HK Bio-Rhythm R&D Company Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (May 17) and were fined a total sum of $80,000.
      
     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay an employee wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment contract totalling about $400,000, and also failing to pay the awarded sum of about $602,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for her consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
      
     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO, as well as the sums awarded by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.
      
     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     Yin Wan Plumbing Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (May 17) and were fined a total sum of $120,000.

     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirement of the EO, failing to pay six employees' wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods, totalling about $559,000. The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO," a spokesman for LD said.

     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, led a Civil Aviation Department (CAD) delegation to attend the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Civil Aviation Youth Exchange Program (the Program) Launching Ceremony in Guangzhou today (May 17). The program is jointly organised by the Central and Southern Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the CAD. Under the theme of "GBA Quest for Dreams, Youthful companionship Lights the Path", the Program seeks to furnish young aviation practitioners with a platform to acquire an in-depth understanding of the aviation industry in the Mainland and Hong Kong, as well as to enhance the exchange of talent and promote high-quality and synergistic development of civil aviation in the GBA.

     The first phase of the three-staged program will be taking place in Hong Kong from today until May 20. Some 60 young aviation practitioners from the GBA will be visiting aviation facilities and organisations including the CAD, Hong Kong International Airport, the Government Flying Service, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited and local airlines to learn about the latest developments and applications of advanced technologies in the local aviation industry. The second phase of the Program will be rolled out in mid-June when participants will travel to the East China region for an exchange visit. Participants will gather in Hong Kong again this October for the final phase of the Program.

     The Program is not only an invaluable opportunity for young aviation practitioners from the GBA to share aviation knowledge and upgrade skills, it also serves as a platform to facilitate mutual understanding, strengthen friendship, and to promote mutual collaboration for exploring future development opportunities for the aviation industry. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Liu said that young people were the future of the country and he encouraged young aviation practitioners to seize career opportunities of the GBA aviation industry through the Program.

      

     The Designation of Museums (Amendment) Order 2024 was gazetted today (May 17). The Amendment Order aims to convert the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (HKMCD) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) into the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence. The museum will focus on the history of the War of Resistance and organise public and educational activities with a view to enhancing patriotism and awareness among the public, in particular young people, about the history of the War of Resistance, and paying tribute to the war martyrs.
      
     The Amendment Order will be tabled before the Legislative Council (LegCo) on May 22 for negative vetting. The HKMCD will be converted into the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence on September 3, the Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
      
     The four existing exhibition galleries about the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in the HKMCD cover different parts of war history such as the Japanese invasion of China, the fall of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column behind enemy lines and the fighters' contributions, and the surrender of Japan. While the gallery of "Military Presence under Successive Dynasties" highlights the history of defence in Hong Kong from the Tang dynasty to the Qing dynasty, the exhibition gallery of "Unequal Treaties and the Cession of Hong Kong" provides a detailed account of the background of the three unequal treaties and the history of British forcible occupation of Hong Kong.
      
     After conversion, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence will launch an array of diversified public and educational programmes, including lectures, historical study tours, workshops, roving exhibitions and interactive dramas. The museum will use the special exhibition gallery to organise thematic exhibitions about the War of Resistance on a regular basis by collaborating with cultural institutions on the Mainland to allow audiences to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the War of Resistance. To further elaborate the relationship between Hong Kong and China's coastal defence history, the museum will also increase exhibition space to introduce China's coastal fortifications in Hong Kong and the Guangdong area, aiming to enhance the interest of citizens, students and visitors from the Mainland and overseas in the history of China's coastal defence.
      
     The first thematic exhibition, jointly presented with the Shenzhen Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, will be launched in September to introduce the deeds of the East River Column in their joint resistance efforts in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. This exhibition is being organised by the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, in collaboration with the Chinese Culture Promotion Office.
      
     The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture, and to cultivate the public's sense of national identity. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.
      
     The museum is located at 175 Tung Hei Road in Shau Kei Wan. Opening hours of the museum will remain unchanged after the conversion. Admission is free. For more details, please visit hk.coastaldefence.museum/en/web/mcd/home.html, or call 2569 1500 for enquiries. 

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a public hearing on "Provision and monitoring of Rehabus services" (Chapter 5) of the Director of Audit's Report No. 82 next Monday (May 20) at 9am in Conference Room 1 of the LegCo Complex.

     Seven witnesses have been invited to appear before the above hearing to respond to points raised in the Report and answer questions asked by PAC members.

     The programme for the public hearing is as follows:

Subject: Provision and monitoring of Rehabus services (Chapter 5 of the Director of Audit's Report No.82)
Date: May 20 (Monday)
Time: 9am
Venue: Conference Room 1

Witnesses:

Mr Chris Sun
Secretary for Labour and Welfare

Miss Vega Wong
Commissioner for Rehabilitation
Labour and Welfare Bureau

Ms Susan Chan
Assistant Commissioner for Rehabilitation
Labour and Welfare Bureau

Ms Angela Lee
Commissioner for Transport

Ms Louisa Fung
Assistant Commissioner/
Management and Paratransit
Transport Department

Mr Curtis Chiu
Principal Transport Officer/
Ferry and Paratransit
Transport Department

Ms Christine Yuen
Chief Transport Officer/
Planning/Disabled Transport
Transport Department

     The PAC is chaired by Mr Shiu Ka-fai, and its Deputy Chairman is Mr Paul Tse. Other members are Ms Yung Hoi-yan, Mr Luk Chung-hung, Mr Edmund Wong, Mr Louis Loong and Ms Carmen Kan.