ENG-2017 — Page 216

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Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

The Private Columbaria Ordinance introduces a licensing scheme to regulate the operation of private columbaria. It came into operation on 30 June, requiring the operation of a private columbarium to be covered by a specified instrument, namely a licence, an exemption or a temporary suspension of liability, except during the grace period as applicable. Only private columbaria that have obtained a licence may sell or newly let out niches. It is an offence to operate, keep, manage or control in any other way a columbarium without holding a valid specified instrument after the grace period as applicable has expired or if the niches are sold or newly let out during the grace period. Offenders are liable, at a maximum, to a $5 million fine and seven years' imprisonment.

The Private Columbaria Licensing Board was appointed on 8 September. It regulates the operation and management of private columbaria, and handles applications for specified instruments. The Private Columbaria Affairs Office was set up to provide executive support to the licensing board and handle matters on the implementation of the ordinance. The licensing board started to receive applications for specified instruments on 30 December.

The Private Columbaria Appeal Board was appointed on 29 September. It is an independent quasi-judicial body to hear and determine an appeal lodged by an applicant or holder of a specified instrument aggrieved by a decision made on the licensing of private columbaria, an enforcement notice or an ash disposal plan.

Public Education

To reduce the public's intake of salt and sugar and lower the levels of salt and sugar in food, a Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food advises the Secretary for Food and Health on priority areas in reducing salt and sugar in food. The Centre for Food Safety works with the committee to implement a series of projects, including competitions for slogan writing and poster design, and for the design of labels under a voluntary salt and sugar label scheme for prepackaged food products, to help consumers identify low-salt, low-sugar products.

In 2017, the FEHD's Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre in Kowloon Park organised 2,375 health talks for the public and target groups, including students and the elderly.

A mobile education centre disseminates food safety and environmental hygiene messages across the territory.

The Centre for Food Safety's Communication Resource Unit in Mong Kok organises food safety programmes and provides technical support to people in the food trade and the public. Fourteen food trade associations and 1,415 food premises and retail outlets subscribe to the centre's Food Safety Charter, which promotes best practices in handling food. During the year, the centre conducted 185 health talks on food safety and deployed two vans to broadcast food safety messages in housing estates and markets.

Measures against Avian Influenza

In 2017, the government decided to maintain the sale of live poultry at retail level, having considered the recommendations of a consultancy study and the public views received.

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