Transport and Logistics Bureau and Civil Engineering and Development Department invite industry to attend briefing sessions on Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Phase 1 project
The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) are pressing ahead with the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen (HSK/HT) New Development Area (NDA) Phase 1 project. The CEDD will hold briefing sessions on February 24 and March 25 in Hong Kong and Shenzhen respectively to introduce the details of the project and related tender invitation matters.
The briefing sessions aim to provide the industry with information on the project scheme, procurement and financial arrangements, and key tender conditions, with a view to encouraging more local, Chinese Mainland, and overseas organisations of the industry to participate in the tender exercise.
The TLB and the CEDD cordially invite representatives from relevant organisations, including contractors, operators, consultants, system suppliers and manufacturers, and developers interested in participating in the project, to attend the briefing sessions. The enrolment details and forms for the briefing sessions are in the Annex. Completed enrolment forms should be submitted on or before February 12.
The SGMTS integrates environmentally friendly and smart technologies to enhance transport efficiency, safety, and convenience. Compared to the heavy rail system, the SGMTS will feature a medium-to-low carrying capacity characterised by its energy efficient, intelligent, and convenient nature.
The SGMTS in HSK/HT NDA is about 16 kilometres in length, most of which are dedicated roads, plying through the HSK/HT and Yuen Long South (YLS) NDAs. The system will adopt a green road-based mode without the need for physical rail tracks. It will be implemented in phases to cater for the traffic and transport demand of the different stages of development of the HSK/HT and YLS NDAs. Phase 1 of the system is about 4.5km in length with seven proposed at-grade stations, with a view to tying in with the Second Phase Development of HSK/HT NDA. Phase 1 of the system will connect Nai Wai to the vicinity of the Logistics, Enterprise and Technology Quarter in HSK/HT NDA, passing through the town centre and residential area of the NDA, and connecting to MTR Tuen Ma Line Hung Shui Kiu Station, Light Rail Nai Wai Stop, and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu-Qianhai) under planning. It will provide the public with convenient feeder services to travel to various districts of Hong Kong. Tenders for the project are expected to be invited in the second half of 2026, with the target for commissioning in 2031 or earlier.
The project website for the SGMTS in the HSK/HT NDA is: www.hskhtsgmts.hk.
Source: AI-found images
35 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Twilight" and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" from January 22 to yesterday (January 29). A total of 29 suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested.
In the anti-illegal worker focused operations targeting housekeeping and renovation services, ImmD officers found that social media platforms have recently been utilised by suspects to advertise housekeeping and renovation services in Hong Kong. After an in-depth investigation and intelligence analysis, ImmD officers identified the suspected persons and initiated an operation. Officers disguised themselves as customers on social media platform to enquire about and book the services. The illegal workers were subsequently arrested while providing services in Hong Kong. The four arrested illegal workers were visitors from the Chinese Mainland, comprising two men and two women, aged 32 to 58. Two of them were housekeepers, while the other two were renovation workers.
During the remaining anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, guesthouses and retail stores.Twenty-five suspected illegal workers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised 15 men and 10 women, aged 20 to 59. Among them, three women were holding recognizance forms prohibiting them from taking any employment. In addition, a man was suspected of using and being in possession of a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Four men and two women, aged 22 to 61, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. The investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
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 warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, 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 is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."
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, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
35 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
35 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
