The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee (FC) originally scheduled at 3pm tomorrow (January 17) in Conference Room 1 of the LegCo Complex will be held at 2.30pm, whereas the FC meeting at 8.45am tomorrow will be held as scheduled.
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, January 16, 2020 is 105.6 (same as yesterday's index).
The Buildings Department approved 21 building plans in November, with six on Hong Kong Island, nine in Kowloon and six in the New Territories.
Of the approved plans, five were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, five were for commercial developments, three were for factory and industrial developments, and eight were for community services developments.
In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 10 building projects which, when completed, will provide 149 713 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 1 725 units, and 123 585 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for 11 building projects.
The department also issued 18 occupation permits, with eight on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon and eight in the New Territories.
Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 50 643 sq m involving 749 units, and 83 512 sq m was for non-domestic use.
The declared cost of new buildings completed in November totalled about $6.7 billion.
In addition, eight demolition consents involving eight building structures were issued.
The department received 2 734 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in November and issued 537 removal orders on UBWs.
The full version of the Monthly Digest for November can be viewed on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).
Hong Kong Customs and Macao Customs conducted a joint operation codenamed "Turbine II" to step up enforcement action against cross-boundary drug trafficking activities between Hong Kong and Macao from December 1 last year to yesterday (January 15). During the operation, Hong Kong Customs detected 15 outbound dangerous drug cases from Hong Kong to Macao and arrested 17 persons. A total of about 3.1 kilograms of different kinds of suspected dangerous drugs with an estimated market value of about $3.1 million were seized.
Fifteen men and two women, aged between 16 and 47, were arrested in the cases. The seized suspected dangerous drugs included cocaine, ketamine and cannabis.
Of the 15 cases, three were effected at Hong Kong International Airport. Three transiting male passengers who arrived in Hong Kong, one from the United Arab Emirates and two from Ethiopia, and planned to go to Macao via the SkyPier were arrested.
One of the passengers was found to have two check-in suitcases with about 1kg of suspected cocaine concealed inside the trolley frames. The other two cases are internal concealment cases in which two passengers have discharged a total of about 1.69kg of suspected cocaine in hospital.
The remaining 12 cases were detected at locations including the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, the China Ferry Terminal and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and involved a small quantity of suspected dangerous drugs. The arrested persons were passengers travelling to Macao from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Customs has all along been intercepting drug trafficking activities at all outgoing and incoming channels. Members of the public are reminded that criminals may post recruitment advertisements on unknown websites and social media platforms to lure citizens into carrying dangerous drugs or various controlled items. They should stay alert and not carry unknown items for other people.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Hong Kong Customs believes that the joint operation has effectively combated cross-boundary drug trafficking between Hong Kong and Macao. The department will continue to conduct joint operations with Macao Customs in order to deter drug trafficking activities between the two places.
Hong Kong Customs will continue stringent law enforcement at every boundary control point to combat cross-boundary trafficking activities involving dangerous drugs.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Hong Kong Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
The Environmental Protection Department today (January 16) released a list of completed and newly commenced statutory environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and non-statutory environmental studies for major development projects between October 1 and December 31, 2019.
Updated information related to the EIA Ordinance is available on the EIA Ordinance website at www.epd.gov.hk/eia.
Completed statutory EIAs and non-statutory environmental studies for projects in the fourth quarter of 2019 include:
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A. Statutory EIAs:
Nil
B. Non-statutory Environmental Studies for projects:
Nil
Newly commenced statutory EIAs and non-statutory environmental studies for projects include:
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A. Statutory EIAs:
1. Establishment of Fish Culture Zone at Po Toi (Southeast) (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-327/2019)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)
2. Establishment of Fish Culture Zone at Mirs Bay (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-326/2019)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)
3. Establishment of Fish Culture Zone at Outer Tap Mun (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-325/2019)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)
4. Establishment of Fish Culture Zone at Wong Chuk Kok Hoi (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-324/2019)
(Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)
5. Improvement of Lion Rock Tunnel (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-323/2019)
(Highways Department)
6. Drainage Improvement Works in Ta Kwu Ling (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-322/2019)
(Drainage Services Department)
7. Upgrading of Tai Po Sewage Treatment Works (EIA Study Brief No. ESB-321/2019)
(Drainage Services Department)
B. Non-statutory Environmental Studies for projects:
Nil