The Yau Tsim Mong District Office together with the Tsim Sha Tsui Police District, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health conducted an enforcement operation today (April 16) at a building in Tsim Sha Tsui, which was included in a compulsory testing notice earlier. The operation started at around 7am and ended at around 9.30am today.
      
     Starting from around 7am today, persons subject to compulsory testing of Union Mansion, 33-35 Chatham Road South, were requested to provide the SMS notification received through a mobile phone or related certification containing the results of COVID-19 tests, to show that they had taken such tests as required pursuant to the compulsory testing notice of the building within the specified period issued by the Government earlier on. The Government arranged for staff to verify the testing certifications of the persons subject to compulsory testing at the entrances/exits of the building, and conducted checks in the building to verify whether persons subject to compulsory testing had undergone testing in compliance with the requirement.
      
     During the operation, test records of around 160 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Among them, 10 persons were found to have violated the compulsory testing notice. The Government has issued fixed penalties of $5,000 and/or compulsory testing orders to them, requiring them to undergo testing within a specified period. Non-compliance with a compulsory testing order is an offence, and offenders are liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
      
     The Government reiterates that the aim of issuing a compulsory testing notice is to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community as soon as possible to protect overall public health and safety. Persons subject to testing under a compulsory testing notice should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures, including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene, and, unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
      
     The Government wishes to thank the many residents who had complied with the compulsory testing notice for their co-operation to fight against the virus together. The Government will continue to enforce the law strictly. All persons subject to compulsory testing should comply with the compulsory testing notice. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notice 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. Non-compliance with the order is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
        
     The Yau Tsim Mong District Office is grateful for the support and co-operation of the Police and the CHP to enable the enforcement action to be carried out smoothly. The Government understands that the enforcement process may cause some inconvenience to the residents, but hopes that the residents can understand.

     The Government declared by notices in the Gazette today (April 16) the existence of two vacant elected seats in the North District Council Shek Wu Hui Constituency and the Eastern District Council Heng Fa Chuen Constituency.

     Following the resignation of elected members Mr Lam Cheuk-ting of the North District Council and Ms Wong Yi Christine of the Eastern District Council, their offices have become vacant since March 31, 2021, and April 1, 2021, respectively, pursuant to section 26(b) of the District Councils Ordinance (Cap. 547).

     The Government gazetted today (April 16) the proposed road works at the Tsuen Tsing Interchange to alleviate traffic congestion and to meet the anticipated traffic demand induced by the future development in the district.
      
     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

Tsuen Wan Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
1/F, Tsuen Wan Multi-Storey Carpark Building,
174-208 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories

Kwai Tsing Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
2/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices Building,
166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories

District Lands Office, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing,
10/F, Tsuen Wan Multi-Storey Carpark Building,
174-208 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories

     The gazette notice, scheme, plan and location plan are 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 June 15, 2021.

     â€‹The Transport Department (TD) said today (April 16) that in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, special arrangements will continue to be implemented at the seven government car parks under the management of the TD for the sale of monthly tickets for May to reduce the risk of virus spread in the community.
      
     The existing holders of a monthly ticket for private car/van, motorcycle or taxi for April can purchase a monthly ticket for the same vehicle type for May with priority. These eligible monthly ticket holders have to complete the procedures for purchasing the monthly ticket for May by 9pm on April 22 at the shroff offices of the car parks concerned. Any such person who fails to purchase the monthly ticket before the above deadline will be regarded as having given up his or her right to purchase the monthly ticket for May. The unsold monthly tickets for private car/van for May will be sold at the shroff offices of the car parks concerned on first-come, first-served basis from 7.30am on April 23, while the unsold monthly tickets for motorcycle and taxi for May will be sold at the shroff offices from 7.30am on April 24.
      
     The seven government car parks are Star Ferry Car Park, City Hall Car Park, Tin Hau Car Park, Shau Kei Wan Car Park, Aberdeen Car Park, Kwai Fong Car Park and Tsuen Wan Car Park.
      
     The car park operators will put up notices in the car parks in advance to inform motorists of the above special arrangements.
      
     Meanwhile, the TD is going to sell the monthly parking tickets on first-come, first-served basis or by balloting upon the relaxation of the epidemic. In this connection, car park users are advised to pay attention to the announcements of the TD and the updated notices put up by the car park operators in the car parks.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (April 16) announced that, with effect from May 1 (Saturday), new measures will be introduced to curb suspected touting activities and abuse of concessionary arrangements in booking and use of recreation and sports facilities.

     The new measures will take effect on May 1. When a hirer is unable to take up a booked session for any fee-charging recreation and sports facility, cancellation must be made at least one day prior to the day of use. Vacant sessions (after cancellation of booking) will be announced on the LCSD website at 1am the following day, and will be available for public booking on a first-come, first-served basis through the Leisure Link System from 7.30am on the same day. A no-show record will be filed on the hirer when he or she fails to take up a session as booked without on-time completion of the cancellation procedure. Two no-show records within 30 consecutive days will incur suspension of a person's rights to book any of the LCSD's fee-charging recreation and sports facilities starting from the third day subsequent to his or her second no-show record for 90 days.

     As stipulated by the current conditions of use, a non-hirer could use a facility for free during its vacant period when the original booking was cancelled on the same day. Suspected touting activities take place when hirers take advantage of the above practice to cancel bookings on the same day. The new measure of no-show records has been made to combat such touting activities.

     Furthermore, another new measure to curb the abuse of concessionary rates will come into effect on the same day. Currently, hirers and all accompanying users are required to be eligible for the concessionary rates in making bookings for recreation and sports facilities through concessionary rates. Concessionary rates for bookings cannot be applied when any one of the users is not eligible for those rates, and hirers are required to top up the shortfall between the concessionary rate and the normal rate before they check in at the booked facilities. For example, a student who is eligible for a concessionary rate has to pay the normal booking rate if he or she is going to use a badminton court with an adult. A new penalty clause that booking rights for fee-charging recreation and sports facilities will be suspended for 90 days is being added if the hirers do not top up the shortfall before they check in at the booked facilities. The new measure will not affect persons with disabilities who continue to use facilities with an accompanying carer at concessionary rates.

     "The above new measures will further curb suspected touting activities and abuse of concessionary arrangements at recreation and sports facilities. The department will continue to monitor the situation and introduce more targeted measures when necessary," the spokesman for the LCSD said.

     For details of the new arrangements for booking and allocation of recreation and sports facilities, please visit the LCSD website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/facilities/facilitiesbooking/procedure/ls_fac_improve.html).