Author Archives: hksar gov

     A spokesman for the Labour and Welfare Bureau said today (May 14) that the Social Workers Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 will be gazetted on Friday (May 17) and introduced into the Legislative Council (LegCo) on May 22.

     The spokesman said, “Registered social workers (RSWs) shoulder great responsibilities and have far-reaching impacts. As social workers have the trust of their clients and exert on them significant influence, they are more obliged to honour the rule of law, and consciously safeguard national security, social order and public interest, while performing their duties in a fair and impartial manner. Therefore, it is imperative for the Social Workers Registration Board to perform its statutory functions in a fair and impartial manner with due regard to public interest to safeguard the interest of their clients and the community as a whole. The Bill will improve the governance of the Board so that it would more effectively serve the interests of the wider community and safeguard national security.”

     Subject to its passage, the Bill will expand membership of the Board for broader and more balanced participation, enable prompt removal of RSWs convicted of serious offences, lend clarity to the effective date of the Code of Practice for Registered Social Workers and Disciplinary Committee Panel appointment, set continuing professional development requirements for the social work profession and require all members of the Board to take an oath.

     The Bill will be introduced into the LegCo for first and second readings on May 22. The spokesman stressed that the Government would fully complement the work of the LegCo in scrutinising the Bill, with a view to seeking the LegCo’s support and passage of the Bill. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:      Exchange Fund Bills tender results:   Tender date : May 14, 2024 Paper on offer : EF Bills Issue nu… read more

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on May 13 to noon today (May 14), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 201 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 51 056 samples of food imported from Japan (including 33 056 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 13 086 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:        The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced th… read more

     The Transport Department (TD) today (May 14) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on June 1 (Saturday) and 2 (Sunday) in Meeting Room N201, L2, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     “A total of 350 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” 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 concerned 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:

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

(4) 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.

(5) 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 Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html. read more