The Transport Department today (December 30) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on January 11 (Saturday), in Meeting Room S221, L2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 340 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been posted at 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.

     Members of the public are invited to visit the new phase of the Arts Corner at Hong Kong Park, to be launched on January 1, 2020, under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Visitors can stroll around and look at a wide array of traditional and trendy handicrafts and arts services stalls while enjoying the birdsong and fragrant flowers in the park. The Arts Corner comprises 10 stalls displaying and selling various kinds of handicrafts and artistic works such as fabric crafts, floral artworks and ornaments, as well as providing cultural and arts services including painting, silhouette cutting and portrait sketching.

     With the aim of enhancing public interest in the arts and enriching the artistic atmosphere in Hong Kong, the Arts Corner makes the park an even more appealing and enjoyable place for visitors.

     The 20th phase of Hong Kong Park's Arts Corner will be open between noon and 6pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from January 1 to December 31 next year. The corner is situated in the outdoor area next to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware inside the park. Admission is free.

     In addition to Hong Kong Park, the 21st phase of the Arts Corner at Victoria Park will run from April 4 next year to March 28, 2021, and will be open from 10am to 6pm on Sundays and public holidays at the park's South Pavilion Plaza. Individuals or non-profit making organisations (any charitable organisation which is exempt from tax under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance) interested in operating the stalls in this new round of the Victoria Park Arts Corner are welcome to submit applications between January 2 and 23 next year. Prospectuses and application forms can be obtained at Victoria Park Management Office, 1 Hing Fat Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, or Wan Chai District Leisure Services Office, 9/F Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, or downloaded from the park's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/parks/vp/help.html.

     "The Arts Corner has been well received in past years. Apart from stopping at the Arts Corner, park-goers can also visit other facilities in the parks and spend some pleasant time there," a spokesman for the department said.

     For enquiries on the Arts Corners, please call 2521 5041 (Hong Kong Park) or 2890 5824 (Victoria Park).

    

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Strategies for the prevention of occupational diseases" on January 6, 2020 (Monday) at 3pm. The talk will introduce some common hazards causing occupational diseases and a hierarchy of control measures to enhance employees' and employers' awareness of strategies for the prevention of occupational diseases. It will be held in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
      
     The LD will hold another public talk entitled "Chemical and occupational health" on January 9, 2020 (Thursday) at 3pm. The talk will discuss how chemicals enter the human body and their impact on health, as well as the prevention of and control methods for chemical hazards. It will be held in Activity Room 1, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.
      
     Both talks will be given by the LD's occupational health nurse in Cantonese. Admission is free. For enquiries or registration, please call 2852 4040.

     The Government announced today (December 30) the appointment of two new members and re-appointment of the incumbent Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and 13 members to the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee (DWSAC) for a two-year term from January 1, 2020.

     The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, said, "The Government attaches great importance to drinking water safety. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for members' support and contribution in the past two years, so that the Government could take forward various tasks relating to drinking water safety. I look forward to continue working with the DWSAC in formulating comprehensive and practicable policies and measures to further safeguard the quality of drinking water in Hong Kong."
      
     The DWSAC was set up on January 1, 2018, to advise the Development Bureau on the development of a regulatory regime for drinking water safety in Hong Kong, a review of Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards, as well as policies and operational strategies and measures relating to drinking water quality.  In addition, the DWSAC reviews global concerns about water safety, as well as the directions for new research in light of international practice, trends and development.
      
     Membership of the DWSAC from January 1, 2020, is as follows:
 
Chairman
———–
Mr Edmund Leung Kwong-ho
 
Vice Chairman
—————-
Dr Chan Hon-fai
 
Non-official members
————————
Dr May Chui Ting-fong
Dr David Anthony Cunliffe
Professor Ho Kin-chung
Mr Vincent Ho Kui-yip
Professor Susanna Lau Kar-pui
Professor Irene Lo Man-chi
Dr Anthony Ma Yiu-wa
Ms Michelle Tang Ming-sum
Professor Shelly Tse Lap-ah
Dr Raymond Wong Siu-ming
Dr Vivian Wong Taam Chi-woon
Mr Peter Wong Yiu-sun
 
Ex-officio members
———————-
Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) or representative
Director of Health or representative
Director of Water Supplies or representative

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 30) reminded members of the public that the Government will enhance the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme with effect from January 1, 2020.
 
     "To further alleviate commuters' burden of transport expenses, the Government will enhance the Scheme by increasing the subsidy rate from one-fourth to one-third of the monthly public transport expenses in excess of $400, as well as raising the subsidy cap from $300 to $400 per month per Octopus. Commuters can collect the enhanced subsidy from February 16, 2020, onwards. Other aspects of the Scheme, including eligibility for the subsidy, the public transport services and fares covered, and the subsidy collection arrangements, remain unchanged," the TD spokesman said.
 
     Commuters can continue to check their record of public transport expenses and subsidy amount through the website of the Scheme (www.ptfss.gov.hk), the Octopus App or the Scheme hotline (2969 5500). For enquires about the details of the Scheme, please browse through the website of the Scheme or call 1823.