The Transport Department today (July 8) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on August 10 (Saturday) and 11 (Sunday) in Meeting Room N101, L1 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     "A total of 340 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have been posted at the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.
 
     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
 
(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
 
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.
 
(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.
 
(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.
 
(e) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) concluded the first round of this year's anti-rodent operation in designated target areas in all districts on June 28. During the operation, the FEHD collected 1 035 dead rodents, caught 793 rodents in traps and took out 268 prosecutions. The operation effectively enhanced the rodent prevention and control work at the district level.
      
     An FEHD spokesman said today (July 8), "The FEHD launched the eight-week anti-rodent operation in designated target areas on May 6, with multi-pronged strategies including improving environmental hygiene, and stepping up rodent disinfestation and enforcement actions, to carry out targeted rodent prevention and control work in the districts. In the past eight weeks, the FEHD strengthened rodent control work at problematic spots such as rear lanes, refuse collection points, markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets, peripheral areas of construction sites, etc. The department placed poisonous baits at 7 227 locations, placed 18 545 traps, and destroyed 390 rat holes, with 1 035 dead rodents collected and 793 rodents caught in traps.
      
     "Apart from strengthening rodent control work, FEHD staff also enhanced street cleansing services and cleansing of public markets and hawker bazaars in the target areas, including sweeping and washing of streets and rear lanes, and clearing of refuse and waste on the streets, in public markets and hawker bazaars, so as to keep the environment clean.
      
     "In addition, the FEHD stepped up inspections of markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets and food premises. Enforcement actions especially against premises causing poor environmental hygiene conditions, food preparation and scullery at rear lanes, and improper storage of articles and illegal dumping of refuse were strengthened. The FEHD conducted 19 406 inspections and issued 5 201 health advisories, 1 754 verbal warnings, 31 warning letters, six statutory notices and 412 fixed penalty notices and took out 268 prosecutions in the past eight weeks."
      
     The FEHD also stepped up public education and publicity, and arranged 202 health talks for building management companies of private buildings, persons-in-charge of food premises, and market and hawker stall operators to provide information and technical advice on rodent prevention and control.
      
     The spokesman said that the FEHD will continue its efforts in rodent prevention and control. With the commencement of the second phase of the territory-wide anti-rodent campaign today, which will last for 10 weeks, he called on all sectors of the community to continue to participate in the campaign and eliminate the three fundamental survival conditions of rodents in their daily life, namely food, harbourage and passages, i.e. the elimination of the food sources and hiding places of rodents as well as blockage of their dispersal routes, so as to work together to combat rodent problem.
   

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 8) that the shark prevention nets at Lido Beach and Casam Beach in Tsuen Wan District have been repaired and the beaches have been reopened.

     The beaches were temporarily closed earlier on for shark prevention net maintenance work.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 8) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Turtle Cove Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 8) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District.  Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.