FEHD Enhances Food Safety with 'Operation Skynet' Targeting Hygiene and Pest Control in Food Premises

FEHD actively takes forward "Operation Skynet" to stringently combat pest and hygiene problems

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (October 29) that the "Operation Skynet" launched on September 30, conducts special inspections and enforcement actions targeting supermarkets, restaurants, other food premises, and public markets. Over the past month, the department focused on reviewing the environmental hygiene conditions and waste management of supermarkets, restaurants, other food premises, and public markets across various districts, as well as thoroughly inspecting for signs of pest activity to identify root causes and potential risks and take appropriate enforcement action based on actual risks.

During the operation, FEHD officers conducted a total of 1 177 inspections at supermarkets, issued 65 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin, 25 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises and two warnings, and initiated 14 prosecutions; conducted a total of 432 inspections against restaurants, issued 35 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin, 41 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises and six warnings, and initiated 65 prosecutions; and conducted 321 inspections against other food premises, issued 20 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin and 17 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises, and initiated 24 prosecutions. During the inspections, FEHD officers found room for improvement in the processes of handling refuse and food waste as well as food storage by certain premises and shops, such as failing to properly place their waste in compliant covered waste containers and failing to properly store their food ingredients, thereby increasing the risk of pest infestations. The FEHD immediately initiated prosecutions against the persons-in-charge , and provided them with professional advice on the operational details and pest control measures. The department will continue to follow up on the improvement of the premises concerned to ensure the relevant problems have been rectified.

Since the commencement of the special inspection operation targeting public markets in mid-October, as at October 27, FEHD officers have issued 142 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin, 44 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises, 268 verbal warnings and eight warning letters, and initiated over 70 prosecutions. The operation will continue. The department will put forward specific improvement requirements to operators based on the inspection results and conduct follow-up inspections of key or problematic premises to ensure that improvement measures are not one-off measures but are implemented continuously.

A spokesman for the FEHD said that based on the inspection results, the department will focus on actual risks, whether immediate improvements have been made, and whether the problems continue to be addressed, rather than measuring its work solely by the number of inspections conducted. If irregularities are found, the department will increase the frequency of inspections with follow-up inspections to ensure that the problems are rectified.

Apart from inspecting public places continuously, regarding the recent rodent infestation issue at the private street at Baker Circle in Hung Hom, the FEHD has fully exercised its supervisory and supportive role by conducting a targeted anti-rodent operation late at night on October 25. The rear lane concerned is a private street within the boundary of a private residential estate, and its daily cleansing and rodent prevention work are the responsibility of the relevant property management of the estate. In view of the rodent infestation and environmental hygiene problems there, the FEHD has proactively intervened and stepped up the prevention and control work in the neighbouring public places. During the operation, the department deployed its overnight rodent control team to place trap during late-night hours and set up additional bait points in the surroundings. Meanwhile, cleansing services in nearby public places have been stepped up, which included thorough cleansing of streets and rear lanes, as well as increasing the frequency of emptying litter containers in order to cut off the food sources of rodents.

In addition to environmental governance at the frontline, the FEHD has implemented effective administrative and technical support measures. FEHD officers have previously provided professional advice and technical support on pest and rodent control to the persons-in-charge of nearby residential estates, construction sites, and shopping malls. Focusing on source control, the FEHD has issued statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin to the management of neighbouring restaurants and venues, requiring improvement measures to be taken within a specified period in accordance with the law to enhance efforts in rodent prevention and environmental hygiene management.

The spokesman stressed that maintaining environmental hygiene in the community is everyone's responsibility. Pest control and food safety protection rely on the concerted efforts of the Government, the trade and the public. The FEHD will continue to monitor the hygiene conditions of various food premises through a multipronged approach, combining risk-based inspections with publicity, education and community collaboration. Should irregularities be found, the department will take appropriate enforcement action in accordance with the law to diligently perform its gatekeeping rolein protecting food safety and safeguarding environmental hygiene for the public.

Source: AI-found images

Statement by ExCo Non-official Members

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

Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Non-official Members) today (October 29) issued the following statement on the Government's follow-up work in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court:

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today released the report of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The Chief Executive and Principal Officials also held a press conference to give an account of relevant matters to the public. ExCo Non-official Members expressed full support for the Government in facing up to the problems, shouldering responsibility, and pursuing comprehensive reforms.

The Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members, Mrs Regina Ip, said, "The Chief Executive and Principal Officials have clearly explained to the public the Government's follow-up work, and, on behalf of the HKSAR Government, apologised to the residents of Wang Fuk Court and the community, demonstrating sincerity and political commitment. The Chief Executive also called on his team to continue to give their utmost in their respective positions in pressing ahead with various reforms and the extensive work ahead, while drawing lessons from the incident and better exercising leadership to step up the implementation of the result-oriented governing approach. I support this position."

"The Government's plans to implement comprehensive reform on the basis of the Independent Committee's report are comprehensive and pragmatic, addressing the crux of the issues. I concur with the seven major directions of systemic reform put forward by the Government. These include combatting bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects, establishing a cross-departmental task force to combat crimes related to bid-rigging in such projects, establishing a Building Maintenance Support and Services Council, reforming the operation and regulatory system for building maintenance and renovation, reforming the structure of the Buildings Department, establishing a centralised data system and reforming the complaint mechanism, and establishing a steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration to follow up on the Independent Committee's recommendations."

As regards accountability, the Government has demonstrated its determination to pursue responsibility comprehensively and enforce accountability at various levels. On criminal liability, law enforcement authorities have successively instituted prosecutions against the companies and individuals involved in the incident. The Government has also initiated the Administrative Responsibility Two-tier Investigation Mechanism under the Heads of Department Accountability System, and is strictly following up on the administrative responsibility of the civil servants concerned. As for political accountability, the Chief Executive, having considered a wide range of factors, decided that the Secretary for Housing should take political accountability, and has accepted the Secretary's resignation.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court has exposed a number of long-standing inadequacies at different systemic levels, and the issues involved are complex and intertwined. Properly addressing these issues requires firm resolve as well as precise and decisive decision-making. ExCo Non-official Members will give their full support to the Government in taking forward comprehensive reforms and will continue to fully support its governance. ExCo Non-official Members firmly believe that, as long as society works together with dedication to turn grief into the strength to move forward, learns from the experience, and thoroughly implements systemic reforms, similar incidents can certainly be prevented, making Hong Kong a safer and better home.