The Transport Department (TD) today (December 29) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on January 15 (Saturday) in Meeting Room N101, L1, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 240 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark 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:

(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:

(i)the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii)the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii)a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv)a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (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.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

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

(f) In view of public health concerns, all persons entering the auction venue will have to undergo on-the‑spot body temperature checks arranged by the TD. Any member of the public whose body temperature is higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius or who refuses to undergo a body temperature check will be denied entry to the auction hall and the payment office. The TD also requests all persons entering the auction hall and payment office to wear masks and clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser, and to wear masks throughout the duration of the auction and payment process.

(g) In order to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, the TD will adjust the distance between seats and the number of seats in the auction hall and the payment office, and implement crowd-control measures. The TD also appeals to the bidders to reduce the number of accompanying persons as far as possible. Furthermore, the auctions in the morning and afternoon will each be divided into two sessions so as to shorten the duration of crowd congregation. The first session of the morning auction will commence at 9.25am while the second session will begin no earlier than 10.35am. The first session of the afternoon auction will commence at 2.25pm while the second session will begin no earlier than 3.45pm. The auction venue will be disinfected before the commencement of the second sessions. Interested bidders may arrive at the auction venue in accordance with the time schedule for the auction of vehicle registration marks.

(h) To align with the Government's arrangement on the strict enforcement of the use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application when entering government buildings or offices, except for exempted persons, members of the public are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter the auction venue (including the auction hall and the payment office).  Persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, and those with disabilities that render use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" app difficult, will be exempted from the requirement of using the app when they enter the auction venue. However, they are required to complete a record form to register their names, the first four digits or letters of their identification documents, their contact numbers and the date and time of their visits. They are also required to present relevant identification documents for verification at the request of the TD staff during registration. TD staff will also verify the contact numbers by making phone calls. As a result of the arrangement, members of the public are advised to remain patient as the waiting time for entering the auction venue may be lengthened. Unwillingness to use the app will not be considered as justification for granting exemption.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.

     Two co-owners were sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment suspended for 24 months at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts last week for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

     The order involved an unauthorised rooftop structure of about 57 square metres at a composite building on Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owners under section 24(1) of the BO.

     Since the owners failed to comply with the removal order, they were prosecuted by the BD and were sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment suspended for 24 months upon conviction by the court on December 22.

     A spokesman for the BD said today (December 29), "UBWs may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners must comply with the removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with the removal orders (including instigation of prosecution) so as to ensure building safety."

     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year's imprisonment and a fine of $200,000, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority closely monitors the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 29) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District.  Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     The Government yesterday (December 28) 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 8.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. Tower 1, The SeaCrest, 1 Hang Kwai Street, Tuen Mun) 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 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 December 5 to December 28, 2021, 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 December 30, 2021. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 6.15am today (December 29) 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 9am today.

     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Tuen Mun District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force and the Auxiliary Medical Service around 145 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 bottled water, canned food, instant noodles and corn, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks and hand sanitizer were also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.

     The HAD also 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 6.15am 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 testing 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 9am. Test records of around 160 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. One person was found not having undergone compulsory testing and a compulsory testing order was issued to him. 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 reminds the about 25 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.