Author Archives: hksar gov

     Mei Wah Engineering Co., Limited was fined $97,000 at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (December 23) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
 
     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on April 3, 2021, in a carpark under renovation in Kwun Tong. While a worker was handling a malfunctioned elevating work platform on a ramp, the elevating work platform suddenly moved downwards and struck the worker. The worker was eventually trapped between the elevating work platform and a concrete column. The worker sustained serious injury and passed away two days later. read more

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 22) conducted a special operation in Mong Kok to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and seized about 4 300 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $260,000.

     Customs earlier conducted patrols and discovered some hawker stalls selling suspected counterfeit goods in Mong Kok. After investigation, Customs officers took enforcement action yesterday and raided a number of fixed-pitch and mobile hawker stalls, and an upstairs counterfeit goods storage centre on Tung Choi Street. The batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including handbags, clothes, caps and daily necessities, was seized.

     During the operation, Customs arrested two women aged 39 and 63.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat different kinds of counterfeit goods activities during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Also, traders should be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     â€‹The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (December 23) that the Contactless e-Channel service for Hong Kong residents will be extended to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal control point tomorrow (December 24), thereby providing faster, more convenient travel and a more hygienic immigration clearance service for residents. At present, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Shenzhen Bay control points are already providing the Contactless e-Channel service. It will be extended in phases to other control points.

     Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above, who can use the e-Channel service, are eligible to enrol for the Contactless e-Channel service. Eligible Hong Kong residents aged 11 to 17 must enrol with the consent of their parent or legal guardian. Eligible Hong Kong residents can use a smartphone with biometric authentication to download the ImmD’s Contactless e-Channel mobile application for enrolment. After successful enrolment with the mobile application, they can generate the encrypted QR code through the mobile application to enter the e-Channel, and then verify their identity with the facial verification technology for automated immigration clearance. Throughout the entire process, there will be no need for them to touch any shared equipment of the e-Channel.

     In addition to the above enrolment means, eligible Hong Kong residents may also enrol directly at the Contactless e-Channel (only applicable to persons aged 18 or above) or in person at any of the e-Channel enrolment offices. Enrolled Hong Kong residents may also use their smart identity cards to enter the e-Channel for automated immigration clearance using facial verification technology.

     Moreover, residents can continue to use the e-Channel service employing fingerprint verification technology or traditional counters for immigration clearance.

     For details of the Contactless e-Channel service, please visit the ImmD’s website at www.immd.gov.hk/cec. For enquiries, please call the enquiry hotline at 2824 6111, fax to 2877 7711 or send an email at enquiry@immd.gov.hk. read more

     The Labour Department has called for registration for a webinar on the Employment Ordinance to be held between 3pm and 5pm on January 19, 2022 (Wednesday).
      
     The main provisions of the Employment Ordinance, including wages, leave and termination of contract, will be introduced.
      
     The real-time webinar will be conducted in Cantonese via Zoom and participation is free of charge.
      
     Interested participants should complete the registration form, which can be downloaded from the Labour Department’s website (www.labour.gov.hk), and return it by email by January 6, 2022 (Thursday). The quota will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For enquiries, please call 2399 2386. read more

     In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) appealed to members of the public today (December 23) to observe regulations on the prohibition of group gatherings at the department’s venues during the Christmas holiday in order to reduce the chances of spreading the virus in the community. Furthermore, members of the public should not enter the closed leisure facilities or litter at the LCSD’s venues.

     The LCSD appeals to members of the public to comply with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap 599G). The number of people in group gatherings should not be more than that as stipulated by the law. Members of the public should wear masks at all times when being present in any public place in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap 599I). Offenders are liable to prosecution.

     The LCSD will work with other government departments to implement a series of measures over Christmas (December 24 to 26) to maintain cleanliness and safety at LCSD venues, especially at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza, Salisbury Garden, the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, the Avenue of Stars, Middle Road Children’s Playground, Tsim Sha Tsui East Waterfront Podium Garden and Urban Council Centenary Garden.

     An LCSD spokesman said, “The LCSD will step up patrols at relevant venues and will call upon venue users to comply with the regulations on the prohibition of group gatherings of more than the number of people as stipulated by the law and the mask-wearing requirement in public places. Enforcement action will be taken against offenders. Our staff, together with law enforcement teams of relevant departments, will also step up patrols at our venues in the Tsim Sha Tsui area and take action against littering, illegal hawking and vandalism of public property. Offenders are liable to prosecution.”

     The public announcement systems at the HKCC will also broadcast messages on crowd management, regulations on the prohibition of group gatherings and the requirement on wearing masks, and anti-littering in Cantonese, Putonghua and English on a regular basis during the holidays. Crowd control measures will be implemented at the HKCC Piazza, Salisbury Garden, the Avenue of Stars and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade based on actual conditions. Members of the public are advised to pay attention to the announcements and follow the instructions of the duty personnel and mind their safety. read more