Tag Archives: China

     The Registered Contractors’ Disciplinary Board has completed a disciplinary inquiry and decided that a Registered General Building Contractor (RGBC) and its Authorised Signatory (AS) should be disciplined for misconduct in building works under section 13(2)(b) of the Buildings Ordinance.

     The Board ordered the RGBC and its AS each to be fined and to pay the costs of inquiry of the Board and the Buildings Department in the sums of $123,625 and $116,625 respectively. The Board’s decision was published in the Gazette today (November 2). Details are available at the following link: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20182244/egn201822448332.pdf.

     The two respondents misconducted themselves in relation to the building works carried out to an earth-retaining wall of about 2.5 metres high and 7.8m long in Sai Kung between July and August 2009, which were required to be carried out by a Registered Specialist Contractor (Site Formation Works), whereas the RGBC concerned was not registered for such specialist works. Moreover, the building works were inconsistent with the plans approved by the Buildings Department and were done without the department’s prior consent.

     After conducting the disciplinary hearings, the Board made the above decision and order on April 17, 2018, in accordance with section 13 of the Ordinance.

     The two Authorised Persons and one Registered Structural Engineer involved in the subject case were found guilty and disciplined by the Authorized Persons’, Registered Structural Engineers’ and Registered Geotechnical Engineers’ Disciplinary Board in 2015 for misconducting themselves in a professional way in relation to the said building works under section 7(1A)(b) of the Ordinance. The relevant Gazette Notice is available at the following link: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20151942/egn201519427832.pdf.

     A spokesperson for the Buildings Department emphasised that persons registered under the Ordinance and/or appointed to act on the registered contractors’ behalf for the purposes of the Ordinance may be disciplined if they are negligent or misconduct themselves. They may be liable to criminal prosecution if they commit other offences under the Ordinance. read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (November 2) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches. Other beaches have been closed to swimmers from November 1 for the winter season.
        
     Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are: 
    

Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach	Stanley Main Beach*
Middle Bay Beach*

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Big Wave Bay Beach*

Silver Mine Bay Beach

 
* Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach remain closed until further notice due to the severe damage brought about by Typhoon Mangkhut earlier. 
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department’s websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (November 2) closely monitoring eight additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including three deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between September 17 and October 15, 2018, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit.
 
     According to the WHO, among the seven male patients and one female patient, aged 22 to 66, seven of them had underlying illnesses, two had contact with camels and consumed camel milk, and four had contact with previously confirmed patients.

     According to the latest information, 2 262 cases have been reported to the WHO (with 803 deaths), including 2 043 in 10 Middle East countries comprising 1 884 in the KSA, 87 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 19 in Qatar, 11 in Oman, six in Iran, four in Kuwait, two in Lebanon, and one each in Yemen and Bahrain.

     “We will maintain close communication with the WHO and relevant health authorities,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     “Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus,” the spokesman said.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS page of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the WHO’s latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP’s health advice on MERS. read more

     The Government gazetted today (November 2) the proposed Stage 5B and remaining infrastructure works at the North Apron Area of the Kai Tak Airport to provide essential infrastructure works serving the future developments.

     Details of the proposal are set out in the Annex. The plan and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:

Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

Kowloon City Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
LG/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon

Kwun Tong Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, The Grande Building,
398 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon

Wong Tai Sin Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
Unit 201, 2/F, Lung Cheung Office Block,
138 Lung Cheung Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon

District Lands Office,
Kowloon East and Kowloon West,
10/F, Yau Ma Tei Carpark Building, 250 Shanghai Street, Kowloon

     The gazette notice, scheme, plan and location plan will be available at
www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.

     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau’s drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector’s interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than January 2, 2019. read more

     The Government gazetted today (November 2) the proposed amendments to the road works at the North Apron Area of Kai Tak Airport, in order to comply with the revised design of the proposed Stage 5 Infrastructure Works.

     Details of the proposed amendments are set out in the Annex. The amendment plans and amendment scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:

Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

Kowloon City Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
LG/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon

Kwun Tong Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, The Grande Building,
398 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon

Wong Tai Sin Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
Unit 201, 2/F, Lung Cheung Office Block,
138 Lung Cheung Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon

District Lands Office, Kowloon East and Kowloon West,
10/F, Yau Ma Tei Carpark Building,
250 Shanghai Street, Kowloon

     The gazette notice, amendment scheme, amendment plans and location plan will be available at www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.

     Any person who wishes to object to the proposed amendments is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau’s drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector’s interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the proposed amendments. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than January 2, 2019. read more