The Transport Department (TD) today (June 11) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on June 19 (Saturday) in Meeting Room N101, L1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 220 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark 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:

(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:

(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (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.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(e) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

(f) In view of public health concerns, all persons entering the auction venue will have to undergo on-the‑spot body temperature checks arranged by the TD. Any member of the public whose body temperature is higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius or who refuses to undergo a body temperature check will be denied entry to the auction hall and the payment office. The TD also requests all persons entering the auction hall and the payment office to wear masks and clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser, and to wear masks throughout the duration of the auction and payment process.

(g) In order to reduce the risk of virus spreading, the TD will adjust the distance between seats and the number of seats in the auction hall and the payment office, and implement crowd-control measures. The TD also appeals to the bidders to reduce the number of accompanying persons as far as possible. Furthermore, the auctions in the morning and the afternoon will each be divided into two sessions so as to shorten the duration of crowd congregation. The first session of the morning auction will commence at 9.25am while the second session will begin no earlier than 10.35am. The first session of the afternoon auction will commence at 2.25pm while the second session will begin no earlier than 3.40pm. The auction venue will be disinfected before the commencement of the second sessions. Interested bidders may arrive at the auction venue in accordance with the time schedule for the auction of vehicle registration marks.

(h) In order to more effectively assist the Department of Health in epidemiological investigations and to protect the safety of members of the public and employees, members of the public will be required to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code or register their names, contact numbers and the date and times of their visits before entering the auction venue (the auction hall and the payment office). As a result of the arrangement, members of the public are advised to remain patient as the waiting time for entering the auction venue may be longer.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (June 11) said that 14 general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) (see table below) will provide services during the Tuen Ng Festival (June 14). Members of the public are reminded to make advance booking for appointments either through the Telephone Appointment System or the "Book GOPC" function in the "HA Go" mobile application.
 
     Given the unsteady COVID-19 epidemic situation locally, the HA spokesperson reminded the public to continue to stay vigilant during the holiday. They should reduce participation in mass gatherings and minimise meal gatherings; maintain personal and environmental hygiene; and comply with epidemic prevention measures such as wearing masks, practising hand hygiene frequently and maintaining social distance. Moreover, members of the public should also get vaccinated against COVID-19 earlier.
 
     To choose a suitable family doctor and related clinic service, members of the public are welcome to browse the Primary Care Directory of the Food and Health Bureau at www.pcdirectory.gov.hk. In addition, members of the public can obtain specimen collection packs for COVID-19 tests during the holiday or submit specimens at nine GOPCs (see table below) within the specified time. The public can also obtain specimen collection packs at 20 MTR stations. For details, please visit the website: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html.
 

 
Service hours:
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
 
* General out-patient clinics to distribute specimen collection packs and collect specimens for COVID-19 tests
Specimen collection packs distribution time: from 9am (while stocks last)
Specimen collection time: 9am to 11am

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (June 11) that the Government will continue to provide training subsidies this year to employers hiring graduates and assistant professionals of the engineering, architectural, surveying, town planning and landscape sectors.

     A spokesman for the DEVB said that with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market remaining, both fresh graduates of the relevant professional sectors and assistant professionals who have just completed professional training or are awaiting professional assessment examination are facing difficulties in securing jobs. The Government is launching a measure entitled Support for Engineering, Architectural, Surveying, Town Planning and Landscape Sectors 2.0 (Support Measure 2.0), which will provide employment opportunities for graduates and assistant professionals of the relevant professional sectors with a view to retaining talents for the long-term healthy development of the sectors.
 
     A total of 1 700 subsidy places will be provided under Support Measure 2.0. The subsidy places are divided into two groups. The first group provides 550 subsidy places to private organisations employing fresh graduates who studied architecture, surveying, town planning and landscape architecture. The employers with approved subsidy places will receive a subsidy of $5,610 per month for up to 18 months for providing recognised professional training to each eligible graduate employed.
 
     The second group with 1 150 subsidy places is to support private organisations to employ assistant professionals of the engineering, architectural, surveying, town planning and landscape sectors. For the engineering sector, the subsidy scheme is mainly targeted at assistant engineers who complete Scheme "A" Graduate Training of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers in 2021. For the other four sectors, assistant professionals who complete the training recognised by the relevant professional institutes in 2021 will have priority in receiving the subsidy. The employers with approved subsidy places will receive a subsidy of $10,000 per month for up to 12 months for providing opportunities for recognised professional practice to each eligible assistant professional employed.
 
     "With the severe impact of the pandemic, graduates and assistant professionals lacking working experience are more vulnerable in the job market, which has grown particularly competitive. Through Support Measure 2.0, we encourage private organisations to recruit graduates and continue the employment of assistant professionals, enabling those who have aspirations to obtain relevant professional qualifications to remain in the professions. This could help retain the talents and foster the development of the professional sectors in the long run," the spokesman for the DEVB said. 
 
     Support Measure 2.0 is open for application from June 18. The deadlines for application for the graduate group and the assistant professional group are November 30 and August 31 respectively. The guidelines and application forms can be downloaded from the DEVB's website (www.devb.gov.hk/en/issues_in_focus/support_easpl2/index.html).

     The Government published the Securities and Futures and Companies Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (the Amendment Ordinance) in the Gazette today (June 11).  
 
     The Amendment Ordinance establishes a legal framework for the implementation of a complete uncertificated securities market (USM) regime and introduces technical amendments in respect of the over-the-counter derivatives (OTCD) licensing regime.
 
     The Amendment Ordinance was enacted by the Legislative Council on June 2. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) will make subsidiary legislation to prescribe the detailed rules and implementation timetable of the USM regime and the OTCD licensing regime. The SFC will consult the market on the subsidiary legislation in due course.

     British troupe 1927 will stage a film version of its multi-arts performance of "Golem" in July.

     Drawing on the myth of a legendary figure of Jewish folklore as a starting point, "Golem" is the story of a man who fashions a creature out of clay named Golem to work for him. Here, the 1927 team has created "Golem" as an original production exploring man and machines. The play is not a re-telling or adaptation of Golem's myth, but an original story that examines the relationship between an extraordinary ordinary man and his Golem.
 
     Located in a fictional yet familiar world, where technology and the market economy have evolved to a point that transcends the boundaries of human control, a Golem has become a must-have, an indispensable ingredient for a better life. But its very existence threatens the prospect of those who created it. The danger lies not in the machine becoming more like man, but in man becoming more like the machine.
 
     Founded in 2005 by writer, director and performer Suzanne Andrade, and animator and illustrator Paul Barritt, 1927 is a London-based performing company that specialises in combining performance and live music with animation and film to create magical filmic performances. The company works across the performance fields of theatre, opera, music and film. Recognition for 1927 includes five awards in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2007) and the Helpmann Award (2019).

     The film screening of "Golem" by 1927 is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will take place at 8pm on July 3 (Saturday) and 3pm on July 4 (Sunday) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $90 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/programs_1145.html. The performances are in English with Chinese and English subtitles. The content is recommended for age 12 and above.