The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 3) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in the Lubartowski District of Lubelskie in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the district with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 13 060 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 23.2 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first nine months of last year, according to the Census and Statistics Department.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     Police today (January 3) appealed to the public for information on a girl who went missing in Tsuen Wan.

     Su Xiaoting, aged 14, went missing after she left her residence on Yi Pei Square on December 8, 2019 morning. Her family made a report to Police on December 12, 2019.

     She is about 1.7 metres tall, 43 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a long face with yellow complexion and long straight black hair. She was last seen wearing a black shirt, black short jeans and black and white sports shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing girl or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1173, 5962 7223 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Government announced today (January 3) the re-appointment of the incumbent Chairman, Mr Ambrose Ho, to the Air Transport Licensing Authority for two years from January 8, 2020.
      
     The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, said, "We are confident that under Mr Ho's chairmanship, the team of serving members, with their expertise and background in different sectors, will continue to make valuable contributions to the work of the Authority in facilitating the development of air services in Hong Kong."
      
     The Authority is an independent statutory body established under the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations, Cap. 448 sub. leg. A. It is responsible for considering applications from airlines of Hong Kong for licences to operate scheduled services to and from Hong Kong in accordance with the provisions of the said regulations.
      
     The re-appointment has been published in the Government Gazette today.

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (January 3) announced six judicial appointments covering the District Court and Magistrates' Courts.

     The appointments include the Chief District Judge, the Chief Magistrate and four Permanent Magistrates. All appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. They will take effect from January 6, 2020.
     
Chief District Judge
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     His Honour Judge Justin Ko King-sau is appointed as the Chief District Judge.

Chief Magistrate
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     Mr Victor So Wai-tak is appointed as the Chief Magistrate.

Permanent Magistrates
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     Ms Lau Suk-han, Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung, Miss Frances Leung Nga-yan and Mr Arthur Lam Hei-wei are appointed as Permanent Magistrates.

     Further judicial appointments will be announced in due course.

     The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:

His Honour Judge Justin Ko King-sau

     His Honour Judge Ko was born in Hong Kong in 1967. He read law at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom and graduated with an LL.B. in 1992. After completing the Bar Finals Examination in the United Kingdom, he was called to the Bar in England and Wales (Lincoln's Inn) and in Hong Kong in 1993. He was in private practice until he joined the Judiciary as Permanent Magistrate in 2002. He was appointed as District Judge in 2009.
 
Mr Victor So Wai-tak

     Mr So was born in Hong Kong in 1972. He obtained an LL.B. and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1996 and 1997 respectively. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1997. He was in private practice from 1998 until he joined the Judiciary as Permanent Magistrate in 2009. He was appointed as Principal Magistrate in 2017.

Ms Lau Suk-han

     Ms Lau was born in Hong Kong. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1995, an LL.B. from the University of London (External) in 2003 and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2004. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2005 and was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 2010. She joined the Department of Justice as Court Prosecutor from 1997 to 2008. She has been in private practice from 2010 until she joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2012. 

Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung

     Mr Mok was born in Hong Kong in 1975. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Queen's University in Canada in 1997. He obtained an LL.B. from the University of London (External) in 2005 and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2007. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2008. He has been in private practice from 2008 until he joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014.

Miss Frances Leung Nga-yan

     Miss Leung was born in Hong Kong in 1976. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Queen's University in Canada in 2000. She obtained an LL.B. and a P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 2003 and 2004 respectively. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2005. She has been in private practice from 2005 until she joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014. 

Mr Arthur Lam Hei-wei

     Mr Lam was born in Hong Kong in 1981. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada in 2003. He obtained a Juris Doctor Degree and a P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 2006 and 2007 respectively. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2008. He has been in private practice from 2008 until he joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014.

     The Transport Department today (January 3) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on January 18 (Saturday) and 19 (Sunday) in Meeting Rooms N201 and S221, L2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, respectively.

     "A total of 340 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have 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 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.

     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.