Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Government announced today (August 12) that the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, has re-appointed 11 members to the Financial Leaders Forum (FLF). All appointments are for a term of two years, from August 18, 2019, to August 17, 2021.

     The membership of the FLF is as follows:

Chairman
———–
Financial Secretary

Members
———-
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan
Mrs Laura Cha Shih May-lung
Mr Chow Chung-kong
Mr Joseph Yam Chi-kwong
Dr Moses Cheng Mo-chi
Dr David Wong Yau-kar
Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung
Mr Laurence Li Lu-jen
Chief Executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Futures Commission
 
     Mr Chan said, “With the knowledge, expertise and vast experience of members, I am confident that the Financial Leaders Forum will continue to provide valuable advice on promoting the development of the financial services industry and enhancing investor protection.” He also paid tribute to Mr Carlson Tong, the outgoing member who completed his tenure as the Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, for his valuable contribution over the past two years. 
 
     The Financial Leaders Forum, established in August 2017, is a high-level platform comprising top leaders from the financial community as well as key financial regulators. It is an institutional set-up underpinning the vision of the Government in playing a more active leading role in policymaking and on matters relating to monetary stability, financial safety and regulation to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre. Members of the Forum provide advice from a strategic point of view and offer forward-looking suggestions on key aspects crucial to the development of Hong Kong as a leading international financial centre. read more

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the work accident that happened at a construction site at Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, this morning (August 12), in which a male worker operating a bulldozer fell together with it into the sea. He was rescued but certified dead in a hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and has expressed its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.
 
     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and will issue suspension notices to the contractors suspending the use of loadshifting machinery for land-filling work. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken.”
 
      The spokesman added, “We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
 
      The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, safe plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
 
     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
 
     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:      The Legislative Council Commission will hold a closed special meeting at 11am tomorrow (August 13). read more

     The Lands Department announced today (August 12) that the tender for a site, New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6607 at Shing Kai Road adjoining the Kai Tak Sports Park, Kai Tak, Kowloon, has been awarded to the highest tenderer, … read more

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs seized about 570 000 tablets of suspected counterfeit and smuggled medicines, and about 15 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $7.8 million from a container at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound of the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun on August 10. 

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a 40-foot container arriving in Hong Kong from Huangpu, Guangdong, destined for Kuwait. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected counterfeit and smuggled medicines and suspected counterfeit goods, including leather goods, clothing and footwear in the container. 

     An investigation is ongoing. 

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trade mark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years. 

     Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

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