Tag Archives: China

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (December 31) released the latest grading of water quality for four gazetted beaches that are open all year round for swimming (see Note).

     Four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).

Grade 1 beaches are:           

Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Golden Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silverstrand Beach

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.

     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Note: In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that all gazetted beaches were closed from December 10 until further notice. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (December 31) announced the appointment of three Recorders and re-appointment of five incumbent Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. All appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

     Mr Martin Hui Siu-ting, SC; Ms Sit Yat-wah, SC; and Ms Rachel Lam Yan-kay, SC, are newly appointed Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. Their appointments will be effective from January 1, 2021, for a term of three years.

     Ms Winnie Tam Wan-chi, SC, and Mr Stewart Wong Kai-ming, SC, are re-appointed as Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. The re-appointments will be for three years commencing on January 1, 2021, upon expiry of their current terms.
 
     Mr Eugene Fung Ting-sek, SC; Mr Charles Peter Manzoni, SC; and Ms Yvonne Cheng Wai-sum, SC, are re-appointed as Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. The re-appointments will be for three years commencing on February 1, 2021, upon expiry of their current terms.

     The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:

Mr Martin Hui Siu-ting, SC

     Mr Hui, SC, was born in 1971 in Hong Kong. He obtained LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1994 and 1995 respectively. He further acquired a Master of Laws degree in Human Rights from the University of Hong Kong in 2013. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1995. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2015. He had been working as a legal officer in the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice since 1995 and was a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions before he left the department in 2019. He has been in private practice since 2019. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2019 and 2020.
 
Ms Sit Yat-wah, SC

     Ms Sit, SC, was born in 1978 in Hong Kong. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 2001 and 2003 respectively. She was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2002. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2019. She has been in private practice since 2004. She was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2020.

Ms Rachel Lam Yan-kay, SC

     Ms Lam, SC, was born in 1981 in Hong Kong. She obtained a Master of Arts (Jurisprudence) degree from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 2003. She further obtained a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School in the United States of America and a Master of Studies degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 2005 and 2011 respectively. She was called to the Hong Kong Bar and to the Bar in England and Wales (Gray’s Inn) both in 2004. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2007. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2019. She has been in private practice since 2006. She was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2020.
 
Ms Winnie Tam Wan-chi, SC

     Ms Tam, SC, was born in Hong Kong in 1961. She obtained LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1983 and 1984 respectively. She was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1984, and to the Bar of England and Wales in 1988. She was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 1990, and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 1993. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2006. She has been in private practice since 1985. She was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2011, 2012 and 2014. She has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2015.

Mr Stewart Wong Kai-ming, SC

     Mr Wong, SC, was born in Hong Kong in 1963. He obtained LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1986 and 1987 respectively. He further acquired LL.M. from University of London in 1988. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1987, to the Bar of New South Wales in 1992, and to the Bar of Queensland in 1996. He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 1996. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2011. He has been in private practice since 1993. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2013 and 2014. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2015.
 
Mr Eugene Fung Ting-sek, SC

     Mr Fung, SC, was born in 1971 in Hong Kong. He obtained a Master of Law degree and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (UK), in 1995 and 1997 respectively. He completed the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London, UK, in 1996. He was called to the Bar in England and Wales (Lincoln’s Inn) and in Hong Kong both in 1997. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2012. He has been in private practice since 1998. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2018.

Mr Charles Peter Manzoni, SC

     Mr Manzoni, SC, was born in 1963 in the UK. He obtained a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol, UK, in 1984. He further obtained a Diploma in Law from the City University in London in 1986 and completed the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London, UK, in 1988. He was called to the Bar in England and Wales (Middle Temple) and in Hong Kong in 1988 and 2000 respectively. He was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in the UK in 2009 and as Senior Counsel in Hong Kong in 2012. He has been in private practice since 1989. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2015 and 2016. He has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2018.
 
Ms Yvonne Cheng Wai-sum, SC

     Ms Cheng, SC, was born in 1973 in Hong Kong. She obtained a Master of Arts (Jurisprudence) degree from the University of Oxford in the UK. She completed the Bar Finals Examination for England and Wales in 1996. She was called to the Hong Kong Bar and to the Bar in England and Wales (Gray’s Inn) both in 1996. She was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2013. She has been in private practice since 1998. She was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2014 and 2015. She has been appointed as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2018. read more

     With the prolonged local COVID-19 epidemic situation, the number of confirmed cases has remained at a relatively high level. Some of the confirmed cases are asymptomatic and this indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains in the community. Through mobile specimen collection stations set up earlier in various districts, the Government has been providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for members of the public. The Government is now identifying more suitable locations, in particular near the buildings covered under the compulsory testing notice through exercising the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) on December 30, for setting up mobile specimen collection stations or other appropriate means (such as through community testing centres nearby) to provide a free and convenient testing service for residents and relevant persons covered under the compulsory testing notice.
 
     For existing mobile specimen collection stations, after reviewing the usage and public demand for the testing service, the Government has decided to extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection station set up at the basketball court next to Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate to continue to provide testing service for residents and workers of Choi Wan (II) Estate until January 2, 2021 (Saturday), tentatively.
 
     The Government has also earlier decided to extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection stations at Heung Sze Wui Street in Tai Po, Sha Tsui Road in Tsuen Wan, Wong Tai Sin Square, Tung Chung North Park and Wong Chuk Hang Recreation Ground to January 8, 2021 (Friday).
 
     The Government will decide whether it is necessary to further extend the operation period of the stations after reviewing their usage and the public’s demand for the testing service. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are at the Annex.
    
     A Government spokesman said, “The testing agencies will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations for testing free of charge. Persons who are subject to compulsory testing and undergo testing at the mobile specimen collection stations will be deemed to have undergone a test at a Community Testing Centre. The mobile specimen collection stations will accord priority to provide testing services for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing.”
 
     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS notifications through their mobile phones. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.
 
     The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.
 
     The Government will continue to inform the public through press releases and the thematic website (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) about the latest situations of mobile specimen collection stations (including specimen collection means near the buildings covered under the compulsory testing notice issued on December 30). read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, December 31, 2020 is 100.8 (down 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more

     Fifty-two convictions were recorded in November 2020 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department.      Eight of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinanc… read more