Author Archives: hksar gov

     Police are investigating an attempted murder and suicide case in Kwun Tong this afternoon (July 24) in which a 35-year-old woman died and her two-year-old son was seriously injured.        At about 2…. read more

     â€‹A vegetable chain stall, operated by Bonnie Vegetables and Fruit Wholesale Limited at Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po, caused noise nuisance by playing promotional recordings loudly and continuously to peddle goods. It was fined a total of $14,000 by Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (July 24) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).
      
     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that from early this year, the department received many complaints from members of the public about a vegetable stall at Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po persistently playing promotional recordings during operating hours to sell goods by using loudspeakers, which adversely affected nearby residents. The EPD conducted enforcement operations against the vegetable stall concerned on February 3 and February 8 this year. Upon on-site assessment by EPD staff, it was confirmed that the noise caused annoyance and the department subsequently prosecuted the vegetable stall under the NCO.
      
     After a series of enforcement actions, the noise level of the above vegetable stall has improved. The EPD will continue to closely monitor the situation. Criminal prosecution against the director of the operating company may be considered if repeated contravention by the stall is detected.
      
     The spokesman reminded persons responsible for retail shops and market stalls that when they play promotional recordings to sell goods, they should contain the noise level within their shop area and should not cause annoyance to other people outside their shops or nearby residents. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence, and offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000. For stores with repeated contraventions, the operator himself will also be criminally liable for the offence once convicted. read more

     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, will leave Hong Kong in the morning on July 26 (Thursday) for an official visit to Huizhou, Guangdong Province.            &n… read more

     A woman was fined $10,000 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (July 24) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
           
     The courts heard that in December last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Chun Yeung Street in North Point. The OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis.
           
     According to the OLA’s records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of inspection. The woman responsible for operating the premises was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
           
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years’ imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application “Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses”. read more

     A man, a woman and a company were fined $1,000 to $4,500 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (July 24) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in January this year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Queen’s Road Central and Elgin Street in Central, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs). 

     The staff of the club on Queen’s Road Central failed to show the registered drawings upon the OLA officers’ request. Condition 17 of the CoC was breached. The company, being the CoC holder of the club, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.

     During the investigation in the club on Elgin Street, the OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Also, the staff of the club failed to show the latest membership register and the registered drawings upon the OLA officers’ request. Conditions 17, 19 and 20 of the CoC were breached. The man and the woman, being the manager of the club and the CoC holder of the club respectively, were charged with contravening section 21(1) (a) and section 21(2) of the Ordinance.

     A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operations. read more