9 Nov 2022獨媒#5694
Democratic Party to Lower Minimum Central Committee Membership to 10; Lo Kin-hei Expects Enough Candidates to Stand
民主黨現屆中央委員會的任期今年年底結束，將於下月3日舉行特別會員大會及周年大會，改選正副主席及中委會。主席羅健熙今出席記者會時談及改選進展，他表示屆時會議決修改「中央委員會人數下限」，由15人下降至10人，並重申競逐連任主席的決定無變，相信即使本月30日被判非法集結罪成，仍不會影響改選投票。
The current term of the Democratic Party’s Central Committee ends at the end of this year. The party will hold a special general meeting of members and its annual general meeting on the 3rd of next month to elect its chairperson, vice-chairperson and Central Committee. Speaking at a press conference today, chairman Lo Kin-hei said the meetings would decide to amend the minimum number of Central Committee members, lowering it from 15 to 10. He reiterated that his decision to seek re-election as chairman remained unchanged, and believed that even if he were convicted of the offence of unlawful assembly on the 30th of this month, it would not affect the voting in the election.
7 Nov 2022獨媒#5683
Liberal Party names Kwok Cheuk-kin over suspected abuse of public housing; Tommy Cheung proposes “informant fees” to encourage reporting of neighbours
《大公報》 日前在頭版刊登有「長洲覆核王」之稱的郭卓堅涉嫌霸佔油塘公屋和濫用公屋資源。立法會一個委員會上，自由黨李鎮強點名郭卓堅，問當局如何跟進。自由黨主席張宇人亦建議，將來可仿效警方「線人費」，鼓勵鄰居間舉報，從而杜絕濫用。房屋局局長何永賢表示，每個投訴個案都會「認真做認真查」，相關部門已掌握「關鍵資料」和「好材料」，亦與對方「傾咗夾咗」。
Ta Kung Pao recently reported on its front page that Kwok Cheuk-kin, known as the “King of Cheung Chau judicial reviews”, was suspected of occupying a public-housing flat in Yau Tong and abusing public-housing resources. At a Legislative Council committee meeting, Liberal Party lawmaker Lee Chun-keung named Kwok and asked how the authorities would follow up. Liberal Party chairman Tommy Cheung also suggested that the authorities could in future emulate the police’s “informant fees” to encourage neighbours to report one another, thereby eliminating abuse. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said every complaint case would be “seriously handled and seriously investigated”; the relevant departments had obtained “key information” and “good material”, and had also “talked things through and reached an understanding” with the other party.
3 Nov 2022獨媒#5665
Asked Seven Times About Ct-Value Range for Recovered Cases, Chui Lok-kin Says No Fixed Threshold and It Depends on the Case
在外地確診的財政司司長陳茂波順利登機回港，即使在入境核酸檢測結果呈陽性，也被當局評為不具傳染性的「康復個案」。醫衞局下午舉行記者會，全部問題都圍繞「康復個案」的Ct值標準，但局方都避答「不評論特別個案」，問到第七次，衞生防護中心總監徐樂堅終表示「無特別一條界線」，因為「每個個案好獨特」，根據感染日子、返港日子、有無病徵等因素決定，他再重申不能提供一個實際數值。
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who tested positive overseas, was able to board a flight back to Hong Kong and was classified by the authorities as a non-infectious “recovered case” even though his arrival PCR test was positive. At an afternoon press conference held by the Health Bureau, all questions focused on the Ct-value standard for “recovered cases”, but the authorities repeatedly declined to answer, saying they did not comment on individual cases. Asked for the seventh time, Centre for Health Protection director Chui Lok-kin said there was “no particular fixed threshold” because “each case is very unique”, and that the decision depended on factors including the date of infection, the date of return to Hong Kong and whether the person had symptoms. He reiterated that he could not provide a specific figure.
2 Nov 2022RFA#5652
Hong Kong Education Bureau to issue Professional Code for Teachers; teachers may not casually discuss June 4 incident in class or on social media
香港教育局局長蔡若蓮接受《香港電台》專訪時表示，今年底前推出的《教師專業操守指引》並非新事物，無須設立適應期。而指引不會針對個別法例解說教師違規行為，包括《港區國安法》，但被問及在課堂上或在社交平台上講及「六四事件」會否違反指引，蔡若蓮指出，教師不能「隨口噏」
Hong Kong Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yu-lin told an RTHK interview that the Professional Code for Teachers to be issued by the end of this year is not a new initiative and there is no need for an adaptation period. She said the code would not explain teacher misconduct in relation to individual laws, including the Hong Kong National Security Law. Asked whether discussing the June 4 incident in class or on social media would breach the code, Choi said teachers could not “just say whatever comes to mind”.
31 Oct 2022獨媒#5643
LeaveHomeSafe Updated to Automatically Check Accompanying Persons’ Red and Yellow Codes
「安心出行」今日推出最新3.5.0版本，新增3項功能，包括為同行人士的「疫苗通行證」加入自動檢測「紅、黃碼」功能；以及新增申報快測結果按鈕，讓確診用戶在第7日或之後，可使用程式「一鍵申報」，完成隔離規定。更新版本亦增設自動提示功能，提醒用戶康復紀錄過期或失效。
LeaveHomeSafe today released its latest version, 3.5.0, adding three features, including an automatic function to check the Red and Yellow Codes of accompanying persons’ Vaccine Passes. It also added a button for reporting rapid-test results, allowing confirmed users to report their results with “one click” on the seventh day or later and complete the isolation requirements. The updated version also includes an automatic reminder to alert users when their recovery records have expired or become invalid.
29 Oct 2022獨媒#5639
Tsang Kwok-wai: Considering Requiring Members of Statutory Bodies and Key Public Affairs Figures to Take Oaths
新一份《施政報告》強調落實「愛國者治港」原則，政制及內地事務局長曾國衞今早在電台表示，正檢視公職人員宣誓安排，考慮將涉及公帑資助的法定團體成員、公共事務位居要職人士納入宣誓範圍，但暫無時間表，「做得一類得一類先。」
The latest Policy Address stressed implementing the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Tsang Kwok-wai said on radio this morning that the arrangements for public officers’ oaths were being reviewed. The government was considering bringing members of statutory bodies involving public funding and people holding key positions in public affairs within the scope of the oath requirement, but there was no timetable for now: “We’ll do it one category at a time.”
28 Oct 2022同文#5633
Library Student Writing Competitions Add National Security Clauses, Stating Legal Liability for Violations
繼中文文學雙年獎新詩組3本詩集經評審後被康文署撤獎，本報發現，康文署轄下公共圖書館至少兩個比賽今年已先後加入國家安全條款，列明參賽者或作品不能違反《港區國安法》或「不利於國家安全」，除已舉辦超過30屆的全港詩詞創作比賽，由學校推薦小一至中六學生參加的世界閱讀日創作比賽，亦在比賽條款新增國安相關字句，其中列明若作品涉違法，參賽學生須「承擔法律責任」。明年初截止的閱讀日比賽以「閱讀好滋味」為主題，讓學生圍繞惜食、烹飪或飲食撰寫讀後感或繪畫。
After three poetry collections in the new poetry category of the Chinese Literature Biennial Awards had their prizes withdrawn by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department following judging, this newspaper found that at least two competitions run by public libraries under the department had added national security clauses this year. The clauses state that entrants or their works must not violate the Hong Kong National Security Law or be “detrimental to national security”. In addition to the Hong Kong-wide Poetry and Lyrics Writing Competition, which has been held for more than 30 editions, the World Book Day Creative Competition, in which Primary One to Form Six students take part on school recommendations, has also added national security-related wording to its rules. They state that if a work involves a violation of the law, the participating student must “bear legal responsibility”. The World Book Day competition, whose deadline is early next year, has “A Taste of Reading” as its theme, and asks students to write reading reflections or draw on food conservation, cooking or food and drink.
28 Oct 2022獨媒#5634
Paid COVID-19 Tests to Have Two Tiers; Mandatory Testers Must Book for Free Tests
政府昨（27日）公布最新社區檢測安排，由今日（28日）起，自費新冠病毒核酸檢測服務會設兩級制收費，「標準自費服務」費用上限150元、採樣24小時會內收到結果；「特快自費服務」則費用上限240元、採樣12小時內收到結果。另外，須接受強制檢測及特定合資格人士在11月8日起要網上預約，或使用「安心出行」的「檢測登記碼」登記才可接受免費檢測。
The Government announced the latest arrangements for community testing yesterday (27th). From today (28th), self-paid COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services will adopt a two-tier pricing system: the standard self-paid service will cost no more than $150, with results provided within 24 hours of sample collection; the expedited self-paid service will cost no more than $240, with results provided within 12 hours. From 8 November, people subject to mandatory testing and certain eligible persons must make an online booking or register using the testing registration code on LeaveHomeSafe before they can receive free testing.
28 Oct 2022明報#5635
Three arrested over suspected brokering of vaccine exemption certificates for HK$300 commission each
警方早前就有醫生懷疑濫發「免針紙」拘捕39人。警方昨再拘捕3名女子，涉嫌為其中一名被捕西醫戴港盛充當中介，透過WhatsApp介紹500多名客人，每張免針紙抽佣300元。
Police earlier arrested 39 people over a doctor’s suspected excessive issuing of vaccine exemption certificates. Yesterday, police arrested three more women who were suspected of acting as intermediaries for one of the arrested Western doctors, Tai Kong-sing, introducing more than 500 clients via WhatsApp and receiving a HK$300 commission for each certificate.
25 Oct 2022法庭線#5597
Government amendment empowering health secretary to invalidate vaccine exemption certificates takes effect tomorrow, says it is in Hong Kong’s “best interests”
政府早前宣布廢除7名被捕西醫所發出的逾兩萬張「免針紙」，被市民提出司法覆核挑戰成功，廢除的決定被推翻。不過特首會同行政會議今早通過修改第599L章，重新賦權予醫務衞生局局長，當有「合理理由懷疑」某註冊醫生發出免針紙前未有進行臨床評估，或以「公眾利益」為考量，可以宣告某註冊醫生發出免針紙無效。政府表明基於「急切性」，不會就司法覆核上訴，但會以「先訂立後審議」立法，條例明日生效，但立法會明日才有機會討論。
The government earlier announced the cancellation of more than 20,000 vaccine exemption certificates issued by seven arrested Western medicine doctors, but members of the public successfully challenged the decision in a judicial review, and the cancellation was overturned. However, the Chief Executive in Council approved amendments to Cap. 599L this morning, once again empowering the Secretary for Health to declare vaccine exemption certificates issued by a registered doctor invalid where there are “reasonable grounds to suspect” that the doctor did not conduct a clinical assessment before issuing them, or where this is considered to be in the “public interest”. The government said that, because of the “urgency”, it would not appeal the judicial review, but would enact the legislation first and have it considered later. The amendments will take effect tomorrow, although the Legislative Council will only have the opportunity to discuss them tomorrow.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
