Posts

Posted on

Appointments to Mandatory Provident Fund Industry Schemes Committee announced

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Appointments to Mandatory Provident Fund Industry Schemes Committee announced————
Mr Lam Chun-sing———–
Mr Franki Chan Shut-ho
Mr Samme Cheng Pak-man
Ms Cherrie Chong Wing-lum
Mr Jacky Ho Yan-ching
Mr Huang Yongquan
Mr Lam Fung-yuen
Mr Bob Lee Tak-luen
Mr Adrian Li Man-kiu
Mr Daniel Shum Hau-tak
Mr Howard Tong Ho-wai——————————–
Mr Cheng Yan-chee, Managing Director
Issued at HKT 11:00

NNNN

Posted on

LegCo Secretariat releases Policy Pulse on “AI+: Empower Hong Kong, Innovate a smart future”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

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

     The Outline of the National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly calls for empowering economic and social development through artificial intelligence (AI). The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has also incorporated the proactive advancement of the “AI+” strategy into the consultation document for Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, ensuring that AI development is “running fast” and “running steadily”. 

Posted on

Exchange Fund Notes tender results

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Exchange Fund Notes tender results**********************************

Tender date* “Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “lowest price accepted” level.
Issued at HKT 16:12

NNNN

Posted on

38 landlords of subdivided units under regulated tenancies convicted of contravening relevant statutory requirements

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

38 landlords of subdivided units under regulated tenancies convicted of contravening relevant statutory requirements 
     The offences of these 38 landlords include (1) failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced; and (2) requesting the tenant to pay money other than the types permitted under the Ordinance (including requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance).

     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon a comprehensive investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, including prohibiting landlords from doing any act calculated to interfere with the peace or comfort of members of the tenant’s household, with the intention of causing the tenant to give up occupation of the SDU; or requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance, and also reminded  tenants of their rights under the Ordinance, including a four-year (i.e. two years plus two years) security of tenure. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether they have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances, and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance. In addition, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work to enhance public awareness about the key offences and penalties, emphasising that the RVD proactively checks whether landlords have committed the offences under the Ordinance.  
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. The RVD has been issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the landlords and tenants concerned of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to assist them in understanding the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and to remind them about the procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy as well as their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.htmlIssued at HKT 16:00

NNNN

Posted on

Red tides sighted

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Red tides sighted          
     On August 18, staff of the Environmental Protection Department spotted two red tides at Repulse Bay Beach and Deep Water Bay Beach, Hong Kong Island, respectively. Both red tides have dissipated and no associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.
      
     A spokesman for the working group said, “Both red tides were formed by Phaeocystis globosa, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters. According to literature overseas, the algal species can produce foam that may affect fish.”
          
     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan and Po Toi fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.
          
     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD’s proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.
Issued at HKT 14:55

NNNN

Posted on

Court of First Instance delivers verdict of conviction in incitement to subversion case of “Hong Kong Alliance”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Court of First Instance delivers verdict of conviction in incitement to subversion case of “Hong Kong Alliance”      
     The verdict handed down by the court is forceful and compelling, as well as well-reasoned and sound, detailing the analysis of the legal principles and evidence of the case, as well as the considerations for conviction. The court emphasised that the defendants were put on trial not because of their political views or beliefs. The court would only consider the laws and evidence relevant to the case to decide whether the prosecution is able to prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt. “Other unlawful means” referred to in the offence of “subversion” under Article 22 of the HKNSL includes an act in breach of the provisions of the Constitution with a view to overthrowing or undermining the fundamental system of the PRC. When ordinary reasonable persons received the messages of the Alliance and other defendants, they must have understood that the aim of their agendas was to end the leadership by the CPC, and that other people were being encouraged to put the agendas into action.
      
     The court pointed out that the defendants had all along been hostile towards the CPC and the Central Government under its leadership, and adhered to the course of resisting the Central Government and refusing to make any compromise. After the implementation of the HKNSL, the defendants refused to pull back from the brink and were bent on embracing the resistance line of the Alliance to the very end. Even though the defendants knew that what they had said and done might have already gone beyond the scope of lawful freedom of expression, they paid no regard to it. The defendants intended to cause others to lose confidence in the CPC by stirring up hostility and causing division, so as to achieve the objective of undermining the fundamental system of the PRC.
      
     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, “The Alliance had long been deliberately planting seeds of hatred against the CPC and the Central Government in the Hong Kong society, attempting to incite disaffection, hatred and other sentiments among members of the public against the CPC and the Central Government through various means, and inciting people to subvert state power. The acts of the defendants over a long period of time endangered national security; their conspiracy was abundantly clear, which must be brought to justice.
      
     “Incitement to subversion is an extremely serious offence. The HKSAR Government has the responsibility to safeguard national security, and will resolutely prevent, suppress and punish acts and activities endangering national security. This case once again demonstrates that no matter how offenders disguise their real agendas with sophistry and rhetoric, as long as they commit an offence endangering national security, the HKSAR Government will ensure that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring the offenders to account.”      
     The HKSAR is an inalienable part of the PRC. The state provides the fundamental guarantee for the prosperity and development of Hong Kong, and the highest principle of “one country, two systems” is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. The HKSAR Government will resolutely safeguard the fundamental system of the state established by the Constitution and the security of state power, and will, in strict accordance with the principle of the rule of law, prevent, suppress and punish acts and activities endangering national security with full force and in accordance with the law.
Issued at HKT 14:42

NNNN

Posted on

LCSD to launch classical music lecture series “Music at Heart”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the classical music lecture series “Music at Heart”. The eight-lecture series will be held on Wednesdays starting from October 7 at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSM), with music educator Calvin Lai as the curator and speaker. Structured around eight distinct themes, the series takes listening as its point of departure, weaving together the anecdotes, life journeys and inner worlds of classical music masters through a curated collection of audio and video recordings, allowing audiences to discover how these timeless masterpieces continue to resonate across generations.

     A brief introduction of each lecture is as follows:———————————
Date: October 7 (Wednesday)—————————–
Date: October 14 (Wednesday)——————————————————
Date: October 21 (Wednesday)————————————-
Date: October 28 (Wednesday)———————————————–
Date: November 4 (Wednesday)—————————————-
Date: November 11 (Wednesday)————————————-
Date: November 18 (Wednesday)————————————————-
Date: November 25 (Wednesday)

Posted on

Four registered general building contractors disciplined for offences relating to building works

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​The Registered Contractors’ Disciplinary Board (the Board) has completed disciplinary inquiries under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) on four fatal site incidents and decided that the four Registered General Building Contractors (RGBC) concerned should be disciplined for having been convicted by courts of offences related to building works.

The Board’s written decisions and orders issued on August 5 were published in the Gazette today (August 21). Details are available at the following links: 

Case 1: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=34&notice_no=5127
Case 2: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=34&notice_no=5125
Case 3: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=34&notice_no=5126
Case 4: egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=34&notice_no=5124

The first case involved a fatal incident that occurred on August 10, 2019, at a building alteration site in Causeway Bay. A worker, while carrying out wooden formwork work on the rooftop, fell from an unfenced edge of a formwork to the floor below. The worker sustained serious injuries and passed away later. The RGBC was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violations of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (FIUO), the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation. The RGBC was convicted and fined $245,000 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on June 5, 2020. In view of the convictions of the RGBC, the Buildings Department (BD) notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the RGBC under the provisions of section 13(1) of the BO. Upon completion of the disciplinary inquiry, the Board ordered the RGBC to be removed from the register of general building contractors for two months, to be fined $200,000, and to pay a total of $50,500 in costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

The second case involved a fatal incident that occurred on December 9, 2020, at a construction site in Stanley. Two workers, while dismantling a metal hoarding at the site, were pressed by the collapsed portion of the hoarding. One of the workers died and the other was injured. The RGBC was prosecuted by the LD for violation of the FIUO. The RGBC was convicted and fined $35,000 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on May 29, 2023. In view of the conviction of the RGBC, the BD notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the RGBC under the provisions of section 13(1) of the BO. Upon completion of the disciplinary inquiry, the Board ordered the RGBC to be removed from the register of general building contractors for two months and to pay a total of $60,100 in costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

The third case involved a fatal incident that occurred on June 30, 2020, at a reclamation site of the Hong Kong International Airport three-runway system project. While a group of workers was engaged in repairing a winch drum of a machine on the site, a wire rope suddenly flipped and struck two of the workers. One worker sustained a serious head injury and died later while the other sustained a bone fracture. The RGBC was prosecuted by the LD for violation of the FIUO and the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. The RGBC was convicted and fined $53,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on June 24, 2021. In view of the convictions of the RGBC, the BD notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the RGBC under the provisions of section 13(1) of the BO. Upon completion of the disciplinary inquiry, the Board ordered the RGBC to be fined $299,700 and to pay a total of $64,000 in costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

The fourth case involved a fatal incident that occurred on November 8, 2022, at a construction site in Tsim Sha Tsui. While a worker was carrying out fire service work on a reinforcement bar structure, part of the structure suddenly collapsed onto him. The worker sustained serious injuries and passed away on the same day. The RGBC was prosecuted by the LD for violation of the FIUO. The RGBC was convicted and fined $8,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on March 21, 2024. In view of the conviction of the RGBC, the BD notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the RGBC under the provisions of section 13(1) of the BO. Upon completion of the disciplinary inquiry, the Board ordered the RGBC to be fined $166,700 and to pay a total of $55,700 in costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that any registered contractor who contravenes the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out building works, or is convicted by any court of an offence relating to building works, or has been negligent or has misconducted in building works, will be subject to enforcement action including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action under the BO.

Posted on

Amendments to scheme for Mass Transit Railway – Lantau and Airport Railway Phase II Hong Kong Station Extended Overrun Tunnels gazetted

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Government published in the Gazette today (August 21) the amendments to the scheme for the Mass Transit Railway – Lantau and Airport Railway Phase II Hong Kong Station Extended Overrun Tunnels under section 7 of the Railways Ordinance (Cap. 519) (the Ordinance).

A Government spokesman said, “The Mass Transit Railway – Lantau and Airport Railway Phase II Hong Kong Station Extended Overrun Tunnels project mainly involves the construction of underground tunnels of around 500 metres long beneath Lung Wo Road to the east of Hong Kong Station with a ventilation building and its associated works at the east of Yiu Sing Street. The amendments, covering the General Layout Plan, the Creation of Rights of Temporary Occupation of Land Plan, and the Control of Building Plans and Commencement of Work Plan, are made mainly to reflect the latest layout and design of the railway scheme and facilities, and the infrastructure constructed in the surrounding environment since the gazettal of the original scheme in 2001.

“The amendments demonstrate the Government’s dedication to advancing transportation infrastructure with an innovative mindset and a people-centric approach. Leveraging technological innovation, the Government has proactively responded to the public’s aspirations for the project by optimising the layout, design and construction methods. The amendments to the scheme will enhance the capacity of the railway network and meet the transportation demands arising from the development of Lantau and Hong Kong as a whole, while minimising the impact on this precious piece of land at the Central Harbourfront.”

The construction works of the project will commence after the authorisation of the amendments to the scheme with the main works expected to be completed by 2032.

​Under the Ordinance, members of the public may object to the amendments to the scheme from today until October 20, 2026. Additionally, any person who has a compensatable interest can claim compensation under the provisions of the Ordinance.

The Amendments to the Scheme and the Amendment Plans have been uploaded to the Highways Department (HyD) website (www.hyd.gov.hk/en/our_projects/railway_projects/tcle/index.html). They are also available for public inspection during office hours at the Central & Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre; the Wan Chai Home Affairs Enquiry Centre; the District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South; and the District Lands Office, Hong Kong East. A copy of the Amendments to the Scheme and the Amendment Plans may also be purchased from the HyD, which can be contacted at 2762 3976 for details.