The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: It has recently come to the attention of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) that shredded banknotes paperweights sold at the HKMA Informa… read more
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 20) 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 October 13 to yesterday (October 19), the CHP recorded two imported DF cases. The patients had been to Vietnam and Thailand respectively during the incubation periods.
As of yesterday, 40 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:
Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements in Kowloon and New Territories between October 21 and 22 to facilitate the holding of Hong Kong Cyclothon 2023. … read more
​The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, commenced his visit to Thailand this afternoon (October 20). He met with the Minister of Culture of Thailand, Mr Sermsak Pongpanit, in Bangkok to explore collaboration opportunities and enhance mutual links. Mr Yeung also met with the Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, to share their experiences in promoting tourism and explore opportunities in strengthening exchanges and co-operation.
Mr Yeung said, “At the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road co-operation, one of which is to strengthen the institutional building for international Belt and Road co-operation, including building multilateral co-operation platforms covering culture and other fields. Hong Kong has a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation with Thailand, creating a favourable environment to strengthen collaboration between the two sides under the Belt and Road Initiative framework. In fully utilising the co-operation platform, the three-week Hong Kong Week 2023@Bangkok organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department this time will bring to local audiences programmes of performing arts, exhibitions and film screenings, showcasing the diversity of Hong Kong’s arts and culture, as well as telling the good stories of China and Hong Kong.”
Mr Yeung also pointed out that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attaches great importance to facilitating cultural exchanges and co-operation across Asia. The Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum 2022 held in Hong Kong in December last year provided an important platform for the participating cultural ministers and senior officials to share their views and experience on policies and measures promoting arts and culture development. Representatives from the Ministry of Culture of Thailand also participated in the Forum. The National 14th Five-Year Plan has expressed clear support for Hong Kong to develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. One of the key areas of work is to facilitate culture exchanges and co-operation within Asia and internationally.
Mr Yeung will continue his visit to Bangkok, Thailand, tomorrow.
Seven 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 from $800 to $7,600 today (October 20) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. Since the Ordinance has come into force, a total of 16 SDU landlords have been convicted of contravening the Ordinance.
The offences of these landlords include (1) requesting the tenant to pay any money other than those types permitted by the Ordinance; (2) failing to produce copies of the bills and provide an account in writing when requiring the tenant to pay for the reimbursement of the apportioned water and electricity charges; (3) 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; and (4) failing to provide the tenant with a rent receipt. The landlord who was fined $7,600 contravened a total of 11 offences under (1), (3) and (4) above.
The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon an 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 contraventions 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 new form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants’ reporting to the RVD.
In addition, 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 just 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. Relevant landlords and tenants may 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 “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