A Hong Kong resident failed to register birth of his child within the prescribed period was convicted at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 27).

     Immigration Department (ImmD) investigated on a case of failure to register birth within the prescribed period. After investigation, it was found that one male failed to register birth of his son who was born in September 2016. The said male was charged with failure to perform the birth registration of a baby within 42 days after the day of such birth at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday. He plead guilty to the charge and was sentenced to a fine of $1,500. The birth registration of the baby boy had been completed in May 2018.

     The ImmD spokesman reminded that parents must fulfil their obligations under the law to register the birth of a child within 42 days of such birth so that the rights to medical treatment, education and welfare benefits entitled to their children are not harmed due to delay in following the relevant procedures. Failure of which is an offence for which the maximum sentence upon summary conviction is a fine of $2,000 or six months' imprisonment.
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Service:
 
     The Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Service will hold a hearing to receive further oral evidence from the nominated representatives of the Transport Department (TD) next Thursday (October 4) (to be continued on October 6, if necessary) from 10am to 5.30pm (with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm) at the Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. The Committee's rules of procedure for the receipt of oral evidence and notice to the public attending the hearings to receive oral evidence are available on the Committee's website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/press.html).
 
     Having received and considered written submissions from various interested parties, and in order to obtain further information, the Committee is in the process of inviting specific interested parties to give oral evidence to the Committee through nominated representatives. Fifteen hearings have been held so far to receive oral evidence from:
 
(A) Representatives of:

• the Transport and Housing Bureau;
• the TD;
• Hong Kong Police Force;
• the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) and Long Win Bus Company Limited;
• New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited;
• the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited;
• Tai Po, Sha Tin and Sham Shui Po District Councils;
• ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Openmatics s.r.o.;
• the Community for Road Safety;
• the Motor Transport Workers General Union, including its sub-unions of Citybus Branch, KMB Branch, Long Win Bus Branch, New Lantao Bus Branch and New World Bus Branch;
• the Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, including its members of KMB Staff Union, New World First Bus Company Staff Union and Citybus Limited Employees Union;
• the KMB Employees Union;
• the Staff Rights Association of KMB;
• the Monthly-Rated Drivers Union; and
• the Part-time Drivers Union

(B) Former employees of KMB:

• Mr Alok Jain; and
• Mr Raymond Cheng
   

(C)  Employees of KMB:

• Ms Debby Wong; and
• Mr Kelvin Yeung

 
(D)  Experts appointed by the Committee:

• Professor John Stanley; and
• Mr Mike Weston

 
     A transcript of that evidence (and a translation in Chinese) is available on the Committee's website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/transcripts.html).
 
     The Committee wishes to invite family members of the victims and passengers on board the bus involved in the fatal incident on Tai Po Road, and other recent serious incidents involving franchised bus services, to attend the hearing, and invites them to contact the Secretariat in advance of the hearing if they wish to attend. Except for seats reserved for such persons as well as the media and specifically identified interested parties, all available seats in the hearing venue will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration counter will open at 9.30am on October 4 (and October 6, if required).
 
     Enquiries regarding the hearing may be directed to the Secretariat of the Committee at 2867 5324.

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 440 grams of suspected cocaine and about 1.5 kilograms of suspected heroin at Hong Kong International Airport on September 7 and yesterday (September 27) respectively. The total estimated market value is about $1.8 million.

     Customs officers inspected an express parcel from Ecuador on September 7 and found the suspected cocaine concealed between layers of four wooden boxes. After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 40-year-old woman suspected to be in connection with the case in Yuen Long.

     Also, a 30-year-old male passenger and a 22-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday afternoon. During Customs clearance, they were found to each have two packets of suspected heroin strapped around them. A small amount of suspected dangerous drugs and a set of drug inhaling apparatus were also found inside the baggage carried by the male passenger. Both of them were then arrested.

     Investigations are ongoing.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (September 28) published the September 2018 issue of its Quarterly Bulletin.
      
     This issue of Quarterly Bulletin carries two feature articles, entitled "Green Bond Market: Hong Kong's Unique Role" and "Implementation of a Faster Payment System in Hong Kong". 
      
     The Quarterly Bulletin can be viewed on and downloaded from the HKMA website.
 

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, visited Yau Tsim Mong District this afternoon (September 28).

     Mr Lau first visited the head office of the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) to learn about its work on heritage preservation. The AMO head office is located at the former Kowloon British School. Built in 1902 and being the oldest surviving school building constructed for the children of foreign residents in Hong Kong, the building was declared a monument in July 1991.

     Mr Lau then proceeded to the worksite of the West Kowloon Government Offices at Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, and was briefed on its construction progress by representatives of the Architectural Services Department and the Government Property Agency. Comprising a North Block and a South Block, the West Kowloon Government Offices are expected to be completed by early next year and will be used for reprovisioning some government offices in the Wan Chai Government Offices Complex and some leased premises in other districts. Adopting a green design, the building has various energy-saving and renewable energy facilities. There will also be greening on the rooftop and external walls.

     After that, Mr Lau went to the Hong Kong Playground Association's Mongkok Integrated Service Centre for Children & Youth to see for himself the services and facilities provided there. He also chatted with youths to learn about their studies, the jobs they are doing and their experiences in starting up businesses. He was glad to see that young entrepreneurs were aspiring to start their own businesses, and appreciated their enthusiasm for life.

     Before concluding the visit, Mr Lau met with members of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council to exchange views on various issues including opening of bank accounts.