Tag Archives: China

     The Improving Electoral System (Consolidated Amendments) Ordinance 2021 has been published in the Gazette and came into effect on May 31. For compilation of the 2021 functional constituencies (FCs) provisional register, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO), yesterday (June 23) started sending inquiry letters to more than 20 000 registered electors in the FCs to notify them that they may no longer be eligible for registration in their original FCs, and therefore may not be included in the 2021 FCs provisional register.
       
FCs with changes in registration eligibility
 
     Under the Ordinance, the electorates of nine FCs (i.e. real estate and construction; commercial (second); industrial (first); financial services; sports, performing arts, culture and publication; import and export; textiles and garment; wholesale and retail; and catering) have been revised to be composed of corporate electors only. Individual electors are no longer eligible for registration in these FCs. The above affected individual electors do not need to reply to the REO upon receipt of the inquiry letters. However, if these electors meet the registration eligibility of any other FC, they must submit an application no later than July 5 in order to register in an FC for which the elector concerned is eligible.
       
     Regarding the individual electors and corporate electors of other FCs, if they receive inquiry letters issued by the REO, they must reply together with the proof of their eligibility via mail, fax or email in accordance with the letter’s instructions on or before July 5 in order to maintain their FC elector status and to vote in the Legislative Council General Election (LCGE) to be held in December this year and at subsequent public elections. If electors meet the registration eligibility of any other FC, they must submit an application no later than July 5 in order to register in an FC for which the elector concerned is eligible.
 
     The registration eligibility of the FCs deleted under the Ordinance has been listed in the Annex for reference. Existing electors registered under such eligibility will be included in the inquiry process and receive inquiry letters.
 
     To remind the electors that the letters are important and should be opened and replied to (if applicable) as soon as possible, the envelopes of all inquiry letters (sample envelope attached) carry a prominent message, “Immediate action required. Your voting right is at stake.” If the REO does not receive a valid reply from an elector under inquiry by the deadline of July 5, the registered particulars of the elector will be included in the 2021 FCs omissions list to be published on or before September 26. Electors included in the omissions list have to make a claim to the Revising Officer within the statutory duration from September 26 to October 9, such that upon approval of the Revising Officer, their voter registration (VR) status may be reinstated and they may be included in the 2021 FCs final register and be able to vote in the LCGE to be held in December this year.
 
Three FCs to be deleted
 
     As regards the three FCs to be deleted under the Ordinance (i.e. information technology, District Council (first) and District Council (second)), all existing electors registered in these FCs will be directly removed from the registers of FC electors without being subject to the inquiry process nor issuance of inquiry letters. If a removed elector meets the registration eligibility of any other FC, he or she may submit an application no later than July 5 in order to register in a FC for which he or she is eligible.
 
     The special VR arrangement opened on June 1. Newly eligible electors and affected voters who are no longer eligible must submit VR applications on or before the special VR deadline of July 5 to register in any other FC for which they are eligible in order to be included in the 2021 FCs provisional register.
 
     Electors who have enquiries on the letters received from the REO may call the REO hotline at 2891 1001. Moreover, details on the frequently asked questions, registration forms and the special VR arrangement are available on the VR page of the REO’s website (www.reo.gov.hk/en/voter/register.htm). read more

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Tsuen Wan in the small hours today (June 24) in which a 25-year-old man died.      At 3.44am, a taxi driven by a 38-year-old man, a medium go… read more

     The Government yesterday (June 23) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tai Po (i.e. Wan Hang House, Wan Tau Tong Estate, 10 Hiu Wan Road, Tai Po) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from June 3 to 23, 2021, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before June 25. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today (June 24) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 12.30pm today.

     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Tai Po District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Health and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 270 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.

     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including canned food, cup noodles, corn kernels, etc, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks was also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.

     The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.

     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 12.30pm. Test records of more than 1 150 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Eleven persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).

     The Government hopes that the around 40 households who have not answered the door will contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after they read the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

  

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, visited Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool today (June 24) to learn about the operation at the public swimming pool on the first day following the relaxation of the numb… read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible: Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 24) that the Environmental Prote… read more