The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited on fraudulent website … read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited on fraudulent web… read more
A property owner was fined over $180,000 for failing to comply with two removal orders under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123) (BO) at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on May 8 (Tuesday).
The orders involved two premises owned by this owner. The first order was for an illegal structure on the balcony and the roof and an illegal concrete canopy attached to the external wall of a building at Prat Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. The sizes of the unauthorised building works (UBWs) on the balcony and the roof were around 7 square metres and 52 sq m respectively. As the UBWs were erected without prior approval from the Buildings Department (BD), contravening the BO, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.
Since the owner did not comply with the order, he was prosecuted by the BD in 2016 and was fined over $80,000 upon conviction at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts. However, as the owner still did not comply with the order, the BD instigated prosecution against him for the second time. The owner was convicted again. The Court noticed that the owner had three previous conviction records of not complying with removal orders and heavily fined the owner $94,900.
The other order was for an illegal structure on the roof of a building at Carnarvon Road in the same district. The size of the UBWs was around 28 sq m. As the UBWs were erected without prior approval from the BD, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.
As the owner failed to remove the UBWs upon the expiry of the removal order, he was prosecuted by the BD. The owner was convicted. The Court noticed that the owner had previous conviction records for not complying with removal orders at various properties, including the conviction record in the first case mentioned above, and heavily fined him $88,000.
“UBWs may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners should seek professional advice before carrying out any building works in their premises,” a spokesman for the BD said today (May 14).
Pursuant to section 40(1BA) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with an order served on him under section 24(1) of the BO, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence has continued. read more
The 2018 voter registration campaign for the Rural Representative Election (RRE) was launched today (May 14).
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) appeals to all eligible persons who have not registered as electors and want to have their names on this year’s register to submit their applications for voter registration by July 16.
There are three types of Rural Representatives, namely Indigenous Inhabitant Representatives (IIRs), Resident Representatives (ReRs) and Kaifong Representatives (KFRs).
An IIR, returned by indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village, is to reflect views on the affairs of the Village on behalf of the indigenous inhabitants of the Village and to deal with all affairs relating to the lawful traditional rights and interests and the traditional way of life of those indigenous inhabitants.
A ReR, returned by residents (both indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants) of an Existing Village, is to reflect views on the affairs of the Village on behalf of the residents of the Village.
A KFR, returned by residents of a Market Town (Cheung Chau/Peng Chau), is to reflect views on the affairs of the Market Town on behalf of the residents of the Market Town.
“There are different eligibility requirements for registration as electors for these elections. Applicants should ascertain whether they fulfil the requirements,” an HAD spokesman said.
“Indigenous inhabitants, their spouses or surviving spouses, aged 18 or above and holding recognised identity documents, are eligible to be registered as electors in the IIR Election of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village.
“For registration as an elector in the ReR Election and the KFR Election, one must be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 or above and have been a resident of the Existing Village or Market Town (Cheung Chau/Peng Chau) for the three years immediately before the date of application for registration, and whose address in the Village or Market Town is his or her principal residential address. Principal residential address means the address of the dwelling place at which the person resides and which constitutes the person’s sole or main home.
“Indigenous inhabitants of an Indigenous/Composite Indigenous Village, their spouses or surviving spouses who have been residing in an Existing Village or a Market Town for the three years immediately before the date of application for registration and meet the eligibility requirements for electors in the relevant election can submit two separate forms if they wish to register as electors for both IIR Election and ReR Election or KFR Election.”
The spokesman stressed that if registered electors of the ReR Election and the KFR Election no longer reside in the Village/Market Town for which they are registered, or their residential addresses in the Village/Market Town are no longer their sole or main homes, they are no longer eligible to remain registered as electors. The persons concerned will commit an offence if they vote at an election.
Registered electors of the ReR Election or the KFR Election who have any changes in principal particulars (including name or principal residential address) should submit the form of “Application for Change of Registered Particulars” by June 16. For change of principal residential address, address proof must be submitted.
Registered electors of the IIR Election who have any changes in principal particulars (i.e. name) should submit the form of “Application for Change of Registered Particulars” by June 16. For change of other particulars (including principal residential address, correspondence address or the Indigenous Village / Composite Indigenous Village to be registered), application should be submitted by July 16.
The forms of “Application for New Voter Registration” and “Application for Change of Registered Particulars” can be obtained from the HAD, District Offices and government offices outside Hong Kong, or downloaded from the RRE website (www.had.gov.hk/rre).
Completed and signed forms should be forwarded in person or by post to the HAD or any District Office, by fax (fax number: 2591 6392) or email (rre@had.gov.hk) on or before the respective deadlines, Hong Kong time.
The HAD will publicise the voter registration campaign by means of TV and Radio Announcements in the Public Interest, RRE website, posters, banners, online and newspaper advertisements, etc, to encourage eligible persons, including those living overseas, to register as electors and remind registered electors to update their registration particulars by the deadlines.
For enquiries, please call the HAD hotline at 2152 1521. read more
Talented local young pianist Wong Wai-yin will perform a selection of classical compositions in June.
The programme of the piano recital will feature Debussy’s “Reverie” and selections from “Preludes”, Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 31, Op. 110”, Schumann’s “Fantasie, Op. 17” and Scriabin’s “Sonata No. 5”.
Born in Hong Kong, Wong Wai-yin graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and was awarded a full scholarship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund to pursue a Master Degree at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She was awarded a full scholarship by the Yale School of Music under Boris Berman in 2015 and has recently obtained the Artist Diploma.
Wong has received awards in Hong Kong and abroad including being the youngest winner of the first prize in the Southern Highlands International Piano Competition in Australia. She has also won the second prize in the 17th Hilton Head International Piano Competition in the United States and was the youngest gold medallist in the 7th International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz held in Ukraine.
Wong’s performances have included a solo recital at the 39th Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2011, the opening recital of the Newport International Festival in the United States and the “New Masters on Tour” series in the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, as well as concerts in Brisbane, Canberra, Paris, New York, Chicago, Shanghai and Washington, DC. She has also collaborated with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in the United States, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kiev and the New Haifa Symphony Orchestra in Israel. She was awarded in the Secretary for Home Affairs’ Commendation Scheme in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the promotion of international arts and culture activities.
Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, “City Hall Virtuosi Series: Piano Recital by Wong Wai-yin” will be staged at 8pm on June 3 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $150 and $200 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/programs_558.html.
read more