Author Archives: hksar gov

     A qualified person (QP) who contravened the related law when performing mandatory window inspections was fined a total of $75,000 at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts this Wednesday (August 1). The convicted QP consisted of a registered minor works contractor and its director.

     In July 2016, the Buildings Department (BD) issued notices under section 30C(4) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO) to the owners of a private estate in Po Man Street, Shau Kei Wan, requiring them to appoint a QP to carry out window inspections of their premises and supervise the required repair. From August 2016 to March 2017, a QP submitted a total of 97 certificates involving different premises to the BD, certifying that the window inspections of those premises had been completed.

     Afterwards, in response to reports of improper repair at the premises of the estate, BD staff conducted an investigation which revealed that inspection of all of the 97 cases was not carried out personally by the QP, contravening the requirement under section 30E(4) of the BO.

     The QP and its director were subsequently prosecuted for the offences under section 40(2A)(c) and 40(6) of the BO respectively for knowingly misrepresenting a material fact in the certificates submitted to the BD. They pleaded guilty to the charge in the plea hearing at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on July 5 this year and were totally fined $75,000 on August 1, after the Court has considered their mitigation submission.

     “Misrepresentation to the BD is a serious offence. The BD will conduct audit checks on certificates of window inspections received. Upon receipt of reports or arising from audit checks, the BD will conduct an investigation and take appropriate action against irregularities committed by the relevant persons, including instigating prosecution and/or disciplinary action,” a spokesman for the BD said today (August 3).

     Regarding the case in question, the BD is considering taking disciplinary action against the convicted QP involved.

     Pursuant to section 40(2A)(c) of the BO, a QP who knowingly misrepresents a material fact in any plan, certificate, form, report, notice or other documents given to the BD for prescribed window inspection is punishable on conviction with a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for 18 months.

     Moreover, pursuant to section 40(6) of the BO, where an offence committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of any director, manager, or other officer concerned in the management of the body corporate, or any person purporting to act in any such capacity, he/she, as well as the body corporate, is guilty of the offence. read more

     A red tide has been sighted over the past week, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (August 3).
 
     The red tide was spotted by staff of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) on August 1 in Tolo Harbour including the Yim Tin Tsai fish culture zone.
  
     The red tide still persists. No associated death of fish has been reported.
 
     A spokesman for the working group said, “The red tide was formed by Scrippsiella trochoidea, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and non-toxic.”
 
     The AFCD urged mariculturists at Yim Tin Tsai, Yim Tin Tsai (East), Yung Shue Au and Lo Fu Wat 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. read more

     To commemorate the comedy legend Leung Sing-por on the 110th anniversary of his birth, the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, in association with UA CineHub, is holding the exhibition “Leung Sing-por・The Silhouette on Stage and Silver Screen” from today (August 3) to October 29 at the 1/F Foyer of the HKFA. The exhibition revisits Leung’s silver screen career and his signature acting style, which integrated the techniques of Cantonese opera, as a tribute to the master performing artist.
 
     Affectionately known as Uncle Por (1908-1981), Leung was born Leung Si-hoi in a renowned Cantonese opera family in Singapore. In 1939, Ma Si-tsang invited Leung to come to Hong Kong for career development. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, Leung and his family were forced to move to other places including Guangzhou. Leung returned to Hong Kong after the war and, becoming chubby, he made a transition in his operatic role from wenwusheng (civil and military male role) to chousheng (comic male role). It was through the latter that Leung became known as the “King of Chousheng” for his virtuoso status.
 
     Leung was acclaimed for his ability to move deftly between stage and screen, fusing the two art forms into a performance style uniquely his own. In 1941, Leung made his on-screen debut in “Chaos in the Universe”, and he starred in over 400 movies afterwards, essaying many memorable characters like Leung Sing-sung who poses as the manager of a tycoon’s company with a smoking cigar, the Dunce, Silly Wong and Obese Cantonese. Leung was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1977 Honours List for his artistic contributions, making him the first Hong Kong artist to receive the honour.
 
     In addition, the exhibition will also be held from August 18 to October 31 at the cinema of UA iSquare.
 
     Admission to the exhibition is free. For details, please call 2739 2139 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/en_US/web/hkfa/programmesandexhibitions/highlights/highlights52.html.

  

     The Department of Justice today (August 3) reminded potential applicants for the post of Government Counsel (GC) that they are required to obtain a certain level of results in the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) in order to be qualified for the post.

     The GC recruitment exercise will be conducted in around late August/early September this year.  Similar to last year’s recruitment exercise, applicants will be required to obtain a Level 2 result in the Use of English (UE) paper and a Level 1 result in the Use of Chinese (UC) paper of the CRE.

     In this connection, Level 5 or above in English Language in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSEE) or Grade C or above in Use of English in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) or Grade C or above in English Language in the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) are accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UE paper of the CRE.  Furthermore, Level 4 in Chinese Language in the HKDSEE or Grade D in Chinese Language and Culture or Chinese Language and Literature in the HKALE are accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UC paper of the CRE.  Other equivalent qualifications can also be found at www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/cre/949.html.

     Under exceptional circumstances a limited number of applicants who do not meet the requisite Chinese language requirement may be appointed subject to the operational needs of the department.

     Since 2008, applicants for the GC post should also take a Basic Law Test (BLT).  While not mandatory, the results of the BLT will be taken into account in considering the suitability of a candidate for appointment.

     The next CRE and BLT will be held on October 6 and 13, in Hong Kong.  Prospective GC applicants without the requisite results in the CRE or equivalent and/or those who wish to take the BLT are invited to apply between August 3 and 16, for sitting the relevant examination and/or test.

     Further information on the CRE and BLT is available on the homepage of the Civil Service Bureau (under the “Recruitment” section) at www.csb.gov.hk. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, August 3, 2018 is 104.6 (up 0.6 against yesterday’s index). read more