Tag Archives: China

     A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 80 hours’ community service by the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today (December 23) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) (the Regulation).

     The man was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that he must conduct quarantine at home for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, he had taken off his wristband and left the place of quarantine on May 29 without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. He was charged with contravening Sections 8(1), 8(4) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today to 80 hours’ community service.
 
     Pursuant to the Regulation, starting from February 8, save for exempted persons, all persons who have stayed in the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong, regardless of their nationality or travel documents, will be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Moreover, pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E), starting from March 19, all persons arriving from countries or territories outside China would also be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the Regulation. As of today, a total of 89 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching compulsory quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations. read more

     A Government spokesman said today (December 23) that consent was given to resume the building works of the private development project at Kai Tak Area 1E Site 2 (the Project).
 
     The spokesman said that the building works of the Project were suspended earlier on September 2, 2020, as the reading recorded in two settlement monitoring checkpoints installed inside the railway tunnel of the Tuen Ma Line Phase 1 had exceeded the pre-set trigger level. The Government announced the situation on September 4, and the Buildings Department (BD) and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) respectively confirmed the structural safety of the relevant railway facilities and safe operation of the railway.
 
     The registered building professional appointed for the said building works subsequently submitted to the BD an incident report and a proposal of mitigation measures to avoid adverse effects on the structural safety of the nearby railway facilities should the said building works proceed. The registered building professional then requested resumption of the suspended works.
 
     The BD has confirmed the structural safety of the railway facilities concerned. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) has been consulted and confirmed that the resumption of works will not affect the structural safety of the railway facilities and safe operation of the railway. The EMSD, which regulates and monitors the safety of railway operation according to the Mass Transit Railway Ordinance (Cap. 566) and its subsidiary regulations, has also confirmed the safe operation of the railway. Regarding the resumption of works, the EMSD has also confirmed that the MTRCL has put in place stringent monitoring measures to ensure the safety of railway operation.
 
     Having considered the above advice and the proposal of mitigation measures from the registered building professional, the request for resumption of works was accepted today and the suspended building works will resume on December 30. In addition to the existing mitigation measures already put in place, the registered contractor of the Project will install additional recharge wells to enhance the control of the underground water level and increase the frequency of settlement monitoring measurements to twice a week during the construction works of the basement structure. Upon completion of the basement structure, the registered structural engineer will submit an updated assessment report on the settlement to the BD. The registered contractor will only be allowed to remove the remaining temporary supports after the BD’s acceptance of the assessment report.
 
     Upon comprehensive and detailed engineering analyses with results indicating an estimated extent of settlement within 29 millimetres, the registered structural engineer of the Project has confirmed that the structural safety of the railway tunnel concerned would not be affected by such an extent of settlement. In respect of the geotechnical engineering issue, the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department has accepted the analyses and estimation of the predicted settlement by the registered structural engineer and the registered geotechnical engineer. As the proposed amendment has fulfilled the requirements of the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), the BD has accepted the pre-set trigger level for the affected part of the railway tunnel of the Tuen Ma Line Phase 1 to be revised to 29mm. The MTRCL has also indicated that the revised trigger level will not affect the safety of railway operation.
 
     Having considered the circumstances of the Tuen Ma Line Phase 1 railway tunnel, the BD has imposed extra conditions when approving the amendment plans, requiring implementation of a series of measures to enhance site supervision and the safety of works when carrying out remaining works.
 
     The BD, the EMSD and the MTRCL will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the structural safety of the railway facilities and safe operation of the railway, the spokesman said. read more

     The Lands Department announced today (December 23) that the tender for a site, Rural Building Lot No. 1211 at Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8 Mansfield Road, the Peak, Hong Kong, has been awarded to the highest tenderer, Novel Bliss Li… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      As at 9am today (December 23), 117 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 7 112 patients with confirmed… read more

     In light of the Government’s announcement to extend the special work arrangements for government employees, the Labour Department (LD) today (December 23) announced that it will continue to provide emergency and essential public services until further notice.
     
     Branch offices under the Labour Relations Division, the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board and the Employment Agencies Administration will provide limited counter services on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (except general holidays), while other counter services of the LD will be suspended. In view of public health considerations, members of the public entering the LD’s offices have to undergo on-the-spot temperature checks and should wear masks at all times. Crowd control arrangements will also be implemented.
 
     Two Occupational Health Clinics and Occupational Medicine Units will be closed. Those who have made service appointments will be informed of the alternative arrangements.
 
     The LD encourages members of the public to make use of the department’s online services and information (www.labour.gov.hk) and to file enquiries and requests for service by email at enquiry@labour.gov.hk.
 
     Job seekers can use the Interactive Employment Service Website (www.jobs.gov.hk) for job searches. The LD’s Telephone Employment Service Centre, all Job Centres and industry-based Recruitment Centres also provide enquiry and employment services by telephone from Monday to Friday during office hours (9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm) (telephone numbers are shown at www.jobs.gov.hk/1/0/WebForm/information/en/our_service/info_jobcentres.aspx).
 
     Applicants for issue of licence or renewal of licence of employment agency may submit their applications to the office of the Employment Agencies Administration by post (Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon) or email (ea-ee@labour.gov.hk).
 
     For information about employment rights and benefits, members of the public may browse the LD’s website at www.labour.gov.hk/eng/faq/content.htm.
 
     Due to the special work arrangements, the processing time for various enquiries and applications may take longer than usual.
 
     The LD will review the situation in due course and make further announcements as appropriate. read more