Speech by SCST at Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo Gala Dinner
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo Gala Dinner today (October 18):
Kenneth (Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Mr Kenneth Fok), Wilfred (Chairman of Hong Kong Arts Development Fund Advisory Committee, Dr Wilfred Wong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening.
It is with great pleasure that we gather here this evening to celebrate the immense success and conclusion of the inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX).
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This inaugural Expo was participated by over 1 400 arts leaders and practitioners from around 60 countries and regions. There were over 100 performances, leadership talks, workshops and networking events of HKPAX, cutting across a variety of art forms. The Expo serves as a testament to the city's commitment and efforts to cultivating artistic brilliance, fostering cultural exchange and dialogue, and delivering enthralling collaborative and cross-cultural performances for the delight of all public and visitors. It has also consolidated Hong Kong's status as a global arts hub, further achieving our mission to develop Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
I am sure that you have had a taste of our unique glamour at HKPAX. Together with the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival to be kicked off tomorrow, the two mega arts events will complement each other and enable Hong Kong to further give play to its role of "bringing in" different cultures while enabling Chinese culture to "go global". Furthermore, I know some of you will join the tour to Shenzhen and Guangdong. You will be able see for yourself a fast developing cultural landscape with many new infrastructure and collaboration opportunities in the Mainland.
It is also our endeavour to develop our arts infrastructure to bring in more local and international arts productions. Besides the stunning West Kowloon Cultural District and other venues that you have spent time during HKPAX, I am excited to share with you the completion of many more new venues, including the Lyric Theatre Complex in West Kowloon, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre and also a new world-class stadium that can house 50 000 audience in Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon. We will be more than delighted to welcome you to Hong Kong again, to experience many more exciting arts and cultural events in these new venues as well as to bring in and stage your incredible productions here.
I hope in addition to experiencing our rich and vibrant cultural offerings, in the past five days you have also made new friends, reconnected with familiar faces, as well as explored exciting opportunities for future collaboration, and on this basis, you will continue to join hands in promoting arts and culture.
Before I close, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to the success of HKPAX. Your dedication and passion have made HKPAX a remarkable celebration that we all cherish.
And now, I would like to say a few words in Cantonese.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
