Tag Archives: China

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (March 19) that the Financial Secretary, on the advice of the Governance Sub-Committee of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, has approved the appointment of Mr Edmond Lau as Deputy Chief Executive with effect from April 1.
      
     Mr Lau is currently the Senior Executive Director of the HKMA. Mr Lau has more than 17 years’ experience in HKMA’s operations, including nearly 10 years’ service at Executive Director level and above. On appointment as Deputy Chief Executive, Mr Lau is responsible for overseeing the work of External, Monetary Management and Research departments.
      
     The CV of Mr Lau is attached at Annex. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:

     Pursuant to section 32(4)(a) of the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) (BO), the Communications Authority (CA) revoked today (March 19) the other licensable television programme service licence of TTV Asia Limited (TTV) (the licence) for TTV’s failure to pay the variable fee of the licence for the licence year 2020-21.

     TTV was granted a 12-year licence in February 2011 for provision of television programme service to hotel rooms in Hong Kong. TTV is required to pay to the CA an annual licence fee, including a variable fee component relating to the number of hotels to which TTV provides its service. Despite repeated reminders, TTV has to date failed to pay the variable fee. Taking into account the circumstances of the case, the CA decided that TTV’s licence should be revoked. TTV shall not provide any television programme services to hotels in Hong Kong with effect from March 19, 2021.

     Details of the case are published on the CA’s website: www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/statement/en/upload/554/ttv.pdf. read more

     A red tide was sighted over the past week, an inter-departmental red tide working group reported today (March 19).
 
     The red tide was spotted by a mariculturist on March 15 at O Pui Tong, including O Pui Tong fish culture zone. The red tide still persists and no associated deaths of fish have been reported.
 
     A spokesman for the working group said, “The red tide was formed by Gonyaulax polygramma, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and is non-toxic.”
 
     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the fish culture zones of Ap Chau, Kat O, O Pui Tong, Sai Lau Kong and Sha Tau Kok to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.
 
     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD’s proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue monitoring red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.
  read more

     The Town Planning Board today (March 19) announced amendments to the approved Kwun Tong (South) Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
 
     The amendments mainly involve the rezoning of various sites to the south and southwest of the junction of Hoi Yuen Road and Wai Yip Street. These include rezoning of a piece of land from “Government, Institution or Community (1)” (“G/IC(1)”), “Open Space” (“O”) and areas shown as ‘Road’ to “Commercial (2)” with stipulation of building height restrictions for commercial development; rezoning of parcels of land from “G/IC(1)” and areas shown as ‘Road’ to “O” and “O(1)” for public open spaces; and rezoning of a waterfront site from “G/IC(1)” to “Other Specified Uses” annotated “Drainage Facility and At-grade Public Open Space” for a proposed drainage facility, with underground storm water storage tank and ancillary aboveground structures, and with provision of at-grade public open space. Also, three strips of land are rezoned from “G/IC(1)” to areas shown as ‘Road’ for a proposed new public road, and to reflect as-built road status of Kei Yip Lane. Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning area, where appropriate.

     The draft Kwun Tong (South) OZP No. S/K14S/23, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Kwun Tong District Office.

     Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Board on or before May 20. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the revised Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on “Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance” (TPB PG-No. 29B).

     Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
 
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29B, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
 
     The Guidelines and the submission form are available at locations (i) and (ii) above and the Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     Copies of the draft Kwun Tong (South) OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb). read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 19) released the latest grading of water quality for nine gazetted beaches(see Note).
   
     Nine beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Big Wave Bay Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach
Golden Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Middle Bay Beach

 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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 EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note: In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that all gazetted beaches were closed from December 10, 2020, until further notice. read more