Tag Archives: China

     Hong Kong Customs will step up patrols at popular shopping spots in various districts and remind traders to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) starting today (January 19) and through the Lunar New Year holiday, with a view to enhancing consumer protection.

     Customs officers starting from today will step up patrols at dried seafood shops, pharmacies and jewellery shops in different tourist shopping areas such as Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, as well as at Lunar New Year fairs. Pamphlets will also be distributed to retailers to remind them to comply with the requirements of the TDO. 

     Customs also reminds consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. They should be cautious about the unit price during shopping and bear in mind that receipts must be retained after purchases.

     Under the TDO, any trader who engages in unfair trade practices, including making false trade descriptions in relation to goods, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices or bait and switch, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk). read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Liquor Licensing Board:
 
     The Liquor Licensing Board will meet on Tuesday (January 21) to consider four applications for new issue, renewal and transfer of liquor licences.
 
     The applications are (not in order of discussion):
 
Kowloon:
——–
MISS in Tsim Sha Tsui
VISAA in Tai Kok Tsui
 
New Territories:
——————-
KALEIDO COFFEE and Jasmine in Tuen Mun
 
     The meeting will be held at 9.45am in the conference room, Room 102, 1/F, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai. Members of the public are welcome to attend, except during the private session on confidential items.
  read more

     A property owner was convicted and fined over $110,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on January 14 for persistently failing to comply with a removal order under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123) (BO).
      
     The order involved three unauthorised rooftop structures at a composite building at Cameron Road, Kowloon. The structures, used for rental purposes, are about 26 square metres in total size.
      
     As the above unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval from the Buildings Department (BD), contravening the BO, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.
      
     The owner did not comply with the order. He was prosecuted by the BD in 2018 and was fined about $40,000 upon conviction at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts. However, the owner persisted in not complying with the order and the BD prosecuted him for the second time last year. The owner was convicted again this month. The Court noticed that the owner had 12 previous conviction records for not complying with removal orders and heavily fined the owner $114,000.
      
     “UBWs may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners must comply with the removal orders without further delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with the removal orders (including instigating prosecution) so as to achieve a deterrent effect,” a spokesman for the BD said today (January 19).
      
     Pursuant to section 40(1BA) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with an order served on him under section 24(1) of the BO commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence has continued.   read more

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting today (January 19).      The arrangements will come into effect two hours … read more

     The newly opened H2OPE Centre provides information on water resources and conservation to foster a culture of cherishing water.      News.gov.hk interviewed engineers from the Water Supplies Department to… read more