The Transport Department (TD) today (July 31) announced that the next auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on September 8 (Saturday), at Meeting Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 210 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction. A list of the marks was posted on the department's website, www.td.gov.hk, today," a department spokesman said.

     The reserve price of all these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned 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:

(i) Paddle bidding will be used at this auction;

(ii) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations;

(iii) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed;

(iv) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through the Easy Pay System (EPS), or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding of the PVRM concerned. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted. 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; and

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

     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing," the spokesman said.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk.

     Police will implement a territory-wide trial scheme for six months to tackle traffic congestion related offences with the use of technology from tomorrow (August 1).

     The territory-wide trial scheme came after a two-month pilot trial in Kowloon East and New Territories North Regions in December 2017 and January 2018 respectively, during which mobile video teams were deployed to conduct operations against congestion related traffic offences with video recordings captured. A total of 540 fixed penalty tickets were issued during the pilot scheme.

     After a review of the pilot scheme, the Police decided to extend it to a territory-wide trial starting from August 1. The trial will be conducted by uniformed officers in public places, who will use video cameras to record details of congestion related offences. The video footage will be securely stored and disposed of in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

     The Police will continue to take stringent enforcement actions against illegal acts which cause serious obstruction and endanger road safety.

     The Music Delights Series presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will feature four concerts from September to January to offer alternative enjoyment for classical music fans.

     The Real Group is a renowned a cappella group from Sweden whose amazing and pure folk, jazz and pop vocal performances touch hearts. The concert will be staged at 4pm on September 25 (Tuesday, a public holiday) at the Auditorium of the Yuen Long Theatre. Tickets are priced at $120, $180 and $220.

     Leonis Quartet from France will perform hilarious string quartet music filled with theatrical twists and brilliant musicality. The concert will be staged at 8pm on October 6 (Saturday) at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall. Tickets are priced at $120, $180 and $240.

     "Queenz of Piano" will see German pianists Jennifer Rüth and Ming play their two grand pianos with amazing audacity. The concert promises to be an entertaining show with dazzling performances. The concert will be staged at 8pm on November 17 (Saturday) at the Auditorium of Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets are priced at $120, $180 and $220.

     "Beyond Boundary, Beyond Time" is a crossover musical feast by local talents C Y Leo and Chan Pik-sum. When erhu jams with harmonica to reinvent classical music, pop and jazz, the results are irresistible. The concert will be staged at 8pm on January 5, 2019 (Saturday) at the Auditorium of the Yuen Long Theatre. Tickets are priced at $120, $160 and $220.

     Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_599.html.

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Occupational health hints for new recruit young employees" on August 7 (Tuesday) to enhance understanding and awareness of occupational health among young people having joined or about to join the workforce. The talk will cover the basic concepts of occupational health, and explain through case scenarios some occupational health hazards and their preventive measures.
      
     The talk, to be given by the LD's occupational health nurse, will be held at 3pm in Activity Room 1, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.
      
     The LD will hold another talk entitled "Health hazards of hot environment at work" on August 13 (Monday). The talk, designed for workers in hot environments to enhance their awareness of heat stroke prevention, will cover symptoms of heat stroke, its first aid management and preventive measures.

     The talk, to be given by the LD's occupational health nurse and occupational hygienist, will be held at 3pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
      
     Both talks will be conducted in Cantonese. Admission is free. For enquiries or registration, please call 2852 4040.

     Following is a reminder of the press releases on statistical data to be issued between August and October 2018. The schedule for issuing press releases on statistical data in 2018 was provided to the media in September 2017. No change has been made to the original schedule.
 
August 2018
==========
Date     Press Release
—–     ——————
1        Retail sales statistics for June 2018
3        Restaurant receipts and purchases statistics for second quarter 2018
9        Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade
          for June 2018
10       Gross Domestic Product for second quarter 2018: data contained
           in the press release entitled "Economic Situation in the Second
           Quarter of 2018 and Latest GDP and Price Forecasts for 2018"
           issued by the Office of the Government Economist under the
           Financial Secretary's Office (Note)
14       Mid-year population for 2018
17       Unemployment and underemployment statistics for May – July 2018
21       Consumer Price Index for July 2018
27       External merchandise trade statistics for July 2018
30       Retail sales statistics for July 2018
 
September 2018
============
Date     Press Release
—–      ——————
6          Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for second
            quarter 2018
10        Quarterly business receipts indices for service industries for
            second quarter 2018
11        Construction output statistics for second quarter 2018
11        Statistics on trade involving outward processing in the mainland
            of China for second quarter 2018
13        Index of industrial production and producer price index for
            the industrial sector for second quarter 2018
14        Gross National Income and external primary income flows for 
            second quarter 2018
18        Unemployment and underemployment statistics for June – August
            2018
19        Chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product by economic
            activity for second quarter 2018
20        Consumer Price Index for August 2018
20        Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for
            July 2018
20        Employment and vacancies statistics for June 2018
21        Balance of Payments and International Investment Position
            statistics for second quarter 2018
27        External merchandise trade statistics for August 2018
27        Wage and payroll statistics for June 2018
 
October 2018
==========
Date      Press Release
—–      ——————
2          Retail sales statistics for August 2018
18        Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for
            August 2018
19        Unemployment and underemployment statistics for July –
            September 2018
19        Business expectations for fourth quarter 2018
23        Consumer Price Index for September 2018
25        External merchandise trade statistics for September 2018
26        Salary indices for managerial and professional employees for
            June 2018
 
Note: The Office of the Government Economist under the Financial Secretary's Office will issue a press release on the Half-yearly Economic Report 2018 and second update of the GDP and prices forecasts for 2018 as a whole. The GDP for the second quarter of 2018 will also be released there. No separate press release on the GDP for the second quarter of 2018 will be issued by the Census and Statistics Department on that day.
 
     The schedule for regular press releases in the other months of 2018 can be downloaded from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/press_release/index.jsp).