Author Archives: hksar gov

     An owners’ corporation (OC) was convicted and fined $13,800 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts last month for failing to comply with a fire safety direction issued under the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance (FS(CP)O) (Cap. 502).

     The Buildings Department (BD) issued a fire safety direction under section 5(1) of the FS(CP)O to the OC of a 60-year-old composite building on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, requiring the OC to comply with certain fire safety construction requirements which include replacing the doors of the escape staircases with fire-rated doors, improving the fire compartmentation of the protected lobbies, providing fire-rated enclosures to non-emergency services and electrical wiring installations in the staircases, etc.

     Failing to comply with the statutory direction, the OC was prosecuted by the BD and was convicted and fined by the court on December 28.

     “According to the FS(CP)O, failing to comply with a statutory direction issued under the ordinance without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The BD may instigate prosecution proceedings against the owner of the prescribed commercial premises under the ordinance”, a spokesman for the BD said today (January 21).

     Pursuant to section 5(7)(a) of the FS(CP)O, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a statutory direction, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 ($25,000 at present) and to a further fine of $2,500 for each day of non-compliance. Upon conviction, an application may also be made to a court for a Fire Safety Compliance Order against the owner under section 6(1) of the FS(CP)O directing the owner to comply with the requirements of the direction. read more

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 21) announced that as persons who had been present at specified dates and time periods in the vicinity of Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building are required to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued by the Government yesterday (January 20), Pei Ho Street Market will be closed an hour earlier today at 7pm for deep cleaning and disinfection to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public. 

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Apart from market tenants cleaning and disinfecting their stall areas, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the market and will carry out deep cleaning work in the vicinity of Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building and nearby streets (including Pei Ho Street, Tai Nan Street, Ki Lung Street and Kweilin Street). If all goes well, the FEHD will reopen the market tomorrow after the completion of the deep cleansing and disinfection work.”

     In addition, the FEHD’s Kowloon Licence Issuing Office located at 4/F, Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building will suspend service at 2pm today and public services will resume on January 24. Members of public may approach the following FEHD offices for licence-related enquiries:

Hong Kong & Islands Licence Issuing Office
8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Telephone number: 2879 5380

New Territories Licence Issuing Office
4/F, Tai Po Complex, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories
Telephone number: 3183 9206

     On the other hand, the FEHD will conduct joint operations with various government departments again this weekend at public places in Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Yau Tsim, Wan Chai, Central and Western, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Sai Kung where persons including foreign domestic helpers (FDH) commonly gathered, to appeal to them to raise awareness of epidemic prevention, keep the environment clean and hygienic, and comply with the various anti-epidemic regulations and restrictions, including the requirements on group gatherings and wearing of masks.

     During the operations, apart from arranging cleansing contractors to strengthen street cleaning services at the relevant spots, the FEHD will also step up patrols to combat littering and unlicensed hawking activities. Promotional leaflets in multiple languages will also be distributed by the FEHD to appeal to the relevant persons to maintain environmental hygiene and refrain from conducting unlicensed hawking activities. They will also be reminded by other government departments to comply with the regulations on mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings in public places.

     The spokesman said, “The Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) provides that a person who participates in a prohibited group gathering of more than four persons in public places or fails to wear a mask in accordance with the requirement respectively may be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000.”

     To minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the spokesman strongly appeals to all to stay vigilant and comply with the relevant regulations on prevention and control of disease in a concerted and persistent manner. The spokesman also reminds members of the public to exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together. read more

     The Government published in the Gazette today (January 21) the Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Ordinance 2002 (Commencement) Notice, the Dangerous Goods (Application and Exemption) Regulation 2012 (Commencement) Notice, the Dangerous Go… read more

     The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2022, steered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), will be open for enrolment in the middle of this year and will announce its results in the awards presentation ceremony to be held towards the end of this year. The OGCIO is now inviting proposals from interested non-profit organisations or industry associations to take part as Leading Organisers for the HKICTA 2022.

     The HKICTA aims at recognising and promoting outstanding information and communications technology (ICT) inventions and applications, thereby facilitating innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT talent and enterprises. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, this annual signature event has already given over 1 800 awards to recognise outstanding local ICT products and solutions since its debut in 2006. Award winners also have the opportunity to be nominated for regional and international awards. Hong Kong entries have scooped remarkable prizes, with recent examples including eight HKICTA 2020 winners attaining awards in the 20th Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Alliance Awards and three winners attaining awards in the World Information Technology and Services Alliance 2021 Global ICT Excellence Awards. This is a clear showcase of the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong’s ICT industry.
 
     The HKICTA 2022 consists of eight award categories. They are:
 
* Digital Entertainment Award
* FinTech Award
* ICT Startup Award
* Smart Business Award
* Smart Living Award
* Smart Mobility Award
* Smart People Award
* Student Innovation Award
 
     The OGCIO welcomes all professional bodies, trade associations or other non-profit organisations to apply to become Leading Organisers, which are responsible for recruiting and screening entries, promoting the HKICTA through their networks, planning and managing the adjudication process, and holding individual presentation ceremonies for their categories. The selection of Leading Organisers will be conducted through an open and fair process based on an established assessment mechanism and criteria taking into account the effectiveness of proposals as well as the capability and past performance of the applicants.
 
     Organisations interested in being a Leading Organiser can contact the OGCIO at 2582 4318 or email hkictawards@ogcio.gov.hk to obtain a set of the application documents (including a Request for Proposal and a Proposal Form). The deadline for submission is February 17. Further details are available on the website of the HKICTA (www.hkictawards.hk). read more

     The Government yesterday (January 20) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Cheung Sha Wan (i.e. Cheung Yan House, Cheung Sha Wan Estate, 9 Tonkin Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon.) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 7, 2022, to January 20, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before January 22, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (January 21) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 10am today.
 
     In this exercise, the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 250 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
 
     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including canned food, instant noodles and corn soup, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks was also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The Housing Department set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
 
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 10am. Test records of around 790 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Seven persons were found to have not undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government reminded the 57 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
 
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
 
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.