Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals: Here is an item of interest to swimmers. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department… read more
The Government announced today (December 23) that in view of the latest global developments of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Saint Martin (French part) and Venezuela will be specified as Group A specified pl… read more
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
Members of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and members of its Building Committee and Tender Committee paid a visit to the Kai Cheung Court Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) project at Diamond Hill today (December 23) to learn more about its progress.
Kai Cheung Court is one of four HOS developments for sale in 2020. All the flats of Kai Cheung Court were sold out.
With a total site area of about 6 320 square metres, Kai Cheung Court comprises two domestic blocks. The 39-storey Kai Yi House and 35-storey Kai Yuet House provide a total of 940 flats for about 2 900 residents. The saleable area ranges from 27.4 sq m to 46.6 sq m.
Members noted the smooth progress of the project and that construction of the superstructure is in progress. The estimated material date is May 2023.
Members were also briefed by the project team of the Housing Department on the design challenges such as development constraints posed by the drainage reserved area such that a building setback is required and an air path is allowed between the buildings to enhance natural air ventilation.
As the site is located in the vicinity of Choi Hung Road and Lung Cheung Road with heavy traffic, acoustic fins are built at some locations of the blocks, and acoustic windows are installed in some flats to reduce the impact of road traffic noise on the development.
Members were also informed that innovative technology such as Building Information Modelling and construction robots were being extensively adopted to enhance the efficiency at the planning and construction stages.
Although Kai Cheung Court is not a large-scale development, it provides a children’s play area as well as landscape and greenery for the residents’ leisure. There is also a basement carpark for residents and visitors.
Kai Cheung Court is located in the Diamond Hill Comprehensive Development Area (CDA). This large-scale comprehensive development in an urban area, which is rare in recent years, comprises Kai Chuen Court Phase 1 Public Rental Housing and Kai Chuen Court Phase 2 Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme project. Apart from public housing developments, the CDA also provides a water feature park, landscaped walk, public transport interchange and religious facilities, etc.
Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements at Lan Kwai Fong, Central from December 24 (Friday) to December 25 (Saturday) to facilitate the public to celebrate the festive season. Police reminded members of the public to observe regulations on the prohibition of group gatherings and wearing of masks in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A. Crowd safety management measures
As a large number of people is expected, crowd management measures will be implemented in Lan Kwai Fong area. It could take a long time to enter Lan Kwai Fong. Please follow the Police’s instruction and queue patiently.
Members of the public are urged not to bring or discharge aerosol spray in the vicinity as it may be hazardous to people nearby. Parents are advised not to bring children into the area.
B. Road closure
The following roads will be closed from 2pm on December 24 to 5am on December 25:
– D’Aguilar Street between Wyndham Street and Wellington Street;
– Lan Kwai Fong;
– Wing Wah Lane;
– Wo On Lane;
– Wellington Street between Wyndham Street and D’Aguilar Street; and
– On Lan Street.
Depending on the crowd situation, the following roads may be closed:
– Stanley Street between D’Aguilar Street and Cochrane Street;
– Wyndham Street between Glenealy and Queen’s Road Central;
– D’Aguilar Street between Queen’s Road Central and Wellington Street;
– Wellington Street between D’Aguilar Street and Cochrane Street ;
– Cochrane Street between Wellington Street and Stanley Street;
– Lyndhurst Terrance; and
– Queen’s Road Central between Pedder Street and Pottinger Street.
Upon completion of traffic diversions, the crowd will be directed to queue up along Queen’s Road Central, D’Aguilar Street, Stanley Street, Cochrane Street and Wellington Street. The whole section of D’Aguilar Street will be closed to vehicular traffic.
C. Suspension of on-street parking spaces
All on-street parking spaces on the following streets will be suspended from 1pm on December 24 to 5am on December 25:
– Stanley Street near D’Aguilar Street;
– Wyndham Street between Arbuthnot Road and D’Aguilar Street; and
– On Lan Street.
Any vehicle found illegally parked within the precincts mentioned above will be towed away without prior notice, and may subject to multiple ticketing.
Depending on actual traffic and crowd conditions in the areas, the above traffic arrangements and crowd safety management measures will also be implemented from 2pm on December 25 to 5am on December 28. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site. read more
Regarding a report released by the Ombudsman today (December 23) on its direct investigation into the Government’s control of illicit fuelling activities (the investigation report), the Security Bureau (SB)’s response is as follows:
The Ombudsman has made in the investigation report five recommendations. We welcome four of those recommendations, which are, the Fire Services Department (FSD) to review the staff establishment of the Anti-illicit Fuelling Activities Task Force, to consider increasing the frequency of surprise inspections and joint operations with the Customs and Excise Department and/or the Hong Kong Police Force, to review the related penalties for greater deterrence against the relevant persons participating in illicit fuelling activities, and to explore ways for diversifying publicity and public education. The FSD has implemented or is implementing the relevant measures as mentioned above, and will continue to strengthen enforcement and publicity from the fire safety perspective with a view to combatting illicit fuelling activities.
The fifth recommendation made by the Ombudsman suggests that the Government explore the feasibility of introducing control-at-source improvement measures, so as to combat illicit fuelling activities at the source of supply. As pointed out by the Ombudsman in the investigation report, the diesel market involves many operators and stakeholders in the sector, and to implement the recommendation with a view to achieving the effect of combatting illicit fuelling activities at source, the impact on the sector needs to be minimised at the same time. The Ombudsman also pointed out in the report that the formulation of related improvement measures would be complex.
Under the regulatory system of dangerous goods under the Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295), the intent of the Ordinance is to control the manufacture, storage, conveyance and use of dangerous goods by means of a licensing system for the purpose of ensuring fire safety during the processes, rather than imposing restrictions on the supply and sale of dangerous goods. If control-at-source measures are introduced in accordance with the fifth recommendation of the investigation report, for example by imposing restrictions on the supply and sale of dangerous goods, it will not be in line with the legislative intent and purpose of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance. It will also go beyond its regulatory scope. Moreover, it will involve significant changes to the entire regulatory regime of dangerous goods, causing extensive impacts.
The substances regulated by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance are of a wide variety, including many consumer goods widely used by the public in daily life. Therefore, the recommendation to restrict the supply and sale of dangerous goods may cause inconvenience to the public’s daily lives, business operations, and more. It would not be in line with the Government’s principle of facilitating the business sector and the general public.
Separately, the scale, operation and mode of operation of diesel distributors and retailers are complex, involving multi-layeredness, diversity and variability. The idea of combatting illicit fuelling activities at source is impracticable and its effect of curbing illicit fuelling activities is limited. In addition, the relevant recommendation goes beyond the intent and purpose of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance in regulating dangerous goods, and would possibly affect the daily lives of the public and operation of the business sector. The SB, after careful consideration, cannot accept the fifth recommendation of the investigation report.
The FSD has all along adopted a multi-pronged approach to specifically address the potential fire safety hazards associated with illicit fuelling activities, including carrying out inspections, investigations and taking enforcement actions from the fire safety perspective, and co-operating closely with other law enforcement agencies in conducting surprise joint operations from time to time to combat illicit fuelling activities. As with other policy initiatives, the SB will closely monitor the effectiveness of the work of the relevant departments in this regard, and will conduct a review in due course. read more