MEML Holdings Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) to an employee as required by the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director earlier pleaded guilty at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts, and were respectively fined $20,000 and sentenced to 80 hours’ community service today (April 9).

     The company failed to pay the employee the awarded sums of about $455,000 in total within 14 days after the date set out by the terms of the LT award in accordance with the EO. The director concerned was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the offence.

     “The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers and responsible officers of companies that they have to comply with the EO and pay the awarded sums to employees according to the terms of the awards of LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. The LD will not tolerate these offences and will continue to make dedicated efforts in enforcing the EO and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” a spokesman for the LD said.

     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (April 9) that the carcass of a crested myna found in Fanling had been confirmed as positive for the H5N6 avian influenza virus after laboratory testing.
 
     The bird’s carcass was found and collected at Kun Lung Wai, Fanling. It was suspected to be positive for the H5 virus after initial laboratory testing on April 6. The crested myna is a common resident species.
 
     The spokesman said no chicken farms are within 3 kilometres of where the dead bird was found. The AFCD will notify poultry farmers to remind them to strengthen precautionary and biosecurity measures against avian influenza. Letters will be issued to pet bird shop owners and licence holders of pet poultry and racing pigeons reminding them that proper precautions must be taken. The AFCD will continue to monitor the situation closely.
 
     The spokesman said the department will closely monitor poultry farms and wholesale market to ensure that proper precautions against avian influenza have been implemented. The department will continue its wild bird monitoring and surveillance.
 
     “People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. The public can call 1823 for follow-up if they come across suspicious, sick or dead birds, including the carcasses of wild birds and poultry,” the spokesman said.
 
     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue to be vigilant over live poultry stalls. It will also remind stall operators to maintain good hygiene.
 
     The Department of Health will continue with its health education to remind the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent avian influenza.
 
     The AFCD, the FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police will strive to deter the illegal import of poultry and birds into Hong Kong to minimise the risk of avian influenza outbreaks caused by imported poultry and birds that have not gone through inspection and quarantine.
 
     All relevant government departments will continue to be highly vigilant and strictly enforce preventive measures against avian influenza.
 
     Health advice is available from the H5N1 Health Advice page on the AFCD website at www.afcd.gov.hk.

        The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chaired the first meeting of the Human Resources Planning Commission today (April 9). At the meeting, members were briefed on Hong Kong’s labour market and manpower situation, and given an overview of the prevailing human resources policies. Members also considered initially the issues of promoting upward social mobility and attracting talent from other places in order to foster Hong Kong’s economic development.
 
        Members took note of the Government Economist’s analysis of Hong Kong’s existing labour market and manpower situation, as well as projections of future trends. Members recognised that an ageing population and expected dwindling of the labour force would pose challenges to manpower resources, and thereby impede Hong Kong’s long-term economic growth and development.
 
        The meeting noted the Government’s continuous efforts to implement a comprehensive population policy to rise to these challenges. Most policy measures are related to manpower resources. Members supported the continuous implementation of these ongoing initiatives and agreed that Hong Kong should build on the existing policy measures and formulate a targeted human resources strategy to tie in with the Government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into a high value-added and diversified economy.
 
        Members shared their views on the future directions that could be pursued to achieve this objective and agreed that more research should be conducted and engagement with stakeholders should be maintained in the process of devising a work plan and setting priorities for the human resources strategy.
 
        In addition, the meeting discussed initially the issues of promoting upward social mobility and how best to attract talent from other places to meet the enormous demand for talent in the local market. Members agreed that Hong Kong should enhance its efforts in attracting talents to ensure that Hong Kong would remain competitive amid the global rivalry for talent.
 
     The Commission has been established pursuant to an initiative proposed under the Chief Executive’s 2017 Policy Address. It aims to review and co-ordinate policies on human resources in a holistic manner and oversee the implementation of the population policy.
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (April 11) at 11.30am (or immediately after the meeting for the Chief Executive’s Question Time to be held at 11am) in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex.  During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017 will resume.  If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council.  After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     The Second Reading debate on the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 will also resume.  If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council.  After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     The Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading.  The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

     On Member’s Bill, the Sailors Home and Missions to Seamen Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 2018 will also be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading.  The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.
 
     On Members’ motions, Mr Wong Ting-kwong will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Rating (Exemption) Order 2018 laid on the table of the Council on March 21, 2018 to the meeting of May 9, 2018.
 
     Mr Frankie Yick will move a motion on promoting the popularisation of electric vehicles.  The motion states: “‍That, since the global awareness of environmental protection has been rising and emission from fuel-engined vehicles is one of the main sources of air pollution, the governments of various countries, including China, Norway, Germany and the United Kingdom, have announced the prohibition of sale of fuel-engined vehicles successively after 2025; meanwhile, the biggest vehicle manufacturer in the world has indicated that it will completely cease the production of fuel-engined vehicles in 2050, and various vehicle manufacturers have also indicated that they will inject more resources into the research and development of new-generation zero-emission electric vehicles (‘EVs’), thus evident that the production of EVs has become the general direction of the development of the automobile industry worldwide; the SAR Government has waived the first registration tax for EVs for more than 20 years since 1994, but as at end of August 2017, the result has been unsatisfactory with only 11 033 EVs in Hong Kong, accounting for 1.3 per cent of the total number of registered vehicles in the territory; to further promote the popularisation of EVs, this Council urges the SAR Government to:
 
(1) comprehensively review the policy on the promotion of EVs and set phased targets for such promotion;
 
(2) amend the relevant provisions of the Buildings Ordinance to mandate the provision of charging facilities for charging EVs at all parking spaces in newly constructed commercial and residential buildings;
 
(3) review the provision of ancillary facilities for charging EVs, including conducting a study on retrofitting the existing car parks in government properties and public housing estates, on-street parking spaces and public car parks with charging facilities for EVs;
 
(4) in light of the successive replacement of batteries of registered EVs, formulate expeditiously a mechanism for the recycling and disposal of waste vehicle batteries, so as to prevent such batteries containing toxic substances from being dumped at landfills, causing serious perils to the environment and ecology; and
 
(5)  incentivise tertiary institutions to offer programmes on the design, scientific research, maintenance, etc. of EVs for nurturing talents for the EV industry, so as to assist Hong Kong in developing the industry of EVs or EV parts.”
 
     Mr Kenneth Leung, Mr Charles Peter Mok, Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Hui Chi-fung, Ms Yung Hoi-yan, Mr Chan Hak-kan, Ms Tanya Chan and Dr Junius Ho will move separate amendments to Mr Frankie Yick’s motion.
 
     Dr Cheng Chung-tai will move a motion on setting up an information database on the conduct of police officers.  The motion states: “That, in recent years, there have been cases from time to time of on-duty and off-duty police officers committing criminal offences, including theft, sex crimes, violence, false allegations and corruption, and convicted and dismissed police officers may become potential hazards to law and order in society, causing people to worry more about the threat to their personal safety and security of their property; on the other hand, many people have complained to the Complaints Against Police Office and the Independent Police Complaints Council about abuse of power by police officers, but the relevant departments have failed to handle such cases in an open, fair and impartial manner; in this connection, this Council requests the Government to set up an information database on the conduct of police officers, allowing public access to information about faults committed by and complaints against various police officers.”
 
     Mr James To will move an amendment to Dr Cheng Chung-tai’s motion.
 
     During the meeting, Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.  
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk).  Please note that the agenda is subject to change, and the latest information about the agenda could be found on the LegCo Website.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Chamber of the LegCo Complex.  They may reserve seats by calling 3919 3399 during office hours.  Members of the public can also watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website.