Author Archives: hksar gov

     An organiser filed a notification to hold a public meeting and a public procession on Hong Kong Island tomorrow (July 1). Considering public safety, public order, people’s rights and freedom, and the serious health risks brought by the ongoing pandemic to the society, Police has reasonable grounds to believe that the holding of the event will pose considerable threats to the public health and lives and therefore issued a letter of objection to the organiser. On June 29, the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions upheld Police’s decision after hearing.

     It must be reiterated that participating in an unauthorised assembly risks committing offences under the Public Order Ordinance, and on conviction, shall be liable to a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment while advertising or publicising an unauthorised assembly shall be liable to a maximum penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment. The Court’s recent rulings on cases of unauthorised assembly show that participating in an unauthorised assembly, whether involving violence or not, breaks the law. Besides, participating in public gatherings may also breach the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) regarding prohibited group gatherings.

     Police arrested two men yesterday for possessing explosives, firearms and ammunition, suspecting them in relation to certain posts on social media about inciting hatred and threatening to use violence to achieve extreme purposes. This shows that Hong Kong is still facing public safety risks. Police appeal to members of the public to refrain from participating in, advertising or publicising any unauthorised assemblies and prohibited gatherings. Police will deploy adequate manpower in relevant locations on the day and take resolute action to enforce the law, including making arrests. If any suspicious person or object is spotted, please report to Police as soon as possible. read more

     The Government today (June 30) announced that the eligible age of the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ($2 Scheme) would be lowered to 60 from February 27, 2022 (Sunday). It will also be extended to cover red minibuses, kaitos and the tramways.

     Announcing the measures at a press conference today, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, said, “The Government will launch enhancement and anti-abuse measures of the $2 Scheme on February 27, 2022, including lowering the eligible age from 65 to 60, benefitting more than 600 000 persons aged 60 to 64. To enjoy the $2 concessionary fare, they must apply the JoyYou Card, a Personalised Octopus Card tailor-made for the $2 Scheme, according to their year of birth from August 2, 2021 in phases. In addition, red minibus and kaito routes approved by the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Tramways will be covered by the $2 Scheme on the same day. The $2 fixed rate remains unchanged at present.”

     The JoyYou Card will carry a personal photo and the name of the eligible beneficiary. Each eligible person will be issued with one card only. JoyYou Cards issued prior to the effective day can only be used as normal Adult Octopus Cards. Therefore, eligible persons aged 60 to 64 should follow the timetable below to submit their applications and do not need to rush:
 

Application period	Applicants’ year of birth (Hong Kong Identity Card holder)
August 2 to 31, 2021	1957
September 1 to 30, 2021	1958
October 1 to 31, 2021	1959
November 1 to 30, 2021	1960
December 1 to 31, 2021	1961
From January 1, 2022 onwards	Persons reaching the age of 60 in three months

     Eligible persons aged 60 to 64 may submit their applications via the Octopus App mobile application or by posting the application forms. The mobile application, application form (without postage-free return envelope) and the distribution points for paper application forms (with postage-free return envelope) can be found in the JoyYou Card webpage (www.octopus.com.hk/joyyou/en). From August 2, 2021, paper application forms will also be available at over 330 distribution points, comprising 97 MTR stations with Customer Service Centres (except Racecourse Station), 20 Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of District Offices, four Licensing Offices of the TD as well as over 210 District Elderly Community Centres, Neighbourhood Elderly Centres and Social Centres for the Elderly subvented by the Government. The webpage also features videos illustrating the detailed steps to apply for the JoyYou Card.

     The JoyYou Card will be sent to the applicant’s Hong Kong postal address in four weeks upon receipt of the completed application. The Government will subsidise the $20 administrative fee for the first application of eligible persons, and applicants do not need to pay any application fee to the Octopus Cards Limited (OCL). JoyYou Card holders should load more than $50 to the Card before initial use to cover the $50 refundable deposit charged by the OCL.

     Current beneficiaries aged 65 or above of the $2 Scheme may continue to use their Anonymous Elder or Personalised Octopus Cards at present to enjoy the $2 concessionary fare. The Government will announce arrangements for them to apply for JoyYou Cards in the first quarter of 2022. Moreover, eligible persons with disabilities may continue to enjoy the $2 concessionary fare by using their existing Personalised Octopus Cards with valid “Persons with Disabilities Status” and do not need to apply for the JoyYou Card.

     From February 27, 2022, all eligible persons may enjoy the $2 concessionary fare on tramways as well as the red minibus and kaito routes approved by the TD in addition to MTR, franchised buses, ferries and green minibuses. Red minibus and kaito operators must meet certain prerequisites and comply with the TD’s monitoring conditions prior to their admission. The TD will announce details of the routes that will join the $2 Scheme in the first quarter of 2022. Persons aged 60 to 64 may enjoy the $2 concessionary fare on public transport providers that have joined the $2 Scheme. Persons aged 65 or above can continue to enjoy the existing concessions on trams and the Star Ferry.

     For enquiries on the JoyYou Card, please visit its webpage or call the service hotline (2266 2222). read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 30) announced its approval of the 32nd batch of applications for the trials of green innovative transport technologies under the New Energy Transport Fund (the Fund).
      
     The 20 newly approved applications are for the trials of 10 electric light goods vehicles, two electric medium goods vehicles (tractor), nine single-deck electric buses and six electric motorcycles, involving a total subsidy of about $25.3 million. The applications are from:

     1606 Travel Limited
     Allied Grand Development Limited
     Birdland (Hong Kong) Limited 
     Brother’s Travelling Investment Limited
     CN Logistics Limited
     Decency Living HK Limited
     Golden Harbour International Travel Agency Limited
     Hanison Construction Company Limited
     Hotex (H.K.) Company Limited
     Jardine, Matheson & Co., Limited
     Kerry Cargo Centre Limited
     King Wing Engineering Company
     Noble Gainer Limited
     N-Power Investment Company Limited
     Royal Classy Company Limited
     Super Land International Limited
     Thunder Motor Company Limited
     Tin Sum Bus Company Limited
     Wa Sing Gas Engineering Company
     Wang Tat Automotive Engineering Limited
 
     The latest approval brings the total number of trials being pursued under the Fund to 227 for testing 159 electric light goods vehicles, 23 single-deck electric buses, five double-deck electric buses, three electric light buses, three electric taxis, five electric medium goods vehicles (tractor), six electric motorcycles, 47 hybrid light goods vehicles, 27 hybrid medium goods vehicles, 26 hybrid light buses, two single-deck hybrid buses, one solar air-conditioning system for a bus, four electric inverter air conditioning systems for buses, three diesel-electric propulsion systems for ferries and one seawater scrubber for a ferry, amounting to a total subsidy of about $190 million.
      
     At present, 147 approved trials under the Fund are already on trial. One hundred and fourteen of them have completed the trials, involving 62 electric light goods vehicles, nine single-deck electric buses, three electric taxis, three electric light buses, 47 hybrid light goods vehicles, 27 hybrid medium goods vehicles, 10 hybrid light buses, two single-deck hybrid buses, one solar air-conditioning system for a bus, four electric inverter air-conditioning systems for buses, one diesel-electric propulsion system for a ferry and one seawater scrubber for a ferry. The EPD will continue to upload the trial reports once completed to the Fund’s website for public information.
 
     The Government has put in place the Fund since March 2011 to subsidise the testing and encourage more wide use of green innovative transport technologies to a variety of commercial transport tools including goods vehicles (including special purpose vehicles), taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles (applicable to vehicle models approved by the Transport Department or the Airport Authority Hong Kong), or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients.
 
     The Fund is open for applications from transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations providing transport services to clients. The technologies to be subsidised include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel saving devices applicable to vehicles and vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green innovative technology products subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total of $12 million for each applicant.
      
     For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, please visit the website of the Fund (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions/new-energy-transport-fund.html) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022. read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 30) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 6 000 food samples tested were satisfactory … read more

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Twilight” on June 28 and yesterday (June 29). Nine suspected illegal workers and four suspected employers were arrested.
      
     During the “Twilight” operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 24 target locations including car parks, an elderly home, factories, fruit stalls, a garage, a garbage collection depot, a massage parlour, residential buildings and restaurants. A total of nine suspected illegal workers and four suspected employers were arrested. The suspected illegal workers comprised six men and three women, aged 33 to 63. Among them, two men and two women were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. Meanwhile, a man and three women, aged 34 to 67, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.

     “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” an ImmD spokesman said.
      
     The spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment should be applied in such cases.
      
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
      
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.

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