Tag Archives: China

     The Civil Service Bureau announced today (June 12) that the Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-Council) has decided that civil service pay for 2018-19 should be adjusted as follows, taking retrospective effect from April 1 this year:

(a) a pay increase of 4.06 per cent for civil servants in the upper salary band and the directorate (equal to the net pay trend indicator (PTI) for the upper salary band), subject to the pay points referred to in (i) and (ii) below, the dollar values of which should be as specified:

(i) Master Pay Scale 34 at $70,590; and

(ii) General Disciplined Services (Officer) Pay Scale (GDS(O)) 20 and Police Pay Scale (PPS) 36 at $70,470, and GDS(O) 21 and PPS 37 at $70,970; and

(b) a pay increase of 4.51 per cent for civil servants in the lower and middle salary bands (equal to the net PTI for the middle salary band).

     In arriving at this decision, the CE-in-Council has thoroughly considered the staff side’s response to the pay offers and all the relevant factors under the established annual civil service pay adjustment mechanism, including:

* the net PTIs;
* the state of Hong Kong’s economy;
* changes in the cost of living;
* the Government’s fiscal position;
* the pay claims of the staff side; and
* civil service morale.

     The Government will submit the 2018-19 civil service pay adjustment proposal to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for consideration as soon as possible. read more

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, visited Tai Po District this morning (June 12). He went to a secondary school and met with members of a merchants association and the Tai Po District Council to ex… read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 is 99.8 (up 0.2 against yesterday’s index). read more

     A commercial building construction site at Middle Road in Tsim Sha Tsui was found to have illegally carried out construction works at night. The contractor, Hong Kong Construction (General Builders) Limited, was fined a total of $12,000 by Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (June 12) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) conducted a blitz inspection at the above construction site after receiving a complaint last June. It was found that powered mechanical equipment was operating illegally at the site after 7pm, including the use of a concrete lorry for foundation works. After investigation and evidence gathering, the EPD initiated prosecution against the contractor in accordance with the NCO.

     The NCO aims to protect the public from disturbance of rest. An EPD spokesman stressed that construction contractors should schedule works for the daytime and non-general holidays as far as possible, so as to minimise noise nuisance to the surroundings. If the construction work has to be conducted during the restricted hours (between 7pm and 7am on the following day, or at any time on a general holiday), the contractor has to obtain a valid construction noise permit (CNP) from the EPD. The construction works shall commence only when the CNP has been granted upon completion of assessment to support that its noise level would comply with regulatory requirements. Only specified powered mechanical equipment could be used for the construction works and contractors must also implement noise mitigation measures to minimise noise nuisance as stipulated by the CNP. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. A maximum fine of $200,000 may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions. read more

Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (June 13). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting. … read more