Rover Education Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay wages and the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) to an employee in accordance with the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company was convicted at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (February 23) and fined $55,000. The company was also ordered by the court to compensate the employee a total outstanding sum of about $390,000.

     The company failed to pay to an employee wages totalling about $300,000 within seven days after the termination of employment as required by the EO. Also, the company failed to pay the employee the awarded sum of about $390,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT in accordance with the requirement of the EO.

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO, as well as the sums awarded by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.

     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (February 23) investigating a suspected food poisoning case involving consumption of mushrooms.

     The case involves two females, aged 35 and 66, who developed nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain about half an hour to one hour after consuming recently purchased mushrooms, cooked at home on February 22. The patients sought medical attention at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on February 22. They are in stable condition.

     The CHP investigations are ongoing and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department was also alerted to the incident.
 
     "Mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms like profuse sweating, hallucination, coma or other neurological symptoms as well as liver failure. Death may result in severe cases," a CHP spokesman said.
 
     "We advise the public to buy mushrooms from reputable and reliable suppliers and not to buy mushroom products which may be mixed with unknown species. Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones. Mixing of edible species with inedible or poisonous species of mushroom will not dilute toxicity. Cooking in most cases does not destroy toxicity," the spokesman added.
 
     "If mushroom poisoning is suspected, the patient should seek immediate medical attention and bring along any available remnant for identification," the spokesman said.

     The Nuclear Emergency Committee Office of Guangdong Province notified the Security Bureau today (February 23) of an operational event at Taishan Nuclear Power Station (TNPS), a Security Bureau spokesperson said today.

     On February 21, a fault in the distribution board caused one of the main water pumps in the coolant system at Unit 1 of TNPS to stop working. The Unit's protection system immediately responded by safely and automatically shutting down the reactor.  Station staff immediately handled the fault according to the procedures, and reported the situation to the relevant nuclear safety regulatory authority in a timely manner. The Unit remained in a safe and controllable condition throughout the above event.

     In accordance with the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale and the relevant nuclear safety regulations, this event was classified as a Level 0 deviation on February 22 and did not affect the safe operation of the Unit, the health of the workers, the nearby public or the environment.

     Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Co Ltd has released the details of this event on its website (www.tnpjvc.com.cn) (Chinese only), which can be viewed in the "operational events" section under the "nuclear and radiation safety information" page of the website.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Commerce and Industry visited the Hong Kong Science Park (HKSP) today (February 23) to better understand the work of HKSP and its development plans.
 
     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi, the Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Dr David Chung, and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC), Dr Sunny Chai, Members received a briefing by representatives of HKSTPC on Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem and future development of HKSTPC. They also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern.
 
     Members then met with representatives of technology companies in HKSP to understand the robotics technology applied to medical field and logistics. Members also visited the Robotics Catalysing Centre 2.0, the Biomedical Technology Laboratory and the Biobank to learn more about the latest artificial intelligence and application of biotechnology.
  
     Members participating in the visit were the Chairman of the Panel, Mr Chung Kwok-pan; and Panel members Mr Wong Ting-kwong, Mr Yiu Si-wing, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Shiu Ka-fai, Mr Chan Chun-ying and Mr Lau Kwok-fan; as well as non-Panel members Mr Michael Tien, Ms Elizabeth Quat and Dr Cheng Chung-tai.

      

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (February 23) reminded catering business operators and managers of places of public entertainment again to remain vigilant and strictly comply with the directions under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F). The FEHD will continue to inspect catering premises and places of public entertainment, and take stringent enforcement action against offenders.

     The FEHD initiated procedures on prosecution against one catering business operator in Sham Shui Po and another one in Mong Kok suspected of breaching the requirements under the Regulation (relating to mask-wearing and distance or partitioning between tables) respectively on February 19 and February 20. Since the relevant requirements or restrictions were not adopted, on the subsequent day of being identified by the enforcement agent, corresponding measures for reducing the risk of transmission (i.e. selling or supplying food or drink for consumption on the premises must be ceased from 6pm to 4.59am of the subsequent day, and no more than two persons may be seated together at one table) had to be taken by the premises for periods of three and seven days respectively.

     In addition, the FEHD also initiated procedures on prosecution on February 18 against an operator of a place of public entertainment in Kwun Tong suspected of breaching the requirements under the Regulation (relating to body temperature screening and proper display of the "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code). Since the relevant requirements or restrictions were not adopted, on the subsequent day of being identified by the enforcement agent the premises concerned had to take corresponding measures for reducing the risk of transmission (i.e. closure of the premises for 14 days). As the premises operator was suspected of keeping a place of public entertainment without a licence, the FEHD initiated procedures on prosecution against the person pursuant to the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance (Cap. 172).

     The FEHD later inspected the premises in Kwun Tong again on February 19 and found that the operator had not closed the premises, as required by the Regulation. The FEHD therefore initiated procedures on prosecution against the premises operator again pursuant to the Regulation. 

     According to the current directions issued by the Secretary for Food and Health in relation to catering premises under the Regulation, from February 18 to March 3, if a person responsible for carrying on a catering business adopts a series of infection control measures, the premises can provide dine-in service until 9.59pm and no more than four persons may be seated together at one table. Some of the scheduled premises such as places of public entertainment may be open when the relevant requirements and restrictions are fulfilled. If a person responsible for carrying on a catering business or scheduled premises contravenes the regulations under the Regulation, he or she is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     In addition, under section 4(1) of the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance (Cap. 172), without a licence granted, no person shall keep or use any place of public entertainment. Offenders are liable to be prosecuted, and upon conviction to a maximum fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months, and, for a continuing offence, a fine of $2,000 for every day.

     To minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19, the spokesman strongly appealed to catering business operators and managers of places of public entertainment to comply with the relevant Regulation on prevention and control of disease in a concerted and persistent manner. The spokesman also reminded the operators concerned and the public to exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together.