According to section 53(1) of the District Councils Ordinance, an election petition may be lodged with the Court of First Instance only during the period of two months following the date on which the Returning Officer has published the result of the election in the Gazette. The results of the 2019 District Council Ordinary Election were gazetted on November 29, 2019. Therefore, the deadline for election petition is today (January 29) originally.

     The Registration and Electoral Office said the Judiciary announced yesterday (January 28) that court offices would be closed due to public health considerations. As such, according to relevant legislation, the deadline for lodging the election petition concerning the 2019 DC Ordinary Election will be extended to the day when the court offices resume operation.  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     â€‹As at noon today (January 29), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health (DH) the admission of 56 patients (31 male and 25 female, aged 13 months to 88) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of severe respiratory disease associated with a novel infectious agent. Specimens of the patients concerned have been sent to the DH for testing. Among the 89 patients under isolation, 84 and five patients are in stable condition and serious condition respectively.
      
     The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs launched a large-scale territory-wide special operation codenamed "Guardian" on January 27, with about 200 Customs officers mobilised to conduct spot checks and inspections in various districts on surgical masks available in the market regarding their compliance with the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) and the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO). As at today (January 29), inspections were conducted at over 180 retail spots selling surgical masks. The special operation is ongoing.

     The spot check operation focused on three aspects of surgical masks, namely false origin claims, non-compliance with consumer goods safety standards and false trademarks. Up till now, Customs officers have inspected retail spots including chain stores, pharmacies, medicine stores and shops selling daily necessities. Apart from test purchases of surgical masks for safety tests, Customs has also contacted brand owners to assist in affirming the authenticity of the brands and origins. Customs also made test purchases on an Internet platform to inspect products' trade descriptions, safety and trademarks.

     The "Guardian" operation is ongoing to ensure that the surgical masks being sold in the market comply with the TDO and the CGSO. Immediate announcements will be made if any irregularities are spotted during the operation.

     Under the TDO, any person who supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business, or is in possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description, or sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Under the CGSO, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import into Hong Kong consumer goods unless the goods comply with the general safety requirements for consumer goods. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on subsequent conviction.

     Customs has all along attached great importance to public safety and consumer rights. Law enforcement action will be taken immediately if any violation of the TDO or the CGSO is detected.

     Customs reminds traders not to sell products with false origins or false trademarks, or unsafe consumer goods. Members of the public should also make purchases in reputable shops.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO or the CGSO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters today (January 29) for people in need of the service.

     The temporary shelters will remain open during the daytime tomorrow (January 30) when the cold weather warning is still in force.

     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.

     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2835 1473 for more information.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Districts
——————–

Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, 2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau

Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon Districts
——————

Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan

Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

New Territories
—————-

Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung

North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling

Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin

Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po

Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan

Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department today (January 29) announced an adjustment to the auto-LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations from February 1 to February 29, 2020, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contracts of the dedicated LPG filling stations.
 
     A department spokesman said that the adjustment on February 1, 2020, reflects the movement of the LPG international price in January 2020 and the movement in the Composite Consumer Price Index in 2019.  The overall adjusted auto-LPG ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations will range from $3.62 to $4.18 per litre, representing an increase of $0.59 to $0.61 per litre.
 
     The spokesman said that the auto-LPG ceiling prices were adjusted according to a specified pricing formula. The formula comprises two elements – the LPG international price and the LPG operating price. The LPG international price is the LPG international price of the preceding month. The LPG operating price is adjusted on the first day of February every year according to the movement in the Composite Consumer Price Index during the previous year. According to the information from the Census and Statistics Department, the year-on-year rate of change in the Composite Consumer Price Index for 2019 was +2.9 percent. The LPG operating prices of dedicated filling stations also increased according to this rate by around $0.03 to $0.05 per litre.
 
     The auto-LPG ceiling prices for respective dedicated LPG filling stations in February 2020 are as follows:
 

 
     The spokesman said that the details of the LPG international price and the auto-LPG ceiling price of each dedicated LPG filling station have been uploaded to the department website www.emsd.gov.hk. They are also posted at dedicated LPG filling stations to enable the trades to monitor the price adjustment.
 
     Details of the pricing adjustment mechanism for dedicated LPG filling stations can also be viewed under the "What’s New" section of the department website at www.emsd.gov.hk/en/what_s_new/current/index.html.