The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (March 5) announced that the department tested 47 water samples collected from cooling towers in 41 buildings in its routine inspections in February this year. One sample was detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling tower in which the one sample was collected in February, is located at 107 Lai Chi Kok Road, Mong Kok. The EMSD has issued a nuisance notice under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owner of the cooling tower requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling tower in the case has already been completed by the owner. Details of the case can be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).

     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

     The Government announced today (March 5) the reappointment of four serving members and the appointment of one new member to the Hospital Authority (HA).

     Four serving HA members, Mr David Fong Man-hung, Mr Franklin Lam Fan-keung, Professor Chan Wai-yee and Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung, will be reappointed for a term of two years with effect from April 1, 2021.

     The newly appointed member is Dr Leung Wing-cheong. His appointment will be effective from April 1, 2021, for a term of one year. 

     Dr Leung is the Chief of Service and Consultant (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) of Kwong Wah Hospital. He is also the Honorary Clinical Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Co-Chairman of the HA's Central Committee on Genetic Services, the HA representative in the Working Group on the Hong Kong Genome Project, a member of the Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding and the Immediate Past President of the Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, welcomed Dr Leung for joining the HA. She also expressed gratitude to the four serving members reappointed and gave heartfelt thanks to the outgoing member, Mr Quinton Lam Chun-ki, for his invaluable contribution to the HA during the past three years.
      
     The HA comprises a Chairman, 23 non-official members, three public officers and one principal officer from the HA. The membership list with effect from April 1, 2021, is as follows:
     
Chairman:
Mr Henry Fan Hung-ling
 
Non-official Members:
Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung
Professor Chan Wai-yee
Ms Margaret Cheng Wai-ching
Mr Duncan Chiu Tat-kun
Mr David Fong Man-hung
Mr Ambrose Ho
Ms Mary Huen Wai-yi
Mrs Ann Kung Yeung Yun-chi
Mr Daniel Lam Chun
Mr Franklin Lam Fan-keung
Professor Wallace Lau Chak-sing
Ms Lisa Lau Man-man
Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung
Dr Leung Wing-cheong
Professor David Shum Ho-keung
Mr Ivan Sze Wing-hang
Professor Agnes Tiwari Fung-yee
Mr Philip Tsai Wing-chung
Dr Thomas Tsang Ho-fai
Ms Priscilla Wong Pui-sze
Mr Billy Wong Wing-hoo
Mr Jason Yeung Chi-wai
Mr Charlie Yip Wing-tong
 
Public Officers:
Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Mr Thomas Chan
Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan
Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury), Mr Raistlin Lau
 
HA Principal Officer:
Chief Executive, HA, Dr Tony Ko

     The Registered Inspectors' Disciplinary Board has completed a disciplinary inquiry under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) and decided that a registered inspector (RI) appointed as a qualified person (QP) under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme (MWIS) should be disciplined for failing to discharge the duties, or abide by the requirements imposed on a QP under the BO.
      
     The Board's written decision and order issued on February 24 was published in the Gazette today (March 5). Details are available at the following link: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20212509/egn202125091178.pdf.
      
     The Board ordered the RI to be prohibited from certifying any prescribed inspection, or certifying or supervising any prescribed repair in respect of windows in buildings for 12 months, with effect from the date of the Board's written decision. The RI shall pay about $406,000, being the costs of the Board and the Buildings Department (BD) for conducting the inquiry.
      
     The RI submitted a certificate to the BD in November 2014, certifying that the prescribed inspection and repair to the windows of a residential unit in Jordan had been completed.
      
     Subsequently, the BD conducted an investigation in response to a report about a window that had fallen from the unit. It was revealed that the RI had failed to carry out the prescribed inspection personally, and had knowingly misrepresented a material fact in the certificate submitted to the BD certifying that the prescribed repair in respect of the windows was carried out, but in fact no prescribed repair was carried out.
      
     In view of the investigation result, the BD notified the Board for consideration of disciplinary action against the RI under the provision of section 7(1) of the BO.
      
     A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that in order to ensure building safety, the BD attaches great importance to the quality of the prescribed inspection and repair of windows by a QP. Any QP who contravenes the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out the prescribed inspection and repair of windows under the MWIS is subject to enforcement action under the BO. 

     The Government gazetted today (March 5) the proposed construction of a covered footbridge connecting Morse Park No. 3 and No. 4 to provide a safe, comfortable and convenient pedestrian walkway system and enhance the connectivity between Morse Park No. 3 and No. 4.

     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

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
4/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices,
11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon

     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 May 4, 2021.

     The Government published the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the Gazette today (March 5). 
      
     The Bill seeks to amend the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) to increase progressively the number of statutory holidays (SHs), from 12 days by five increments at two-year intervals each until it reaches 17 days on a par with the number of general holidays (GHs) other than Sundays.
      
     A spokesman for the Labour Department said, "The five additional days of SHs should fall on GHs that are currently not SHs and be increased in the following sequence: the Birthday of the Buddha, the first weekday after Christmas Day, Easter Monday, Good Friday, and the day following Good Friday.
      
     "Subject to smooth passage of the Bill, the first additional SH will be designated in 2022 and the alignment of the number of SHs and GHs will be achieved by 2030," the spokesman added.
      
     The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on March 17.