works are scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will take about 30 months to complete. The works mainly include:

     (i) construction of a traffic lane to allow exclusive left-turning traffic movement from the approach road of Tsuen Wan Road (Tuen Mun bound) to Tsing Tsuen Road (Tsing Yi bound);
 
     (ii) construction of a single-lane vehicular bridge and associated slip road at Texaco Road (westbound) to connect to an existing vehicular bridge section towards Tsing Yi not yet opened to traffic above Tsuen Tsing Interchange;
 
     (iii) construction of a single-lane slip road connecting down ramp of Tsuen Wan Road (Kowloon bound) to Texaco Road (Ma Tau Pa Road bound);
 
     (iv) widening of a section of Texaco Road (eastbound) to the north of Tsuen Tsing Interchange;
 
     (v) widening the roundabout at Tsuen Tsing Interchange and improving its junctions; and
 
     (vi) associated works including geotechnical, drainage, installation of traffic aids, public lighting and landscaping works. 

     The HyD has appointed AECOM Asia Company Limited (AECOM) as the consultant to design and supervise the construction works. Interested contractors can obtain the tender forms and other particulars from AECOM at 12/F, Tower 2, Grand Central Plaza, 138 Shatin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong.

     The invitation to tender was gazetted today. Submission of tenders will close at noon on August 4, 2023 (Friday). Tender submissions should be placed in the Government Secretariat Tender Box located at the lobby of the Public Entrance on the G/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong.

     For enquiries, please call AECOM at 3922 9000.