The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident in Yau Tong this afternoon (December 27), in which a man died.
 
     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation into its cause.

     The Lands Department announced today (December 27) that information on government sites granted by short term tenancy (STT) since January 1, 2018 is now available on the GeoInfo Map.

     The GeoInfo Map now contains information on STTs granted by either open tender or direct grant or STTs with rent reviewed since January 1, 2018 (updated till end of October 2018). Information on STTs granted or with rent reviewed thereafter will also be uploaded onto the GeoInfo Map regularly initially on a quarterly basis.

     The STT information available on GeoInfo Map includes site area, commencement date, tenancy term, use and rent. The particulars of tenants will be added in future pending introduction of a revised consent clause for information disclosure in tenancy agreements. The information provided is for general reference only.

     The Transport Department today (December 27) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on January 12 (Saturday), in Meeting Room S221, L2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 320 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been posted at the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
     
(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(1) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(2) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(3) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(4) 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.

(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(e) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department today (December 27) announced an adjustment to the auto-LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations from January 1 to January 31, 2019, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contracts of the dedicated LPG filling stations.

     A department spokesman said that the adjustment on January 1, 2019, reflects the movement of the LPG international price in December 2018. The adjusted auto-LPG ceiling prices for dedicated LPG filling stations will range from $2.89 to $3.42 per litre, representing a decrease of $0.45 to $0.46 per litre.

     The spokesman said that the auto-LPG ceiling prices were adjusted according to a specified pricing formula. The formula comprises two elements – the LPG international price and the LPG operating price. The LPG international price is the LPG international price of the preceding month. The LPG operating price is adjusted on the first day of February every year according to the movement in the Composite Consumer Price Index in the previous year.

     The auto-LPG ceiling prices for respective dedicated LPG filling stations in January 2019 are as follows:

 
     The spokesman said that the details of the LPG international price and the auto-LPG ceiling price of each dedicated LPG filling station have been uploaded to the department website www.emsd.gov.hk. They are also posted at dedicated LPG filling stations to enable the trades to monitor the price adjustment.
 
     Details of the pricing adjustment mechanism for dedicated LPG filling stations can also be viewed under the "What's New" section of the department website at www.emsd.gov.hk/en/what_s_new/current/index.html .

     Applications under the Hong Kong/Netherlands bilateral Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) will be accepted from January 1, 2019 (Tuesday).
      
     Welcoming the commencement of the Scheme, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong said, "We are delighted to see that the WHS has been well-received by youths, enabling them to broaden their horizons and to gain living and working experience in a foreign culture. I believe that youth exchanges would further reinforce bilateral ties between Hong Kong and the Netherlands."
      
     The Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hong Kong, Ms Annemieke Ruigrok, said, "I welcome all young people in Hong Kong to grasp this new and unique opportunity to come and experience the Netherlands. And I hope that young Dutch people will do the same in Hong Kong. I hope this will lead to stronger ties between us."
      
     Hong Kong and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding to mark the establishment of a bilateral Working Holiday Scheme in April. The working holiday visa will allow young people from Hong Kong and the Netherlands to stay in the host economy for up to 12 months. During the period, they may work to finance their stay and/or take up short-term study courses.
      
     Details of visa application procedures for applicants from Hong Kong can be found on the website of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hong Kong at www.netherlandsandyou.nl/your-country-and-the-netherlands/hongkong/travel-and-residence/working-holiday-programme-with-the-netherlands. Applicants from the Netherlands may contact the Hong Kong Immigration Department by telephone on 2824 6111 or obtain the necessary information from the Department's website at www.immd.gov.hk.
      
     Working holidaymakers are reminded to research thoroughly on the employment, accommodation and living conditions as well as relevant statutory requirements of the host economy before departure.
      
     Since 2001, Hong Kong has established WHS with New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Canada, Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands. So far, some 88 000 Hong Kong youths have participated in these schemes. Details relating to WHS are available at the dedicated website of the Labour Department at www.whs.gov.hk.