Author Archives: hksar gov

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, December 6, 2019 is 106.2 (down 0.3 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Transport Department today (December 6) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on December 21 and 22 (Saturday and Sunday) in Meeting Room 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. read more

     The Government announced today (December 6) that the Chief Executive has appointed Mr Ma Ho-fai as the Chairperson of the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and 28 persons as ordinary members of the TIA for a period of two years w… read more

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Twilight” and “Contribute” on December 4 and yesterday (December 5). A total of 11 suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested.

     During the operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 14 target locations including a hotel, an industrial building, a shopping plaza, restaurants, a vegetable stall, a commercial building under renovation and residential flats under renovation. The suspected illegal workers comprised seven men and four women, aged 28 to 53. Among them, a man was a holder of a recognisance form, which prohibits him from taking any employment. In addition, two men and two women were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards or Hong Kong identity cards related to another person. Meanwhile, three men and three women, aged 29 to 55, were suspected of employing the suspected illegal workers.

     “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” an ImmD spokesman said.

     The spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment should be applied in such cases. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screenings of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) will present its fourth public lecture this year on December 14 (Saturday) at the Hong Kong Science Museum. The theme of the public lecture is “Theme-based Research Scheme”.
 
     The RGC has invited Professor Ronald Ma of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Professor Leo Poon of the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong to share the research findings of their Theme-based Research Scheme projects with the public. Details are as follows:
 
Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Language: Cantonese
Admission is free and on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     Modern lifestyles and obesity have made diabetes one of the most serious public health problems in the 21st century. Diabetes now affects more than 10 per cent of the population in China. This disease increases the risk of damage to different organs in the body, including the heart, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels. The scale of the diabetes epidemic and the severity of complications pose a huge challenge to the healthcare system. Professor Ma, in his talk “Theme-based Research Scheme – Diabetes: a global epidemic in need of novel solutions”, will share with participants the latest research findings to combat this healthcare crisis and the novel ways to enhance the effectiveness of treatment.

     Seasonal influenza viruses and animal influenza viruses (e.g. H7N9) affect Hong Kong people’s daily lives. Other than being at risk of catching seasonal influenza every year, people also have to be on constant alert for avian influenza and even pandemics. The secondary attack rates of seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses can reach 15 per cent and 50 per cent respectively. Professor Poon, in his talk “Theme-based Research Scheme – The most unwanted influence: influenza”, will share with the audience the origins and ways of transmission of these viruses, as well as effective control measures and new possibilities for preventing infection.
 
     The public lectures of the RGC aim at arousing public interest in local research developments. Since 2009, the RGC has invited numerous leading scholars to speak at these lectures. For enquiries, please call 2524 3987 or visit the University Grants Committee webpage (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/lectures/lectures.html). read more