Hong Kong Customs today (February 28) arrested a male owner of a renovation company suspected of having applied a false trade description to the renovation service supplied, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a male owner of a renovation company had made a false claim that his renovation company was a registered electrical contractor and a registered minor works contractor.

     After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 52-year-old man.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer 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).

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     The Judiciary today (February 28) announced the re-appointment of two incumbent Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court.
      
     The re-appointment of Mr Jason Pow Wing-nin, SC, and Mr Anthony Kenneth Houghton, SC, will be for three years commencing on March 1, 2019 upon expiry of their current terms.

     The re-appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

     The biographical notes of the Recorders are as follows:
 
Mr Jason Pow Wing-nin, SC
 
     Mr Pow, SC, was born in 1962 in Hong Kong. He obtained LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1985 and 1986 respectively. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1986 and was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2005. He has been in private practice since 1987. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2011 and 2012. He has been appointed as a Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2013.
 
Mr Anthony Kenneth Houghton, SC
 
     Mr Houghton, SC, was born in 1954 in the United Kingdom. He obtained LL.B. from the University of London in 1987. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1988 and to the Hong Kong Bar in 1989, and was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2008. He has been in private practice since 1989. He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for periods in 2011 and 2012. He has been appointed as a Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 2013.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) instituted prosecution against the registered escalator engineer involved in the escalator incident at Langham Place in Mong Kok in March 2017. The engineer concerned was convicted in court today (February 28) of having contravened Sections 54(1) and (2) of the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance (Cap 618) and was fined $40,000 and sentenced to two months' imprisonment with 12 months' probation.
    
     The EMSD welcomed the verdict. Subsequent to the escalator incident, the EMSD took disciplinary action against the engineer by suspending his registration for six months. He did not lodge an application for renewal of registration upon the expiry of his registration and his registration then became invalidated. 
 
     The EMSD reminds all registered persons that escalators are indispensable in the daily commute of the public, and registered persons have important and non-delegable duties to ensure the safety of escalator users. The EMSD will continue to strictly enforce relevant legislation in ensuring safe and reliable escalator services for the public. 
 
     As for the other two defendants involved in the case, including a registered escalator worker and registered escalator contractor, both were convicted and were fined $6,000 and $320,000 by Court in December 2017 and March 2018 respectively. The EMSD is currently conducting disciplinary proceedings against the registered escalator contractor concerned.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, February 28, 2019 is 102.9 (same as yesterday's index).

     The Hong Kong Space Museum's new Omnimax show, "Oceans: Our Blue Planet", will be launched tomorrow (March 1). Presenting new ocean science and technology, the film shows the audience the largest and least explored habitat on Earth, letting viewers discover the untold stories of the oceans' most fascinating creatures from the coastal shallows to the mysterious depths.
 
     Oceans cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth's surface, yet people have better maps of the surface of the moon and Mars than they do of the ocean floor. In "Oceans: Our Blue Planet", the audience will be led by lively dolphins, view coral reefs and meet the ingenious tuskfish that uses a tool to open its food. In the great forests of the sea, there is a cunning octopus shielding herself in an armour of shells to hide from predators.
 
     The 40-minute show will be screened until August 31 at the museum's Stanley Ho Space Theatre. It will be screened daily at 1.30pm, 5pm and 8.30pm.
 
     Tickets priced at $24 (front stalls) and $32 (stalls) are available at the Hong Kong Space Museum Box Office and URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). The museum is closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays).
  
     The Hong Kong Space Museum is located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. For further information, please call 2721 0226 or visit the website at hk.space.musuem.