The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     Result of the tenders of the People's Bank of China RMB Bills held on September 19, 2023:
 

     The Government Property Agency is inviting tenders for a three-year licence of a fee-paying public car park at the basement of To Kwa Wan Market and Government Offices, 165 Ma Tau Wai Road, To Kwa Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

     The premises should be used for the purpose of a fee-paying public car park for the parking of private cars and motorcycles only.

     The tender notice was uploaded today (September 19) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk. Tender documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.

     Interested tenderers who wish to attend a site inspection should make a prior appointment with the Government Property Agency by calling 3842 6777 on or before September 29.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box situated on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, before noon on October 10. Late tenders will not be accepted.

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) today (September 19) revised the terms for operating courses under the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) with immediate effect to state expressly the responsibilities of the relevant institutions/organisations to safeguard national security.

     In response to the recommendations of the Audit Commission and the Legislative Council Public Accounts Committee, the Government has revised the CEF terms and conditions to provide expressly for the responsibilities of the relevant institutions/organisations in safeguarding national security. The LWB has issued letters to all institutions/organisations under the CEF to explain to them their responsibilities, including ensuring that all key personnel involved in the management, operation or delivery of the CEF courses (such as responsible persons, course directors, course instructors, etc) acquire a correct understanding of and comply with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (National Security Law); do not perform or engage in any act or activity that constitutes an offence under the National Security Law or is contrary to the interest of national security; and are not under police investigation for, charged with or convicted of any offence endangering national security under the National Security Law. Institutions and organisations are required to acknowledge in writing within two weeks after the issue of the above letter to confirm their understanding of the revised terms and ongoing compliance with relevant requirements. Based on the above requirements, the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and the Office of the CEF have also made corresponding amendments to the relevant CEF guidelines and documents.

     The spokesman stressed, "All institutions/organisations operating CEF courses must observe the laws in Hong Kong, including the National Security Law, and discharge their duty to safeguard national security. The Government will closely monitor the situation. In case of any suspected breach of national security requirements in the CEF terms and conditions, the LWB will suspend or even de-register the CEF courses of the institutions/organisations concerned, and refer the cases to law enforcement agencies for follow-up."

     An owner and a contractor, and his director who had carried out building works for the installation of an unauthorised photovoltaic (PV) system without prior approval and consent in writing from the Buildings Department (BD), were found guilty of the offence under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) and were fined a total of $22,000 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts.

     The case involved the installation of an unauthorised PV system on the roof of a New Territories Exempted House (NTEH) in Hang Tau, North. Investigations by the BD in July 2022 found that the owner concerned, shortly after complying with a removal order against an unauthorised roof-top structure, erected a PV system on the roof with a coverage area of more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the building, and the space underneath the PV system was partially enclosed by windows, violating the requirements for green and amenity facilities in an NTEH. In addition, the owner and the contractor and his director had carried out the building works without prior approval and consent from the BD, contravening section 14(1) of the BO.

     Hence, the BD instigated prosecution action against the owner, the contractor and his director under section 40(1AA) of the BO. The contractor and his director were convicted and fined $7,000 respectively on August 22 and the owner was convicted and fined $8,000 on September 5.

     A spokesman for the BD said today (September 19) that the installation of PV systems without satisfying the requirements specified for the installation of green and amenity facilities in an NTEH, such as unauthorised enclosure to the space underneath the system, would be considered as unauthorised building works. Prosecution action would be initiated against the owner and the contractor under section 40(1AA) of the BO.

     Pursuant to section 40(1AA) of the BO, any person who knowingly contravenes section 14(1) (i.e. commence or carry out any building works without having first obtained approval and consent from the BD), shall be guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to a fine of $400,000 and to imprisonment for two years, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

      The Home Affairs Department's Emergency Co-ordination Centre and the emergency hotline 2572 8427, in operation since the evening of September 7 due to inclement weather, have now stood down.