The Transport Department (TD) today (December 31) announced that two auctions of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on January 20 (Sunday) and 27 (Sunday) at Meeting Room S221, L2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     "A total of 236 and 225 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction.  The lists of the marks were posted on the department's website, www.td.gov.hk, today," a department spokesman said.
 
     The reserve price of all these marks is $5,000.  Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price).  Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
 
(i) Paddle bidding will be used at this auction;
 
(ii) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations;
 
(iii) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed;
 
(iv) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through the Easy Pay System (EPS), or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding of the PVRM concerned.  Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted. For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed; and
 
(v) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser.  If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark.  The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM.  Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein.  For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the Transport Department for processing," the spokesman said.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Government announced today (December 31) that the Caring and Sharing Scheme will receive applications from February 1 to April 30, 2019. 

     "Application forms will be available from January 21, 2019 on the dedicated website (css.gov.hk); or at the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department and the Working Family Allowance Office (WFAO) or Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency," a government spokesman said.

     A person who meets the following eligibility criteria as at today may apply for receiving $4,000 under the Scheme:

(a) is aged 18 or above;

(b) holds a Hong Kong Identity Card (including new arrivals, but excluding Hong Kong non-permanent residents who have been admitted to Hong Kong to work, study, or receive training and their dependants, and excluding individuals who have entered Hong Kong as visitors);

(c) ordinarily resides in Hong Kong (including those who are temporarily away from Hong Kong but would reasonably be expected to return to live in Hong Kong, for example, those on duty trips, overseas studies, medical treatment, but excluding those who have emigrated);

(d) is not benefiting from the two-month extra allowance of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, Old Age Living Allowance, Old Age Allowance, or Disability Allowance announced in the 2018-19 Budget;

(e) need not pay salaries tax for the Year of Assessment (YA) 2017/18; and

(f) does not own any property in Hong Kong.

     If a person meets criteria (a) to (e) above but owns only one property in Hong Kong which is used as his/her principal place of residence, and with an amount of rates concession for 2018-19 of less than $4,000, he/she may apply for the difference between $4,000 and the amount of rates concession. Any person who owns a property in Hong Kong which is not used as his/her principal place of residence, or who owns more than one property in Hong Kong, will not be eligible for the Scheme.

     For a person who meets criteria (a) to (d) above but needs to pay salaries tax for YA 2017/18:
     
(a) if he/she does not own any property in Hong Kong and the salaries tax concession he/she receives for YA 2017/18 is less than $4,000, he/she may apply for the difference between $4,000 and the amount of salaries tax concession; or

(b) if he/she owns only one property in Hong Kong which is used as his/her principal place of residence, and the salaries tax concession for YA 2017/18 and rates concession for 2018-19 that he/she receives is less than $4,000 in aggregate, he/she may apply for the difference between $4,000 and the aggregate tax and rates concessions.

     The WFAO will publicise the eligibility criteria for the Scheme and the application arrangements through various channels. Apart from broadcasting Announcement in the Public Interest on television and radio, posters will be displayed and leaflets distributed at various government offices. Briefings will also be organised for stakeholders and interested groups.

     Details of the Scheme are available on the dedicated website. For enquiries, please call the 24-hour hotline (3897 1088).

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (December 31) that information about Provision of Open Space required under lease for use by the public in private developments completed in or after 1980 is now available on the GeoInfo Map to facilitate public access.

     The public can make enquiries to the relevant District Lands Office for the information on a particular public open space.

Attention radio/TV announcers:
 
     Please broadcast the following at suitable intervals:
 
     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department reminds people to keep places clean tonight (December 31) while celebrating the New Year. Rubbish should be put in rubbish bins. Anyone not disposing of rubbish properly is liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500.
 
     The Hong Kong Cultural Centre piazza area, Salisbury Garden and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade will be crowded. People who intend to go there should also mind their safety.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, received the Report of the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Service today (December 31).
 
     The Chairman of the Independent Review Committee, the Honourable Mr Justice Michael Victor Lunn, accompanied by members of the Committee Mr Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen and Professor Lo Hong-kam, submitted the Report to the Chief Executive today. The Chief Executive expressed appreciation for the Committee's dedicated efforts in completing the review and submitting the Report within nine months. 
 
     "The Government attaches importance to safeguarding the safety of franchised bus operation. We are grateful for the Committee's recommendations, which aim to sustain a safe and reliable franchised bus service in Hong Kong," Mrs Lam said.
 
     As the Report may contain sensitive commercial information of the franchised bus operators and as charges for manslaughter have been laid against the bus captain involved in the incident, the Government will carefully study the Report and consult the Department of Justice on the manner of the publication of the Report and other relevant matters. The Government will publish the Report in an appropriate manner once a decision is made.
 
     Following the occurrence of a fatal franchised bus incident on Tai Po Road in February this year, the Government set up the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Service in March 2018. The Committee commenced work in late March 2018.