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Author Archives: hksar gov

Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service to hold hearing to receive oral evidence from invited parties

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service:
 
     The Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service will hold a hearing to receive further oral evidence from the nominated representatives of the Transport Department (TD) next Thursday (October 4) (to be continued on October 6, if necessary) from 10am to 5.30pm (with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm) at the Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. The Committee’s rules of procedure for the receipt of oral evidence and notice to the public attending the hearings to receive oral evidence are available on the Committee’s website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/press.html).
 
     Having received and considered written submissions from various interested parties, and in order to obtain further information, the Committee is in the process of inviting specific interested parties to give oral evidence to the Committee through nominated representatives. Fifteen hearings have been held so far to receive oral evidence from:
 
(A) Representatives of:

  • the Transport and Housing Bureau;
  • the TD;
  • Hong Kong Police Force;
  • the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) and Long Win Bus Company Limited;
  • New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited;
  • the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited;
  • Tai Po, Sha Tin and Sham Shui Po District Councils;
  • ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Openmatics s.r.o.;
  • the Community for Road Safety;
  • the Motor Transport Workers General Union, including its sub-unions of Citybus Branch, KMB Branch, Long Win Bus Branch, New Lantao Bus Branch and New World Bus Branch;
  • the Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, including its members of KMB Staff Union, New World First Bus Company Staff Union and Citybus Limited Employees Union;
  • the KMB Employees Union;
  • the Staff Rights Association of KMB;
  • the Monthly-Rated Drivers Union; and
  • the Part-time Drivers Union

(B) Former employees of KMB:
  • Mr Alok Jain; and
  • Mr Raymond Cheng
     
(C)  Employees of KMB:
  • Ms Debby Wong; and
  • Mr Kelvin Yeung
 
(D)  Experts appointed by the Committee:
  • Professor John Stanley; and
  • Mr Mike Weston
 
     A transcript of that evidence (and a translation in Chinese) is available on the Committee’s website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/transcripts.html).
 
     The Committee wishes to invite family members of the victims and passengers on board the bus involved in the fatal incident on Tai Po Road, and other recent serious incidents involving franchised bus services, to attend the hearing, and invites them to contact the Secretariat in advance of the hearing if they wish to attend. Except for seats reserved for such persons as well as the media and specifically identified interested parties, all available seats in the hearing venue will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration counter will open at 9.30am on October 4 (and October 6, if required).
 
     Enquiries regarding the hearing may be directed to the Secretariat of the Committee at 2867 5324. read more

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected dangerous drugs (with photos)

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 440 grams of suspected cocaine and about 1.5 kilograms of suspected heroin at Hong Kong International Airport on September 7 and yesterday (September 27) respectively. The total estimated market value is about $1.8 million.

     Customs officers inspected an express parcel from Ecuador on September 7 and found the suspected cocaine concealed between layers of four wooden boxes. After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 40-year-old woman suspected to be in connection with the case in Yuen Long.

     Also, a 30-year-old male passenger and a 22-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday afternoon. During Customs clearance, they were found to each have two packets of suspected heroin strapped around them. A small amount of suspected dangerous drugs and a set of drug inhaling apparatus were also found inside the baggage carried by the male passenger. Both of them were then arrested.

     Investigations are ongoing.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Photo  Photo  
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HKMA Quarterly Bulletin (September 2018 Issue)

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (September 28) published the September 2018 issue of its Quarterly Bulletin.
      
     This issue of Quarterly Bulletin carries two feature articles, entitled “Green Bond Market: Hong Kong’s Unique Role” and “Implementation of a Faster Payment System in Hong Kong”. 
      
     The Quarterly Bulletin can be viewed on and downloaded from the HKMA website.
  read more

SFST visits Yau Tsim Mong District (with photos)

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, visited Yau Tsim Mong District this afternoon (September 28).

     Mr Lau first visited the head office of the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) to learn about its work on heritage preservation. The AMO head office is located at the former Kowloon British School. Built in 1902 and being the oldest surviving school building constructed for the children of foreign residents in Hong Kong, the building was declared a monument in July 1991.

     Mr Lau then proceeded to the worksite of the West Kowloon Government Offices at Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, and was briefed on its construction progress by representatives of the Architectural Services Department and the Government Property Agency. Comprising a North Block and a South Block, the West Kowloon Government Offices are expected to be completed by early next year and will be used for reprovisioning some government offices in the Wan Chai Government Offices Complex and some leased premises in other districts. Adopting a green design, the building has various energy-saving and renewable energy facilities. There will also be greening on the rooftop and external walls.

     After that, Mr Lau went to the Hong Kong Playground Association’s Mongkok Integrated Service Centre for Children & Youth to see for himself the services and facilities provided there. He also chatted with youths to learn about their studies, the jobs they are doing and their experiences in starting up businesses. He was glad to see that young entrepreneurs were aspiring to start their own businesses, and appreciated their enthusiasm for life.

     Before concluding the visit, Mr Lau met with members of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council to exchange views on various issues including opening of bank accounts.

Photo  Photo  Photo  Photo  
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TD reminds the public of special traffic and transport arrangements on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon next Monday

     The Transport Department (TD) today (September 28) reminded the public that special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon to facilitate the holding of the flag raising ceremony, a public procession and the fireworks display next Monday (October 1).
      
     The special traffic and transport arrangements will mainly include:

(I) Flag raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai
 
Road closures
—————–
 
     The following roads will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic (except authorised vehicles) at the time specified below:
 
1. From about midnight to 11am
 
* Expo Drive;
* Expo Drive Central;
* The section of Expo Drive East south of Expo Drive;
* Road A5; and
* Road A2.
 
2. From about midnight to noon
 
* The section of Expo Drive East north of Expo Drive.
 
3. From about 5.30am to 11am:
 
* The section of Road P2 between Lung Wo Road and Expo Drive East.
 
Public transport services
——————————-
 
     The bus terminus, coach parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off area at Expo Drive East will be suspended in phases from about 10pm on September 30. The taxi stand at Expo Drive and part of the taxi stand at Harbour Road westbound opposite to Harbour Centre will also be suspended from about midnight and 7.30am respectively on October 1.
 
(II) Public Procession from East Point Road and Lockhart Road Pedestrian Precinct to Central Government Offices
 
Road closures
—————
 
     At around 3pm, a public procession will depart from East Point Road and Lockhart Road Pedestrian Precinct via Yee Wo Street westbound, Hennessy Road westbound, Queensway westbound, across Queensway, Rodney Street, Harcourt Road westbound, Harcourt Road eastbound and Tim Mei Avenue northbound, and will terminate at the Central Government Offices.
 
     To facilitate the holding of the public procession, the following road closure arrangements will be implemented on Hong Kong Island:
 
1. From about 2pm, the slow lane of Yee Wo Street westbound and Hennessy Road westbound, and the Causeway Bay shopping area (such as Jardine’s Bazaar) will be closed in phases; and
 
2. From about 2.30pm, Hennessy Road westbound, Queensway westbound, Harcourt Road, Rodney Street, Drake Street, Tamar Street and the roads in the vicinity of the Central Government Offices will be closed.
 
Public transport services
—————————
 
     A total of 59 bus routes and five green minibus (GMB) routes operating in the affected areas will be temporarily diverted. One GMB route will be temporarily suspended. 
 
(III) Fireworks display at Victoria Harbour
 
Road closures
—————
 
     To facilitate the holding of the fireworks display at Victoria Harbour at 9pm, road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases on Hong Kong Island from about 7.30pm in Wan Chai District, Central District, the Peak and the section of Island Eastern Corridor westbound between Victoria Park Road and Man Hong Street. Road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases in the vicinity of Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan in Kowloon from about 7pm until the crowd has dispersed and the road closure lifted.
 
Public transport services
—————————

1. For bus and GMB services, owing to the road closure, some bus and GMB stops will be suspended or relocated. The bus and GMB routes operating in the affected areas will also be temporarily diverted;
 
2. For MTR services, the services of Island Line, the Tsuen Wan Line, the Kwun Tong Line and the West Rail Line will be strengthened;
 
3. For tramway service, normal holiday service will be operated and the frequency of the tram service will be strengthened to meet passenger demand if necessary;
 
4. For ferry services, ferry companies will temporarily adjust the services to facilitate the holding of the fireworks display;
 
5. For cross-boundary coach services, the terminus at the Wan Chai North Temporary Public Transport Interchange and the stop on Harbour Road outside Harbour Centre for the cross-boundary coach service plying between Wan Chai and Huanggang Control Point will be suspended. A temporary pick-up point will be provided at Hennessy Road eastbound underneath O’Brien Road footbridge; and
 
6. The service of the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System will be extended to 2am on October 2.
 
     Due to extensive road closures in the affected areas, the TD anticipates that the traffic along Hong Kong Island North (including Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Admiralty, Central and the vicinity of the Island Eastern Corridor), the vicinity of Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan in Kowloon, and the Cross Harbour Tunnel as well as the Aberdeen Tunnel will become significantly congested. Motorists are advised to be patient in case of traffic congestion when driving at the vicinity and follow the Police’s instruction, and be alert to the latest traffic news through the media.
      
     Members of the public are advised to use public transport services, in particular railway services, and avoid driving to the affected or congested areas, especially in the vicinity of Tin Hau, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Admiralty, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan, unless necessary. Early planning of journeys and use of alternative travelling routes are advised to avoid unexpected delay. The public transport operators will display notices to inform passengers of the temporary arrangements. Public transport commuters are advised to pay attention to the arrangements of route diversions, suspension and relocation of stops. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary. 
      
     For enquiries on special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public can call 1823 or browse the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) for more details. read more