Category: news

New Arrangements For Sale of Lunar New Year Flowers

After originally cancelling the Lunar New Year (LNY) fairs. The Government has backtracked and announced new arrangements for the sale of New Year flowers from 6-11 February.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will now set up points of sale at the 15 sites originally designated for the LNY fairs. The number of stalls at the sites selling flowers will be reduced by approximately half.

A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The points of sale of New Year flowers will be opened during the period from 6-11 February. Stall operators may use the sites for free, but must comply with the ground rules and anti-epidemic measures, e.g. provision of hand sanitisers at stalls, provision of a list of staff and their contact information for tracing of confirmed cases, etc.”

“To make our anti-epidemic efforts effective, the footfall at points of sale will be monitored with the use of technology and various anti-epidemic measures will be strictly enforced. Stall operators and their staff at points of sale will also be required to undergo virus testing within 48 hours before the opening of the points of sale. The FEHD will provide one-off free testing services for them,” the spokesman added.

New Quarantine Hotel List Announced: 20 February – 20 April, 2021

An updated list of 36 designated quarantine hotels for the period 20 February to April 20 (second cycle) was released today.

27 per cent of the total number of rooms (~2700 rooms) in the second cycle will cost less than $500/night almost double that of the first cycle.

Hotels which have declined to continue participating in the ‘designated hotel program’ are: Luxe Manor, O’ Hotel, Eco Tree Sai Ying Pun, Mojo Nomad Aberdeen

The list of designated hotels in the second cycle and related details such as room rates have been uploaded to www.designatedhotel.gov.hk.

Or download the pdf [gview file=”https://www.bcmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/designated-hotel-list-v2_en.pdf”]

Year of the Ox, Lunar New Year Fairs Cancelled

The Government has announced that the Year of the Ox Lunar New Year fairs at 15 locations across Hong Kong and the Che Kung Festival Fair in Sha Tin scheduled for February have been cancelled due to the Wuhan virus (Covid-19).

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department commented: “To assist flower farmers to sell flowers through other alternative means, we will meet with major stakeholders of the trade to actively explore feasible measures under the premise of upholding the anti-epidemic principles, such as identifying suitable locations in public housing estates or other places in various districts for selling New Year flowers, with a view to minimising the impact of the cancellation of the LNY fairs on the trade.”

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Chinese-New-Year-2016-HKTB/i-NH6ZrTS/A

images: HKTB

Up-skirt and Non-consensual Sexual Photography to be Criminalised

The Security Bureau published on the 8 January 2021 the public consultation report on the proposed introduction of offences of voyeurism, intimate prying and non-consensual photography of intimate parts and related offences, summarising the consultation outcome.

The Government earlier proposed to introduce the following six new criminal offences and consulted the public’s views thereon:

(1) voyeurism (i.e. observing or recording of intimate acts for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification);
(2) intimate prying (i.e. observing or recording of intimate acts irrespective of the purpose);
(3) non-consensual photography of intimate parts for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification;
(4) non-consensual photography of intimate parts irrespective of the purpose;
(5) distribution of surreptitious images obtained from the above-mentioned acts; and
(6) non-consensual distribution of intimate images where consent was previously given for taking such images but not for subsequent distribution.

During the three-month public consultation over 200 submissions were received, including from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data; other groups/organisations which are concerned with sexual offences; and individual members of the public.

“The majority of the submissions received expressed strong support for the legislative proposals and some of them have also offered constructive views on specific proposals.” A spokesman for the Security Bureau said. “Subject to the drafting progress, the target is to submit the amendment bill to the Legislative Council in the second half of this legislative year.”

The public consultation report can be downloaded here www.sb.gov.hk/eng/special/voyeurism/index.htm

image: Raymond Limantara

David Colquhoun RIP

Sadly bc magazine has learned that local music legend Davie Colquhoun unexpectedly passed away on New Years Day.

Davie was a long time stalwart of the local music scene performing both in bands, including Soul Commotion, Hattrick, and his famed solo acoustic sessions.

While many of you might remember Davie for his musical covers, he was also a talented songwriter releasing several solo albums including Strapped and  Short and Sweet.

Davie your smile and smokey vocals entertained so many of us over the years in good times and bad, thank you!

https://youtu.be/G7pjJ13dDrg

 

https://youtu.be/enqvSJCZzDM

 

Live Music at the Wanch, Hong Kong

image: Hong Kong Rocks, bc magazine

South Lantau Marine Park Draft Map Available for Public Inspection

To better protect the ‘pink’ dolphin and other marine habitats, the Government is proposing to create a South Lantau Marine Park (SLMP) in the waters surrounding the Soko Islands and between the Soko Islands and Shek Kwu Chau.

The draft map of the proposed 2,067 hectares SLMP has been prepared by the Country and Marine Parks Authority in accordance with the Marine Parks Ordinance (Cap. 476) and released for public inspection and comment within 60 days (28 Feb, 2021) of its 31 December 2020 publication. Details are available on the AFCD’s website: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_mar/cou_vis_mar_wha/mp_sl_draftmap.html.

“The waters south of Lantau are important habitats for the Chinese white dolphin, the finless porpoise and other marine life. After the designation of the SLMP, the area of protected marine habitats will be significantly increased, which will be conducive to maintaining the marine biodiversity and its sustainability” said a spokesperson for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD).

A Core Area of about 145 hectares between the Soko Islands as shown pink hatched black on the proposed SLMP map will be demarcated for further conservation of marine and fisheries resources there. Fishing activities will not be permitted within the Core Area.  While artificial reefs will be deployed within the Core Area to provide shelter for marine life. 

Unfortunately, the released proposal contains no details or recommendations on how the SLMP will be protected and the fishing restrictions etc enforced.

“Any person who intends to oppose the draft map may, within the period of 60 days after the notice is published in the Gazette, submit a written statement of objection, stating the nature of and reasons for the objection, and proposed alterations to the draft map, if any, to the Authority at the headquarters of the AFCD,” the spokesman continued.

Non-Permanent Residents Outside of Hong Kong

The Immigration Department has announced it will accept applications for return to Hong Kong from Hong Kong non-permanent residents stuck outside of Hong Kong due to the pandemic.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department announced on 31 December, 2020 that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong non-permanent residents who are currently outside Hong Kong with their limit of stay about to expire/expired may apply for a visa/entry permit to return to Hong Kong.

In general, persons admitted into Hong Kong under various immigration policies/schemes may apply for extension of stay within four weeks before their limit of stay expires. Applicants should be physically present in Hong Kong both at the time of applications and collection of the relevant labels.

Due to the pandemic, if persons (except foreign domestic helpers and imported workers) are outside Hong Kong, with their limit of stay expiring within four weeks/expired for less than 12 months, and are not able to return to Hong Kong timely to apply for extension of stay, they may submit a duly completed application form together with the required supporting documents for application for extension of stay under the relevant immigration policy/scheme.

They are also required to furnish a letter setting out the details on their inability to return to Hong Kong timely for the extension of stay formalities.

If the application is approved, the applicant will be issued with a visa/entry permit for their return to Hong Kong within the validity of that visa/entry permit.

For details on the arrangement, please visit the Homepage of ImmD: www.immd.gov.hk.

The press release is here: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/31/P2020123100764.htm