The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 is 104.1 (up 0.5 against yesterday's index).

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 24) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at St Stephen's Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     A property owner was fined $77,800 for failing to comply with a removal order under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123) (BO) at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts last week.

     The order involved several illegal structures at a shop on the ground floor of a composite building at Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. The illegal structures are around 35 square metres in size altogether. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were erected without prior approval from the Buildings Department (BD), contravening the BO, a removal order was served on the owner of the premises under section 24(1) of the BO.

     As the owner failed to remove the UBWs upon the expiry of the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and convicted on July 17.

     "UBWs may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners should seek professional advice before carrying out any building works in their premises," a spokesman for the BD said today (July 24).

     Pursuant to section 40(1BA) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with an order served on him under section 24(1) of the BO, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence has continued.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 

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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning July 30, 2018:
 

     The Secretariat of the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) today (July 24) said that a total of 80 projects have been approved under the 2017-18 Invitations for Environmental Education and Community Action (EE&CA) Projects with a total grant of around $45 million.

     The EE&CA Projects Funding Scheme provides grants for local non-profit-making organisations to implement projects to raise the environmental awareness and knowledge of the public and to motivate behavioural changes for environmental conservation. Other than general theme projects, projects on special themes including "Nature Conservation of South Lantau", "Clean Shorelines", "Climate Change", "Biodiversity" and "Sustainable Use of Biological Resources" were approved. Details of the 80 approved projects are available on the EE&CA Projects website (eeca.ecc.org.hk/english/projects/list_detail2017.html?id=542).

     The 2018-19 Second Round Invitation for EE&CA Projects is tentatively scheduled for the third quarter of this year. Interested local non-profit-making organisations may refer to the EE&CA Projects website (eeca.ecc.org.hk/english/index.html) for details nearer the time.