Tag Archives: China

     The ventilation and refrigeration system of the fresh market Maritime Market at Cheung Fat Plaza in Tsing Yi generated excessive noise at night which affected nearby residents. The property owner, Link Properties Limited, failed to implement noise abatement measures in accordance with the noise abatement notice (NAN) and was fined $30,000 at Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (June 5) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that the department received five complaints in January and February last year about the noise nuisance generated from Maritime Market. The investigation conducted by the EPD enforcement officers confirmed that the noise generated by the market’s ventilation and refrigeration system at night exceeded the statutory limit and an NAN was issued to the owner, Link Properties Limited, requesting improvement. EPD staff made a follow-up noise assessment in October last year and found that the noise generated from its system at night still exceeded the statutory limit, which violated the requirements of the NAN. The department then initiated prosecution under the NCO. Link Properties Limited later installed noise abatement equipment for the ventilation and refrigeration system of Maritime Market and the noise problem has been rectified.

     The spokesman reminded all property owners to install noise abatement equipment for the ventilation and refrigeration system at their premises and ensure its normal operation. A property owner who receives an NAN issued by the EPD has to implement noise abatement measures before the deadline. Otherwise, it will constitute an offence.

     According to the NCO, anyone failing to comply with any requirement of an NAN commits 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 conviction. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 5) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting five persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hy… read more

     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved from the Disaster Relief Fund a grant of $6.217 million to World Vision Hong Kong for … read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 5) announced that a tomato sample was found to have pesticide residue at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following… read more

     The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) made the following pay offers, effective retrospectively from April 1, 2018, to the staff side of the four civil service central consultative councils today (June 5):

(a) a pay increase of 4.06 per cent for civil servants in the upper salary band and the directorate (equals 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;

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

     The above decision was made by the Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-Council) after considering all 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
* civil service morale

     “The CE-in-Council made the decision in accordance with the established mechanism. The pay offers for civil servants in the upper and middle salary bands are the same as their respective net PTIs (i.e. 4.06 per cent and 4.51 per cent respectively). The pay offer for civil servants in the lower salary band follows the net PTI for the middle salary band due to the ‘bring-up’ arrangement,” a spokesman for the CSB said.

     “Under the ‘bring-up’ arrangement, if the net PTI for the lower salary band is lower than that for the middle salary band, its pay adjustment will be brought up to the same level of the net PTI for the middle salary band, subject to the decision of the CE-in-Council,” the spokesman said.

     “In accordance with past practice, the pay offer for directorate civil servants follows the arrangement for civil servants in the upper salary band,” the spokesman added.

     The Government will submit the pay adjustment proposal to the Legislative Council Finance Committee for consideration as soon as possible after the CE-in-Council considers the response from the staff side to the pay offers and makes a decision on the 2018-19 civil service pay adjustment. read more