Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at a media session after attending the radio programme this morning (August 12): Reporter: The Government sa… read more
​Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (August 12):
Reporter: Can you talk about what kind of support is the government providing for the so-called “three-nil” buildings? Can you briefly introduce the figures and the timeline? The second question, is the government studying the possibility of working together or hiring people from institution or academy to carry out inspection work to ease the manpower shortage?
Secretary for Development: First, on the assistance for the so-called “three-nil” buildings, we have recently formed a tripartite institutional setup to have regular meetings involving the Buildings Department (BD), the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the Home Affairs Department (HAD). Why the Home Affairs Department? Because the department is the one responsible for helping the “three-nil” buildings form the owners’ corporations. So we hope that by having this regular setup of a meeting, regular meetings within the government, we can share information, for example, the BD can pass on the list of buildings which have already received this mandatory building inspection notices but not yet complied with. We share the list with the HAD so they can target those buildings and help them form the owners’ corporations and the URA can also approach the buildings to introduce to them the various funding schemes available to help their building maintenance work. So this is the first question.
On your second question about how we are going to engage the professional bodies to help with the building inspections, basically, we want to focus on the 900 buildings which we have mentioned before, for which the BD has issued notices but nothing have been done so far, not even appointment of a building inspector. And for such buildings, we would like to seek the help of the professional bodies to see whether they can join up their efforts with the BD to do some urgent inspections of the external walls and see whether some would require emergency repairs. So the discussion has only just started, we have to allow some time for the department to follow up with those professional bodies.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more
Due to the fire incident at No 289, Yu Chau Street, the Sham Shui Po District Office (SSPDO) today (August 12) has opened the temporary shelter at Nam Cheong District Community Centre (1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po, Kowl… read more
Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (August 12). They are, on Hong Kong Island, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hong Kong Limited; in Kowloon, Sunrise Ministry Limited; and in the New Territories, Assembly Of God Grace Light Church, Limited, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people to distinguish among the three flag-selling activities.
Information on the three flag-selling organisations on August 12 is as follows:
| Region | Name of organisation | Colour of collection bag | Colour of flag |
| Hong Kong Island | Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hong Kong Limited | White | Light blue |
| Kowloon | Sunrise Ministry Limited | Red | White |
| New Territories | Assembly Of God Grace Light Church, Limited | Sky blue | Light blue |
A Mainland female resident and her Hong Kong male resident spouse were sentenced to 13 months’ and 16 months and two weeks’ imprisonment respectively, and were each fined $1,000, due to conspiracy to use false identity to enter Hong Kong, and making false statements upon birth registration, application of re-entry permit and Hong Kong identity card of their son.
The 52-year-old female defendant arrived in Hong Kong on the strength of the “Tanqin” exit endorsement claiming to visit the 63-year-old male defendant in March this year. The Immigration Department (ImmD) asked the female defendant about her purpose of visit. As the ImmD cast doubt on her matrimonial relationship, the female defendant was refused permission to land. The ImmD then launched an investigation against them.
During the investigation, the female defendant stated that she and the male defendant were genuine couples, and she gave birth to a son with the male defendant in Hong Kong in March 2010. Upon further enquiry, the female defendant admitted that she had been refused to enter Hong Kong in 2007. With the fear that she might not be allowed to enter Hong Kong, after discussion with the male defendant, the female defendant had assumed a false identity to enter Hong Kong in the company of the male defendant for multiple occasions between 2009 and 2017, upon which she made false representations to Immigration staff. After giving birth to their son in Hong Kong in 2010, both defendants knowingly made false statement by using the false identity of the female defendant during birth registration and the subsequent re-entry permit application of their son. The male defendant also admitted to have made false statement by using the false identity of the female defendant during the application of Hong Kong identity card of their son.
Both defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud, one count of making false statement for the purpose of obtaining a re-entry permit and one count of making false statement with intent to have the same inserted in a register of births. The male defendant was also charged with one count of furnishing false particulars to a registration officer. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to 16 months and two weeks’ imprisonment plus a fine of $1,000 and 13 months’ imprisonment plus a fine of $1,000 respectively at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (August 10).
“Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false statement to an Immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years, aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and the same penalties. Also, any person who furnishes false particulars to a registration officer commits an offence. Upon conviction, offenders are subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for two years. On the other hand, any person who makes any false statement with intent to have the same inserted in any register of births and deaths commits an offence, and, upon conviction, are subject to a fine and imprisonment for seven years.” an ImmD spokesman said.
The spokesman warned that conspiracy to defraud is a serious offence. Under the Crimes Ordinance, offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years. read more