â€‹The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (February 15) invited tenders for the contract for Site Formation and Infrastructure Works at Wang Chau, Yuen Long – Contract 1.
 
     The works mainly comprise:

* formation of land and construction of associated retaining walls and slopes;
* construction of a new single two-lane carriageway with a connected underpass, footpath and pick-up/drop off areas;
* improvement works at the junction of Long Ping Road and Fung Chi Road; and
* ancillary works including drainage, sewerage, waterworks and landscaping works.
 
     The works are scheduled to commence in June 2019 and will take about 34 months to complete.
 
     The CEDD has commissioned Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may obtain the forms of tender and further particulars from the company on Level 5, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, or call the company at 2268 3560 during office hours.

     The invitation to tender was gazetted today. The closing time for the tender is noon on April 12, 2019.

     Details of the tender notice are available at the CEDD's website (www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/tender/contract/tender/index.html#CV/2017/07).

     â€‹The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (February 15) invited tenders for the contract for Site Formation and Infrastructure Works at Wang Chau, Yuen Long – Contract 1.
 
     The works mainly comprise:

* formation of land and construction of associated retaining walls and slopes;
* construction of a new single two-lane carriageway with a connected underpass, footpath and pick-up/drop off areas;
* improvement works at the junction of Long Ping Road and Fung Chi Road; and
* ancillary works including drainage, sewerage, waterworks and landscaping works.
 
     The works are scheduled to commence in July 2019 and will take about 34 months to complete.
 
     The CEDD has commissioned Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may obtain the forms of tender and further particulars from the company on Level 5, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, or call the company at 2268 3560 during office hours.

     The invitation to tender was gazetted today. The closing time for the tender is noon on April 12, 2019.

     Details of the tender notice are available at the CEDD's website (www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/tender/contract/tender/index.html#CV/2017/07).

     The special arrangement for renewal of expiring and expired vehicle and driving licences implemented in previous years before Budget Day has proved to be effective in avoiding a rush. The arrangement will be adopted again this year.

     "The special arrangement was effective in maintaining the number of applications for renewal of vehicle or driving licences at more or less the normal level during the last few days before the Budget announcement. There was no abnormal queuing and the arrangement was well received by the public," a Transport Department (TD) spokesman said today (February 15).

     Details of the arrangement for this year are as follows:

* All vehicle licences eligible for renewal on or before Budget Day (February 27), i.e. vehicles that are registered at the time of renewal and with licence expiry dates falling on or before June 26, can be renewed at the present rate, whether for four months or 12 months, at any time up to and including June 26.

* All full Hong Kong driving licences and driving instructor's licences eligible for renewal on or before Budget Day (February 27), i.e. those expiring on or before June 26 and those that have expired for less than three years at the time of renewal, can be renewed at the present rate at any time up to and including June 26.

     The special arrangement only applies to the renewal of vehicle licences, full driving licences and driving instructor's licences that meet the conditions above. It does not apply to any other licensing services.

     It is not necessary for eligible licence holders to rush to TD licensing offices to renew their licences on speculation that those licence fees may increase in the coming Budget.

     "The arrangement is made solely to deal with the potential problem of long queues. The content of the Budget is a separate issue on which the TD has no information," the spokesman emphasised.

     At present, applications for renewal of vehicle and driving licences can be submitted online, by post and via the drop-in boxes in the four licensing offices of the TD and designated Post Offices. Members of the public are encouraged to renew their licences through these channels.

     The Government today (February 15) announced the appointment of three new members and the re-appointment of one incumbent member to the Committee on Financial Assistance for Family Members of those who Sacrifice their Lives to Save Others for a term of two years with effect from today.
 
     The three new members are Mr Law King-shing, Ms May Wong May-kwan and Miss Edna Chow On-lai.
 
     Mr Law King-shing is the Chairman of the Kwai Tsing District Council and currently serves in the Municipal Services Appeals Board.
 
     Ms May Wong May-kwan is the Executive Director of Hans Andersen Club and has served in the Advisory Committee of the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged.
 
     Miss Edna Chow On-lai is the Regional Training and Development Manager of SMCP Asia Limited and currently serves in the Committee on Services for Youth at Risk.
 
     Incumbent member Ms Liu Po-chu has been re-appointed. She is a professional accountant and currently serves in the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board.
 
     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, welcomed the appointments and said he looked forward to working closely with members of the Committee in the new term. He also thanked the three outgoing members, Mr Suen Kai-cheong, Mr Weber Lo Wai-pak and Dr Annissa Lui Wai-ling, for their contribution to the work of the Committee during their term of appointment.
 
     The Committee considers and approves applications under the Financial Assistance Scheme to Family Members of those who Sacrifice their Lives to Save Others. The Scheme represents the Government's recognition of the brave acts and sacrifice undertaken by these individuals and seeks to alleviate the financial hardship that their family members may face as a consequence of their death.
 
     The membership list of the Committee with effect from today is as follows:
 
Chairman:
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
 
Members:
Miss Edna Chow On-lai
Mr Law King-shing
Ms Liu Po-chu
Ms May Wong May-kwan

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a territory-wide anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Twilight" from February 11 to 14. A total of 16 illegal workers and four suspected employers were arrested.
      
     During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided 23 target locations including a company, construction sites, a farm, a garbage collection point, a park, a residential building, restaurants, shops and warehouses. Sixteen illegal workers and four employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised seven men and nine women, aged 24 to 59. Among them, one woman was a holder of recognisance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment. Meanwhile, three men and one woman, aged 23 to 41, 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. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years' imprisonment.
      
     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 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 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 threat 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 interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.