The Government announced today (November 10) appointments to the Copyright Tribunal.
 
     Ms Anita Leung Ping-fun has been newly appointed as Deputy Chairman. Mr Ronald Kwok Wing-chung and Mr Johnny Sze Chun-hong have been newly appointed to the Tribunal, while incumbent member Miss Cheung Yee-mei has been reappointed. The tenure of their appointments is two years with effect from December 1, 2023.
 
     The Government expressed gratitude to the outgoing Deputy Chairman, Mr Kenny Wong Kam-shan, and members Mr Cheung Ka-li and Mr Alan Yip Chi-wing for their service to the tribunal over the past six years.
 
     The Copyright Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body established under the Copyright Ordinance. It adjudicates on disputes concerning the terms and conditions of copyright licensing schemes devised by licensing bodies. It consists of a chairman, a deputy chairman and seven members.
 
     The full membership of the Copyright Tribunal, with effect from December 1, 2023, is as follows:
 
Mr Jenkin Suen, SC (Chairman)
Ms Anita Leung Ping-fun (Deputy Chairman)
Ms Loretta Fong Wan-huen
Miss Cheung Yee-mei
Dr Benny Lo Kwan-ching
Ms Ada Wu Ching-mei
Professor Henry Chung Shu-hung
Mr Ronald Kwok Wing-chung
Mr Johnny Sze Chun-hong

     Two property owners who failed to comply with the removal orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) were convicted and fined over $120,000 in total at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts and the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts last week.

     The first case involved unauthorised structures with a total area of about 98 square metres erected in the yard and on the roof of a house at Sha Tin Heights of Tai Po Road, Sha Tin. As the unauthorized building works (UBWs) were carried out without the prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

     Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD in 2005, 2015 and 2020, and was fined over $40,000 in total upon conviction at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, the BD instigated prosecution again. The owner was convicted and fined $76,000 upon conviction at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts on November 1.

     The second case involved a four-storey unauthorised village house with an area of about 27 sq m per storey at Nam Pin Wai, Yuen Long. Since the Lands Department would not issue a certificate of exemption for the building, it is not a New Territories Exempted House under the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance (Cap. 121). As the related UBWs were carried out without the prior approval and consent from the BD, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

     Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined $51,360 upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on November 3.

     A spokesman for the BD said today (November 10), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, so as to ensure building safety."

     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

     The Government gazetted today (November 10) the proposed road works in Cha Kwo Ling for the reprovision of Wai Lok Street to provide the necessary infrastructure for the development of new campus of Vocational Training Council at Kowloon East (Cha Kwo Ling).

     Details of the proposal are set out in the Annex. The plan and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:
 
Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
      
Kwun Tong Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Eastcore,
398 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon
 
District Lands Office, Kowloon East,
4/F, South Tower,
West Kowloon Government Offices,
11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
 
     The gazette notice, scheme, plan and location plan are available at www.tlb.gov.hk/eng/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.html.
 
     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Logistics Bureau's Drop-in Box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettetlb@tlb.gov.hk.

 
     A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Logistics not later than January 9, 2024.

     Cantonese opera stars from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will gather in Hong Kong and present six pieces of classic Cantonese opera excerpts in "A Showcase of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Cantonese Opera Masters" in December, with a view to enhancing cultural exchanges and promoting the art of Cantonese opera.
 
     The cast from the Guangdong Province includes Huang Chunqiang, Peng Qinghua, Jiang Wenduan, Wen Ruqing and Zeng Xiaomin. They will perform "The White Monkey Steals Celestial Peaches", "Under the Umbrella" and "A Perfect Union from The Strange Encounters of Liu Yi". Hong Kong's Lee Lung, Sun Kim Long, Tang Mi-ling, Wan Yuk-yu and Wan Yiu-sing will stage "Kneeling by the Pond from The Lioness Roars" and "A United Front to Defeat Cao Cao" while Macao's Peng Chiquan and Zeng Hui will present "Smashing the Royal Palanquin". Each of the six acts of Cantonese opera has its own unique characteristics. With the exquisite skills of the veteran artists from the three places, this is a showcase not to be missed by theatregoers.

     "A Showcase of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Cantonese Opera Masters" is jointly presented by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government. It is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The showcase will be held at 7.30pm on December 19 (Tuesday) at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall. Tickets priced at $180, $280, $380 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1646.html.

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a briefing on the employment rights and obligations of employers of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) on December 8 (Friday), at 7.30pm at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. Enrolment is now open.
      
     Representatives of the Occupational Safety and Health Council and the Customs and Excise Department will speak at the briefing respectively on how to create a safe and healthy working environment for FDHs and points to note on money remittance and exchange by FDHs. Employers of FDHs, especially first-time employers, are welcome to attend.
      
     The briefing will be conducted in Cantonese and admission is free. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The enrolment deadline is December 6 (Wednesday). The enrolment form can be downloaded here. For enquiries, please contact the LD at 3582 8993.