The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, August 20, 2018 is 104.4 (up 0.2 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, August 18, 2018 was 104.2 (down 0.4 against last Friday's index).

     The Buildings Department approved 16 building plans in June, with four on Hong Kong Island and 12 in the New Territories.
 
     Of the approved plans, nine were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, three were for commercial developments, two were for factory and industrial developments, and two were for community services developments.
 
     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 12 building projects which, when completed, will provide 128 598 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 1 818 units, and 63 585 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of works for nine building projects.
 
     The department also issued 23 occupation permits, with four on Hong Kong Island, five in Kowloon and 14 in the New Territories.
 
     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 77 737 sq m involving 1 056 units, and 71 357 sq m was for non-domestic use.
 
     The declared cost of new buildings completed in June totalled about $5.7 billion.
 
     In addition, six demolition consents involving six building structures were issued.
 
     The department received 2 968 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in June and issued 856 removal orders on UBWs.
 
     The full version of the Monthly Digest for June can be viewed by the public on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).

     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene today (August 20) cancelled the licence of a restaurant in Fanling, as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by illegally extending the business area.
     
     The restaurant is located on the ground floor of Fu Yin Building at 25 Luen On Street, Fanling.
     
     "In May this year, two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the operator of the restaurant. A total fine of $6,000 was levied by the court and 30 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the cancellation of the licence," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.
     
     The licensee of the food premises had a record of four convictions for the same offence between June last year and March this year. A total fine of $23,500 was levied and 60 demerit points were registered. The breaches led to business suspensions for seven days in August last year and 14 days in June this year.
     
     The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.
     
     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-foodPremises-rest.html).

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The University Grants Committee (UGC) announced today (August 20) that the UGC supports the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) to launch a UGC-funded six-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme with effect from the 2019/20 academic year, subject to the approval of the Government. The UGC will submit its funding recommendation for the 2019/20 to 2021/22 triennium, including the recommendation in respect of CityU's BVM programme, to the Government later this year. The Government will consider the UGC's recommendation and announce the student number target for the 2019/20 to 2021/22 triennium according to established procedures.
      
     The Chairman of the UGC, Mr Carlson Tong, said, "The establishment of a veterinary college in Hong Kong to nurture talents in veterinary medicine is an investment that is conducive to people's health and long-term development of Hong Kong. If zoonotic diseases emerge in Hong Kong in the future, a local veterinary college can quickly provide appropriate facilities and manpower support and conduct related research work."
      
     Since 2009, CityU has applied to the UGC three times to introduce a bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine. The final report of the 2013 UGC Task Force concluded that, for strategic development, Hong Kong is well positioned to develop a veterinary school that has a small professional veterinary medicine training programme but a top-heavy research and postgraduate programme for training research talents focusing on relevant areas such as zoonotic infectious diseases and public health. In this connection, after receiving the third proposal from CityU in 2016, the Government advised CityU that there is a prima facie case for Hong Kong to consider introducing a professionally accredited undergraduate programme in veterinary medicine, and the ideal veterinary school for Hong Kong should have a small professional veterinary medicine training programme and a top-heavy postgraduate and research programme.
      
     After actively following up on the recommendations in the 2013 Final Report of the UGC Task Force, CityU submitted the latest proposal in October 2017 to the UGC for consideration in the context of the 2019/20 – 2021/22 Triennium Planning Exercise. The UGC immediately formed a task force to examine CityU's proposal in October 2017. The Task Force, led by Professor Jan Thomas, comprises members who are internationally renowned professionals, local experts and people from different sectors.
      
     Mr Tong said, "The most important consideration for the UGC in reviewing CityU's proposal is to ensure that graduates will be able to practise veterinary medicine in Hong Kong. In addition to making progress in securing international accreditation, CityU's veterinary programme includes a backup plan that fully responds to the requirements of the Task Force."
      
     Professor Thomas said, "The Task Force met with the relevant departmental personnel and management of CityU and other stakeholders to understand various aspects such as the cost and financial needs of the programme, the preparation work in attaining professional accreditation, the role of Cornell University in assisting CityU to run the veterinary programme and the progress of setting up the relevant laboratory and animal clinics. After the review, the Task Force was satisfied with the response and performance of CityU in various aspects. It also appreciated the enthusiasm and determination of CityU in establishing the veterinary college."
      
     The UGC has requested CityU to submit an annual progress report to the UGC before the programme can obtain full accreditation status. In the meantime, the UGC Task Force will continue to assist the UGC in reviewing the progress of the programme.
      
     The final report of the Task Force on the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine Programme of CityU has been uploaded to the UGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk).

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has completed the technical investigation into the lift incident at Paris Court in Sheung Shui Town Centre on May 11 this year and released the investigation report today (August 20).

     The investigation revealed that the braking force of the brake system of the lift associated with the incident was insufficient, so that when the lift car travelled from the ground floor to the destination floor and the lift doors opened for passenger entry, the lift car failed to stop completely and continued to move upwards, thereby leading to the incident. The main cause of the problem was that a component of the lift braking system was found to have been not lubricated for a long time and hence could not operate smoothly. As a result, the brake was continuously rubbed when the lift was running, leading to overheating and hence significant reduction in the braking force.

     While the technical investigation has been completed with the investigation report uploaded to the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_794/Report_on_Lift_Incident_at_Paris_Court_(Eng).pdf), criminal investigation into the incident is still in progress. The EMSD emphasises that the law will be strictly enforced if contraventions are identified.

     After the incident, as a prudent measure, the EMSD immediately requested all registered lift contractors maintaining lifts of the same brand as the lift in the incident to carry out special inspections. The special inspections were completed in two weeks after the incident and no abnormality was found. The EMSD further requested the registered lift contractor maintaining the lift in the incident to conduct special inspections for all lifts under its maintenance, which were completed without any abnormality found. The EMSD also stepped up the sampling inspections for these lifts.

     In addition, the EMSD issued letters to all registered lift contractors to remind them to strictly follow the requirements under the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance and the Code of Practice for Lift Works and Escalator Works (the CoP) to ensure proper maintenance of the lift brake systems.
 
     To enhance the safety of aged lifts, the EMSD announced earlier the implementation of the following two short-term measures:

1. Contractors shall conduct special maintenance works at least twice every year for the important protective components (including brakes, traction machines and landing doors) of aged lifts that have yet to undergo modernisation works. Contractors are also required to submit to the EMSD the scheduled date, time and inspection results of the special maintenance works via an online platform. The EMSD will also step up the corresponding spot checks; and

2. Contractors shall record maintenance works in logbooks with an improved format to list the important protective components involved in each round of maintenance to facilitate more effective monitoring of the contractors' maintenance works by the EMSD and the responsible persons for lifts.

     The CoP (2018 Edition) with details of the above measures came into effect via a gazette notice on August 10 this year. Lift contractors and responsible persons for lifts have to fully implement the relevant measures before February 1, 2019.

     The EMSD promulgated the Guidelines for Modernising Existing Lifts in 2011 to recommend the responsible persons for aged lifts to install safety devices (including an unintended car movement protection device and an ascending car overspeed protection device) to make the operation of their lifts safer, more reliable and comfortable. The EMSD appeals to all responsible persons of aged lifts again to carry out modernisation works as soon as possible. Please refer to the EMSD's website for details of lift modernisation works at www.emsd.gov.hk/en/lifts_and_escalators_safety/responsible_persons_corner/lift_modernisation_resource_corner/index.html.