Author Archives: hksar gov

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     â€‹The Hospital Authority (HA) Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, and Chief Executive, Dr Tony Ko, took the opportunity of the delegations of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and health authorities of various Mainland cities attending the HA Convention 2024 in Hong Kong to meet with them and exchange professional views and experiences on healthcare talent exchange, hospital management, medical technology applications, etc.
      
     Participants in the meetings included a delegation led by Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) of the People’s Republic of China Mr Cao Xuetao. The HA representatives introduced the Global Healthcare Talent Scheme and various talent exchange programmes the HA has carried out on the Mainland.
      
     Mr Fan said, “The HA has been carrying out various forms of co-operation and exchanges with different cities on the Mainland. The HA will continue to deepen co-operation with relevant institutions in the medical and healthcare field in different Mainland cities, and will continue to explore collaboration opportunities with different professional institutions to improve the quality of medical services in Hong Kong and Mainland cities, cope with the challenges of the ageing population, and make greater contributions to the health and well-being of the general public.”
      
     Mr Cao introduced the work in the Mainland’s healthcare field and key tasks in 2024, and suggested further deepening practical co-operation in professional fields between the two places, and jointly support Hong Kong’s integration into the overall national health development and actively participate in the global health governance system. He said he believes that through more exchanges, the expertise of healthcare professionals will be enhanced, and the development of medical services will be promoted in both Hong Kong and the Mainland.
      
     In addition, the HA representatives also accompanied the NHC delegation and the Beijing Municipal Health Commission delegation to visit Queen Mary Hospital and Kwong Wah Hospital respectively, and met with representatives of the delegation of Shanghai Hospital Development Center to share views on the development of public hospitals and to discuss strengthening the co-operation between the two places on improving hospital management, clinical research, application of medical technology as well as improving hospital management levels. The HA will also arrange for other delegations to visit Prince of Wales Hospital tomorrow (May 18).
      
     Mr Fan said that in the face of the formidable challenges of escalating service demands, the HA will adopt a multipronged approach and continue to improve the operational efficiency and service capabilities of public hospitals through exchanges, learning, and co-operation.

      

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, May 17, 2024 is 105.9 (up 0.2 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) today (May 17) reminded members of the public that proposals to alter the rateable value of properties effective from April 1 this year must be served on the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation (the Commissioner) on the specified form (Form R20A) or specified electronic form (Form e-R20A) by May 31. Proposals served on the Commissioner after May 31 will not be accepted.

     Members of the public can lodge a proposal by submitting an electronic form (Form e-R20A) using the Electronic Submission of Forms service provided on the RVD website (www.rvd.gov.hk), or on a Form R20A available from the website. The completed Form R20A must be served on the Commissioner by personal service or by post. Proposals served by fax will not be accepted.

     In respect of domestic tenements with 2024-25 rateable value over $550,000, the RVD already issued letters to individual payers concerned in mid-April, notifying them that the rates for the tenement with effect from the fourth quarter of 2024-25 (i.e. January to March 2025) may be charged in accordance with the progressive rates charge scale as proposed in the 2024-25 Budget. To enquire about the proposed progressive rating system for domestic tenements, members of the public may visit the RVD website or call the RVD’s 24-hour hotline 2152 0111 (handled by 1823).

     Notwithstanding the lodging of a proposal, payers of rates and Government rent must pay rates and Government rent by the last day for payment shown on the demand notes. The RVD will inform the proposers of its decisions before December 1. Any changes in rates and Government rent payable resulting from such decisions will date back to April 1 this year and any overpayment will be adjusted in subsequent demands. read more

     Eleven landlords of subdivided units (SDUs), who contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7) (the Ordinance) pleaded guilty and were fined a total of $16,400 today (May 17) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. Since the Ordinance has come into force, the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) has successfully prosecuted 266 cases involving a total of 229 SDU landlords, with fines ranging from $400 to $18,600, amounting to a total of $482,010.
 
     The offences of these landlords include (1) failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced; and (2) requesting the tenant to pay money other than the types permitted under the Ordinance. One of the landlords committed four offences under (1) above, and was fined $3,200.

     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon an in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted against the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, and also reminded SDU tenants of their rights under the Ordinance. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether the landlords concerned have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance.
 
     To help curb illegal acts as soon as possible, members of the public should report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (visiting the Tenancy Services Section office of the RVD at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment). Furthermore, the RVD has provided a form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants’ reporting to the RVD.
 
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. Since the first batch of regulated tenancies has already approached their second-term tenancies, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work in order to assist SDU landlords and tenants to understand the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy. In addition, the RVD has started issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the concerned landlords and tenants of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to remind them about their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html) for the relevant information, including a concise guide, brochures, tutorial videos and frequently asked questions, etc. SDU landlords and tenants are also advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant statutory requirements and maintain close communication regarding the second-term tenancy for handling the matters properly and in a timely manner according to the Ordinance.
 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information. read more

Police today (May 17) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Sham Shui Po.        Lam Wai Hong, aged 38, went missing after he left his caring home on Nam Cheong Street yesterday (May 16) morning…. read more