The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients infected with COVID-19 in a male psychiatric ward, the spokesperson for Kowloon Hospital made the f… read more
​Hong Kong Customs today (December 1) mounted an anti-smuggling operation in Sha Tau Kok and detected a suspected case of illegally imported animals. Five suspected illegally imported animals with an estimated marke… read more
The Committee on the Financing of Major Development Project (Financing Committee), chaired by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, held its first meeting today (December 1).
The Financing Committee at its meeting focused the discussion on the mode of operation, future work directions and work plan. The Financing Committee will be responsible for examining the financing arrangements for various major development projects, and advise on feasible investment and financing options, including assessing the feasibility of bringing in investors and leveraging market capital and efficiency for these projects. The Financing Committee will also thoroughly evaluate the impact of the major development projects on government finances to ensure the Government’s fiscal sustainability.
Mr Chan said at the meeting, “Major development projects are important investments for promoting the long-term and sustainable development of Hong Kong, but they involve significant funding requirements. We need to draw up appropriate financing arrangements for various projects and plan ahead to ensure that projects can be taken forward smoothly and in an orderly manner.”
The Chief Executive announced in the 2023 Policy Address the establishment of the Committee on the Financing of Major Development Project and the Office for the Financing of Major Development Projects. Members of the Financing Committee include:
Financial Secretary (Chairman)
Deputy Financial Secretary (Deputy Chairman)
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Secretary for Transport and Logistics
Secretary for Development
Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury)
Permanent Secretary for Development (Works)
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Government Economist
Representatives of other relevant policy bureaux and departments will be invited to attend meetings as needed.
Eighteen landlords of subdivided units (SDUs) who contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7) (the Ordinance) pleaded guilty and were fined a total of $17,800 today (December 1) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. Since the Ordinance has come into force, a total of 46 SDU landlords have been convicted of contravening the Ordinance.
These landlords were convicted of failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced. Two of them, who also failed to produce copies of the bills and provide an account in writing when requiring the tenants to pay for the reimbursement of the apportioned water charges and/or electricity charges, were fined $3,300 and $2,300 respectively.
The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted against the landlords.
A spokesman for the RVD hopes that these convictions will send a strong message to SDU landlords that they must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, and also reminds SDU tenants of their rights under the Ordinance. He also stresses that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether the landlords concerned have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecutions against suspected contravention of the Ordinance.
The RVD spokesman appeals to members of the public to come forward and report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. This would help curb illegal acts as soon as possible. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (visiting the Tenancy Services Section office of the RVD at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment). Furthermore, the RVD has provided a form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants’ reporting to the RVD.
The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. Since the first batch of regulated tenancies is about to approach their second-term tenancies, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work in order to assist SDU landlords and tenants to understand the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy. In addition, the RVD has started to issue letters enclosing relevant information to the concerned landlords and tenants of regulated tenancies by batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to remind them about their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html) for the relevant information, including a concise guide, brochures, tutorial videos and frequently asked questions, etc. SDU landlords and tenants are also advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant statutory requirements and maintain close communication regarding the second-term tenancy for handling the matters properly and in a timely manner according to the Ordinance.
For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information. read more
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (December 1) reported the latest number of dengue fever (DF) cases, and urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.
From November 24 to yesterday (November 30), the CHP recorded three imported DF cases. The patients had been to Nepal (one case) and Thailand (two cases) respectively during the incubation periods.
As of yesterday, 55 imported cases of DF had been recorded in 2023. In 2022, 26 imported cases of DF were recorded.
The latest surveillance data shows that there is an increase in DF cases noted in some places in Asia (such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand) compared to the same period last year. Members of the public, while travelling abroad, should stay vigilant and carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures. Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, has been uploaded to the CHP’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf).
“Apart from general measures, travellers returning from areas affected by DF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control: