The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) announced today (May 7) that all Continuing Education Fund (CEF) courses (six in total) offered by Hong Kong School of Commerce (HKSC) have been de-registered from the reimbursable course list under the CEF with immediate effect.

     The above decision was made on the grounds that HKSC failed to comply with the terms and conditions of approval for CEF registration in that the Responsible Person and Course Director of the relevant CEF courses of HKSC had pleaded guilty in a criminal case of conspiracy to defraud and was sentenced. The six courses had been suspended from January 24, 2020, at the prosecution stage. In accordance with CEF terms and conditions, HKSC must not promote the six courses as CEF reimbursable courses or accept new enrolment under CEF reimbursement arrangement from the same date.

     A list of the six CEF courses de-registered is in the Annex. The information is also available at the Office of Continuing Education Fund (OCEF) website (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef/en/index.htm).

     A spokesman for the LWB stressed that the OCEF will continue to monitor CEF courses provided by course providers closely. Apart from authenticating attendance records of learners, assessment results and their claims for reimbursement, it also conducts surprise visits to course providers to ensure that the conditions of approval are fully complied with.

     For enquiries, please contact the OCEF via its hotline (3142 2277), by email (cef_sfo@wfsfaa.gov.hk) or by post (address: Units 07-11, 25/F, CDW Building, 388 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan).

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 7) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Merafong City Local Municipality of Gauteng Province in South Africa, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said Hong Kong currently has an established protocol with South Africa for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat was imported from South Africa in the first three months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the South African authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE 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.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (May 7) announced that the department tested 30 water samples collected from cooling towers in 21 buildings in its routine inspections in April this year. Two samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers in which the two samples were collected in April are located at Westlands Centre, 20 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, and 11 Tsing Chui Path, Tuen Mun. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling towers in these two cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these two cases can be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website
(www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).

     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene today (May 7) cancelled the licence of a restaurant in Yuen Long, as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally and failing to keep the food room clean.
 
     The restaurant, Bum Mei Sin Kitchen, is located at Shop 10, 10A, 11, on the ground floor and the outside seating accommodation at shop front, Ho King Building, 10-28 Hop Yick Road, Yuen Long.
 
     "Between December 2019 and last November, four convictions for the above-mentioned breaches were recorded against the restaurant. A total fine of $15,800 was levied by the court and 65 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the cancellation of the licence," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.
 
     The licensee of the restaurant had a record of four convictions between January and June 2019 for extending the business area illegally. A total fine of $33,500 was levied and 60 demerit points were also registered. The breaches led to licence suspensions for seven days in May 2019 and 14 days this January, respectively.
 
     The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.
 
     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-foodPremises-rest.html).

     The Wan Chai promenade from Tamar in Admiralty to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre further opened today (May 7), adding a child-friendly green space along the Wan Chai waterfront for appreciating Victoria Harbour.

     A spokesperson for the Development Bureau said, "The promenade, located on reclaimed land from the Wan Chai Development Phase II project, is one of the 13 works projects under the $6.5 billion dedicated funding for harbourfront enhancement, adopting an incremental approach. The promenade on the waterfront, with a length of about 560 metres and a width of about 6m, was opened in October 2019, connecting the harbourfront area of Central and Wan Chai. It is part of the Victoria Harbour promenade, which has a total length of 5.5 kilometres and is by far the longest promenade in Hong Kong. Since its opening, the promenade has become one of the most popular walking routes between Central and Wan Chai, as well as a popular place for leisure and sports.

     The newly opened space of 7 800 square metres is largely a lawn for strolling and playing. The project also provides pavilions with various designs, tables, chairs and topography landscaping, allowing visitors to sit back and relax while enjoying the panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.

     The activity area at the end near Tamar Park is designed with a "FunScape" theme. Differing from the common children's playgrounds with mainly fixtures, the "FunScape" approach cultivates a free space for activities by way of horticulture design and undulating grass berms with colourful pipes. The Harbour Office of the Development Bureau recently collaborated with the Playright Children's Play Association to offer children an inclusive play experience as a pop-up initiative at this open lawn setting. The collaboration not only aims at encouraging children to use their imagination to create their own play space and enjoy a creative play journey at the harbourfront area, but also brings new ideas for providing more innovative children's play experiences along the waterfront in the future.

     Various interactive installations by noted local artists have been displayed along the promenade as a pop-up initiative in the past. Among them, On Tai Mini Workshop's miniature art piece entitled "Growth from the Earth, Our Home" has become a popular check-in spot at the site. Using the same theme, the designer has created a new art installation named "The Warmest Blessings". Erected on the newly opened lawn area, the new art installation, comprising a magnified vacuum flask and cups in a retro Hong Kong style, creates a living room ambience so that visitors can appreciate Victoria Harbour in a homely atmosphere. The miniature version of the vacuum flask and cups has been exhibited along the waterfront. The designer hopes that the visitors can slow down to look for the miniature forms in their original spots.

     A number of sustainable elements have been added to the newly opened area, including a wind-powered lighting system and solar-powered lamps along the walkway. In addition, the Hong Kong Timberbank has made use of trees that fell during typhoons and fabricated a set of public art seats named "A Little Rest in this Tiny Island". The designs of these facilities are not only practical and beautiful, but also environmentally friendly.

     Apart from the original three entrances, the new space opened today has three additional entrances to enhance walkability at the harbourfront area, the spokesperson said. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) is also constructing a viewing deck across Lung Wo Road and the exit of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, which would further improve the connectivity between the Wan Chai hinterland and the harbourfront. In addition, the CEDD is planning a shared track for pedestrians and cyclists along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, which will be implemented from the end of 2021 or early 2022.

     The site is accessible from MTR Admiralty Station via Tamar Park, or by walking eight to 10 minutes from the Central Piers or Wan Chai Ferry Pier (see Annex).