A Registered Inspector (RI) was convicted and fined at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts last week for contravention of the regulation under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS). This is the first prosecution case against an RI in committing an offence of failing to provide proper supervision of building repair under the scheme.
 
     The RI concerned was appointed in 2015 to carry out inspection of the common area of a building at Parkes Street, Kowloon, and to supervise the required repair. In January 2017, the RI submitted a certificate to the BD, certifying that the building had been rendered dangerous or was liable to become dangerous, and a prescribed repair was required to be carried out to render the building safe. According to the record of the BD, a notice of commencement and certificate of completion of the minor works for the required prescribed repairs were received in April and October 2017 respectively.
 
     Later in December 2017, in response to a report on the collapse of a signboard from the building, inspection by the staff of the BD revealed defects at the soffit of the canopy on the first floor of the building. Further investigation revealed that the supervision of the prescribed repair works of the building was not provided properly by the RI, contravening the requirement under section 30D(4) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO). The RI was subsequently prosecuted for the offence under section 40(2AE) of the BO. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $3,000 at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts on March 19.
 
     A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that contravention of regulations under the MBIS is a serious offence. Upon receipt of reports or when irregularities are found during audit checks, the BD will take appropriate action against the relevant persons, including instigating prosecution and/or disciplinary action.
 
     Pursuant to section 40(2AE) of the BO, an RI who fails to provide proper supervision of the carrying out of the prescribed repair commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $250,000.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (March 28) reminded the public that the 133rd auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held this Saturday (March 30) at Meeting Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
      
     A list of 234 approved PVRMs put up for auction can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk. The reserve price for all these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 are required to participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
      
     Bidders are also reminded to bring the following documents with them for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:

(i) The identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) The identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) A copy of the certificate of incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) A crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.
 
     People who want to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(i) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations;
(ii) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed;
(iii) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding for the PVRM concerned. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted; and
(iv) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be produced to the TD for processing," the spokesman said.
      
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (March 28) that the Arts Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Arts Fund) will be open for application from eligible organisations starting tomorrow (March 29).
      
     The Government has endeavoured to promote the participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in recreational, sports and cultural arts activities and provide them with appropriate activities and facilities, with a view to enhancing the opportunities to develop their potential and enhance their quality of life, as well as encouraging their active participation in community activities and full integration into the community.
      
     The Chief Executive announced in her 2017 Policy Address to establish the Arts Fund, which will be managed by the SWD. The Government has earmarked $250 million as the capital of the Arts Fund to provide funding support to arts programmes or activities. These include the provision of elementary and continuing arts programmes that enhance arts knowledge of PWDs, foster their interests in arts and develop their potential, and helping PWDs who have great artistic potential to strive for excellence and develop their career in performing, visual or creative arts.
      
     The Arts Fund will be open for application from March 29 and the deadline for submission of first-round applications is May 28. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) granted tax exemption status under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap 112) and with at least two years of experience in organising structured arts activities or training programmes for PWDs may make applications. A Management Committee has been set up to oversee the use of grants disbursed under the Arts Fund, allocate grants and regularly review the assessment criteria for grants.
      
     Interested organisations may visit the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_adfpd) for more details and download the application form of the Arts Fund.
    

     Prospective applicants for civil service posts at degree or professional level can apply from tomorrow (March 29) to sit the Common Recruitment Examination and Basic Law Test (CRE and BLT) scheduled to be held on June 1 and 8 in Hong Kong.

     A spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) today (March 28) said that valid CRE results are required of applicants for civil service posts at degree or professional level, unless applicants possess equivalent results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination or other specified public examinations (the relevant details are available on the CSB webpage). Persons interested in applying for civil service posts at degree or professional level in the near future may wish to consider sitting the coming examination so as to be eligible to apply for these posts, which may become available before another CRE is held.

     In addition, applicants for civil service posts will be assessed on their Basic Law knowledge. The result of the BLT will be one of the considerations to assess the suitability of a candidate.

     Applicants for the coming CRE and BLT should be holders of degree, or a qualification meeting the entry requirement on professional qualifications for civil service degree or professional posts, or university students who will have attained a degree in the 2018-19 academic year. Applicants may choose to take any of the CRE papers and/or the BLT paper in the coming examination.

     Persons interested in taking the examination may apply from tomorrow through the online application system on the CSB webpage at www.csb.gov.hk/eng/cre.html or by using the CRE and BLT application form (CSB31 (3/2019)), which can be downloaded from the CSB webpage or obtained from any Home Affairs Enquiry Centre of the Home Affairs Department or Job Centre of the Labour Department. Applications must be made before 5pm on April 11 (Hong Kong time).

     More details about the coming CRE and BLT will be available on the CSB webpage from tomorrow. General enquiries may be directed to the Civil Service Examinations Unit by phone at 2537 6429 or by email to csbcseu@csb.gov.hk.

     â€‹The Transport Department (TD) today (March 28) announced that eligible operators are invited to apply for the regular quota for Guangdong/Hong Kong cross-boundary coach services, and the regular quota for Guangdong/Hong Kong cross-boundary hire car services, using the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point. The deadline for application is April 18.

     A regular quota of 70 for Guangdong/Hong Kong cross-boundary coach services will be jointly issued by the Governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Moreover, the Governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong are also accepting applications from eligible operators under the existing cross-boundary coach regular quota using the Man Kam To Control Point or the Sha Tau Kok Control Point to switch and use the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point. The cross-boundary coach quota for switching is set at 30.

     At the same time, the Governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong are accepting applications from eligible operators under the existing cross-boundary hire car regular quota using the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, the Sha Tau Kok Control Point or the Shenzhen Bay Port to switch and use the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point. The cross-boundary hire car quota for switching is set at 25.

     Applicants shall be in the name of a Guangdong/Hong Kong joint venture and submit their application forms to the TD and the Land and Air Ports Administration Division of the Office of Port Administration of the People's Government of Guangdong Province before the deadline. If an applicant fails to submit the application form with identical content to the two governments concurrently, the application may not be considered.

     The deadline for the above quota applications is 5pm on April 18 (Thursday). The application form can be downloaded from the website of the TD (www.td.gov.hk).