Press Releases
Transcript of media session by SHWF on red fire ants
Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, after inspecting the disinfection work at the Hong Kong Wetland Park today (January 27):
Reporter: (inaudible)
Dr Chow: This is a new species of ants discovered in Hong Kong. We need to assess the possibility of its damage to our ecology and our land. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is trying to assess the situation as soon as possible. Of course, looking at this park, most of the development was done in the last two years. We have both plants and soil imported from everywhere. We need to know where they came from.
Reporter: Any countries that you have in mind as to the imports of vegetation?
Dr Chow: I think we need to assess the situation to see whether it is close to certain vegetation before we can make that decision.
Reporter: The Mainland authorities ...for two months and didn't inform Hong Kong authorities. Are you disappointed with the lack of communication?
Dr Chow: We are communicating with the Mainland whether this can be improved in the future. Certainly this is only...I don't think this has happened in the last two months because this park was done in the last two years. So there are different channels of this ant being imported to Hong Kong. We have yet to assess the extent (of the problem) and also the possibility of it affecting other places in Hong Kong. We formed a task force yesterday which involves all the other departments that may have vegetation and also plants that require inspection. These include the Lands Department, Housing Department, Leisure and Cultural Services Department and so on.
Reporter: We still don't know how it got here?
Dr Chow: No, we don't have the answer to that yet.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Dr Chow: If you look at the ant hills here, if it is proved to be the same species, of course they have been here for some months.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Dr Chow: I think the most likely cause of import is, of course, it came together with the soil and plants. I don't think there is any other obvious cause than that. But to be frank, it is a new species of ant in Hong Kong, we need to assess how it will affect our ecology and perhaps also how large an extent it has affected our places. We need to make that assessment, and we have informed all other departments, the Lands Department, Housing Department, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, to inspect all the places in Hong Kong to see whether we have such a problem elsewhere. It will take some time before we can have a full assessment of the situation.
Reporter: Do you think there will be a wide spread of ants especially with the Chinese New Year coming?
Dr Chow: I don't think there should be any panic for the community because, first of all, this ant is very similar to other ants in our city. The only difference is that they are more aggressive if you step on them and aggravate them. They will bite you harder than the other ants.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Thursday, January 27, 2005
NNNN