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Author Archives: hksar gov

CE meets Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (with photo)

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Professor Celeste Saulo, today (March 28). Also attending the meeting were the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), Miss Janice Tse, and the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), Dr Chan Pak-wai.
      
     Mr Lee congratulated Professor Saulo on her assumption of office as the first female Secretary-General of the WMO in January this year. He welcomed Professor Saulo’s first visit to Hong Kong, noting that she will attend a signing ceremony for an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the HKO and the WMO.
      
     Mr Lee pointed out that with the intensifying change in global climate, extreme weather conditions have become more frequent, and there are practical needs to strengthen early-warning capabilities around the world to more effectively protect people’s lives and properties. The HKO and the WMO first signed an MOU in 2018 in supporting global weather information services. The signing of the updated MOU will further enhance the co-operation between the two sides and contribute to the implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative of the United Nations.
      
     He said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been maintaining close professional exchanges with the WMO to broaden the international horizons and enrich the professional development of HKO officers. He added that the HKO will continue to support the WMO’s initiatives, including the WMO Voluntary Cooperation Programme, whereby the HKO will set up the Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries this year to provide training for meteorological personnel from the Belt and Road regions, and foster regional and international co-operation on meteorology.

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Two qualified persons prohibited by disciplinary board from certifying prescribed inspection and repair of windows for six months and 14 months

     The Registered Contractors’ Disciplinary Board (the Board) has completed disciplinary inquiries under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) and decided that two registered minor works contractors (RMWC) appointed as qualified persons (QP) under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme (MWIS) and the Authorized Signatory (AS) for one of the RMWC should be disciplined for failing to discharge the duties or abide by the requirements imposed on a QP under the BO.

     The Board’s written decisions and orders issued on March 15 were published in the Gazette today (March 28). Details are available at the following links:

  1. www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20242813/egn202428131691.pdf; and
  2. www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20242813/egn202428131690.pdf.

     In the first case, the RMWC submitted a certificate to the Buildings Department (BD) in June 2019, certifying that a prescribed inspection had been carried out to the windows of the common area of a composite building in Tsuen Wan and that those windows were safe and no prescribed repair was required. Subsequently, the BD conducted an audit inspection and found that the glazing beads of some windows were missing and the glass pane of a window was cracked. Further investigation also revealed the RMWC did not examine all components of the windows in the prescribed inspection.

     The RMWC was later prosecuted, convicted and fined $3,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts in October 2020, pursuant to sections 40(2A)(c) of the BO, for knowingly misrepresenting a material fact in the certificate submitted to the BD.

     In the second case, the RMWC and its AS submitted a certificate to the BD in February 2019, certifying that a prescribed inspection had been carried out to the windows of two residential units in Shum Shui Po and that those windows were safe and no prescribed repair was required. Subsequently, the BD carried out an investigation in response to an emergency report of a fallen window from one of the concerned units and found that rivets of some windows of both units were broken, missing or corroded. Some windows of one of the units were obstructed and the AS did not examine the components of all windows. Moreover, he had carried out repairs to windows of both units but certified that the windows were safe and no prescribed repair was required.

     The RMWC was later prosecuted and convicted and fined $18,000 in total at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on March 3, 2021, pursuant to sections 40(2A)(c) and 40(2B)(b) of the BO for knowingly misrepresenting a material fact in the certificate submitted to the BD; and carrying out a prescribed inspection in such a manner as was likely to cause a risk of injury to any person or damage to any property.

     In view of the convictions, the BD notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the two RMWCs under the provisions of section 13(1) of the BO.

     In the first case, the Board ordered the RMWC to be prohibited from certifying any prescribed inspection, or certifying or supervising any prescribed repair of windows, for six months with effect from the date of the Gazette, and to pay a total of about $49,000, being the costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

     In the second case, the Board ordered the RMWC and its AS to be prohibited from certifying any prescribed inspection, or certifying or supervising any prescribed repair of windows, for 14 months with effect from the date of the Gazette, and to pay a total of about $40,000, being the costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.

     A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that in order to ensure building safety, the BD attaches great importance to the quality of the prescribed inspection and repair of windows by a QP under the MWIS. Any QP who contravenes the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out the prescribed inspection and repair of windows under the MWIS is not only liable to criminal prosecution but also disciplinary action under the BO.

     The BD will continue to conduct audit inspections to ensure the quality of prescribed inspections and repairs under the MWIS, he added. read more

Appointment of members to Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board announced

     The Government today (March 28) announced the appointment of four new non-official members as well as the reappointment of 10 incumbent non-official members and eight institutional members to the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board (HKMPB) for a two-year term with effect from April 1, 2024.

     The four new members are Mr Logan Chong Chiu-ming, Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki, Mr Marso Law Kwun-pan and Mr Edward Liu Yang. Mr Logan Chong Chiu-ming was a Managing Director of a multinational bank and financial services company, Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki is a Vice President of a local think tank, Mr Marso Law Kwun-pan is the Convenor of the Maritime Professional Promotion Federation, and Mr Edward Liu Yang is a Partner of a Chinese law firm.

     In addition, 10 incumbent members are reappointed, namely Ms Abby Chan Shuk-bing, Mr Cheung Sai-teng, Mr Ivor Chow, Mr Bjorn Hojgaard, Mr Wellington Koo Tse-hau, Mr Timothy Lee Kwok-lam, Mr Horace Lo Wai-man, Mr So Wing-wah, Mr Frankie Yick Chi-ming and Mr Chris Zhao Peng. Eight institutional members, namely the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association, the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association, the Hong Kong Sea Transport and Logistics Association, the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, the Institute of Seatransport, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Vocational Training Council, are also reappointed.
 
     The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, welcomed the new members and thanked the outgoing members, namely Mr Mayank Shikhar Gauba, Mr Kenneth Lam Sze-ken, Miss Rosita Lau Sui-yee and Mr Clarence Leung Ka-fai, for their valuable contributions to the HKMPB and the development of the maritime and port industry in Hong Kong.

     The HKMPB was established in 2016 to provide a high-level platform for setting the long-term development directions of port and maritime services and the related work in manpower training and promotions with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness and status in the international maritime arena.

    The membership of the HKMPB with effect from April 1 is as follows:

Chairman
Secretary for Transport and Logistics

Deputy Chairman
Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics

Chairman, Maritime and Port Development Committee
Mr Bjorn Hojgaard

Chairman, Manpower Development Committee
Mr Timothy Lee Kwok-lam

Chairman, Promotion and External Relations Committee
Mr Wellington Koo Tse-hau

Members
Ms Abby Chan Shuk-bing
Mr Cheung Sai-teng
Mr Logan Chong Chiu-ming
Mr Ivor Chow
Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki
Mr Marso Law Kwun-pan
Mr Edward Liu Yang
Mr Horace Lo Wai-man
Mr So Wing-wah
Mr Frankie Yick Chi-ming
Mr Chris Zhao Peng
Representative of Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association
Representative of Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association
Representative of Hong Kong Sea Transport and Logistics Association
Representative of Hong Kong Shipowners Association
Representative of Hong Kong Shippers’ Council
Representative of Institute of Seatransport
Representative of Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Representative of Vocational Training Council
Director of Marine
Director-General of Investment Promotion

Secretary
Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics read more