The Government published in the Gazette today (May 17) the Financial Reporting Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2019 (Commencement) Notice (the Commencement Notice). 
 
     The Financial Reporting Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2019, which was enacted by the Legislative Council on January 30, 2019, enables the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to become a full-fledged and independent oversight body regulating auditors of listed entities, and ensures that Hong Kong's regulatory regime for auditors of listed entities is benchmarked against the international standard and practice.
 
     The Commencement Notice seeks to appoint October 1, 2019, as the commencement date for the Amendment Ordinance, except for the provisions relating to the payment of levies under the new regime which will be commenced separately on January 1, 2022. The Financial Secretary has announced in the 2019-20 Budget that the levies would be exempted for the first two years under the new regime.
 
     The Commencement Notice will be tabled in the Legislative Council for negative vetting on May 22, 2019.

     The Lands Department today (May 17) announced the resumption of land at Hong Ning Road/Yue Man Square/Kwun Tong Road in Kwun Tong (the concerned land) for the implementation of the second phase of the Kwun Tong Town Centre (KTTC) – Main Site Development Scheme.

     The KTTC – Main Site Development Scheme is an urban renewal project with a total area of about 48 860 square metres. It is divided into four Development Areas (DAs), namely DA2, DA3, DA4 and DA5. The DA2 and DA3 are in the first phase of the KTTC – Main Site Development Scheme and the construction works for redevelopment are underway. The DA4 and DA5 are in the second phase development which will comprise a tower for commercial/office cum hotel, a complex with commercial/institution cum government offices, social welfare facilities and a multi-purpose activity venue, basement car park facilities, loading and unloading facilities, as well as at-grade public open space. Its implementation will help improve the overall living environment of the area.

     A total of 466 private property interests at the concerned land will be resumed under the Lands Resumption Ordinance. The affected interests will revert to the Government on the expiration of three months from the date on which the resumption notice is affixed on-site. Details of the private land affected were published by notice in the Government Gazette today.

     Apart from statutory compensation, eligible owners of domestic properties will be offered an ex-gratia home purchase allowance or a supplementary allowance as appropriate. Eligible domestic tenants will be offered rehousing to public rental housing units provided by the Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society, or an ex-gratia cash allowance.

     Eligible commercial property occupiers, including owners and tenants, may opt for an ex-gratia allowance in lieu of the right to claim statutory compensation for business and related losses.

     If statutory claims made by the affected owners and tenants of both domestic and commercial properties under the Lands Resumption Ordinance cannot be settled by agreement, the owners and tenants may apply to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. Professional fees reasonably incurred by the claimants in making such claims may be reimbursed by the Government.

     Nominations for the by-election for the Shap Pat Heung West Constituency and San Tin Constituency of the Yuen Long District Council will be accepted between May 28 and June 10, 2019.

     "If the number of validly nominated candidates for a constituency is more than one at the by-election, a poll will be held on July 14, 2019 (Sunday) for that constituency to fill the vacant seat of the elected member in the constituency," a spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) said today (May 17).

     "A nominee must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 21 or above who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the three years immediately preceding his or her nomination. Details on the eligibility to be nominated as a candidate, disqualification for being nominated as a candidate and from being elected as an elected member, and the requirements to be complied with by persons nominated as candidates are set out in sections 20, 21 and 34 respectively of the District Councils Ordinance.

     "A nomination form must be subscribed by 10 registered electors of the constituency concerned. Each elector is allowed to subscribe only one nomination," he added.

     The nominee must personally hand in the completed nomination form and an election deposit of $3,000 to the Returning Officer for this by-election within the nomination period. Nominations are accepted from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays (except public holidays).

     The District Officer (Yuen Long) has been appointed as the Returning Officer for this by-election, and his office is located at 4/F, Yuen Long District Office Building, 269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long, New Territories.

     Nomination forms are available at the office of the Returning Officer or can be downloaded from the REO website (www.reo.gov.hk). They can also be obtained at the REO at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The office will extend its service hours to include Saturday mornings from 9am to noon until the end of the nomination period.

     "Nominees are advised to submit their nominations as early as possible to allow time to correct mistakes, if any, in the nomination forms before the deadline," the spokesman said.

     Details of the by-election, the appointment of the Returning Officer and the Assistant Returning Officer, and the appointment of the Nominations Advisory Committee were published in the Gazette today.

     Enquiries can be made to the election hotline on 2891 1001.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the service demand surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     Police are investigating a manslaughter case in Sau Mau Ping yesterday (May 16) in which an 85-year-old woman died.

     At about 5.15pm yesterday (May 16), Police received a report in which two women were fighting in an elderly home on Shun On Road. Police officers sped to the scene and found the 85-year-old woman collapsed without superficial injury. She was rushed to United Christian Hospital in unconscious state and was subsequently certified dead at 7.03pm that night.

     Initial investigation revealed that an 89-year-old woman suspected to have assaulted the deceased with fists, feet and a pair of slippers. She was arrested for manslaughter, and is being detained for enquiries.

     A pair of slippers in suspected connection with the case was seized at scene.

     Post-mortem examinations will be conducted later to ascertain the cause of death of the deceased.

     Investigation by the District Crime Squad of Sau Mau Ping District is underway.