Hong Kong motorists will face higher financial penalties starting on January 1, when new traffic fines for 19 types of offences take effect. The targeted offences under the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance include illegal parking, for which the fine is set to rise by 25 per cent from HK$320 to HK$400 (US$41 to US$51)….
Hong Kong’s adoption of preferential packages to fast-track an industrial park that falls under the Northern Metropolis megadevelopment has been given an initial thumbs up. Local developers hailed the new approach as a “one-stop service” to help them cut through red tape and resolve problems, while some market observers believed it could also attract mainland…
Hong Kong authorities have expedited the Northern Metropolis megaproject by setting up a non-statutory company to run a 23-hectare site in Hung Shui Kiu, while putting up the pilot area for tender. In a statement issued on Monday, the Development Bureau said it planned to name the company the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company….
Hong Kong authorities have distributed about 30 per cent of a HK$4.1 billion (US$528 million) fund set up for residents affected by last month’s deadly fire, along with more than 45,000 donated items. A spokeswoman for the Home and Youth Bureau said: “The total financial commitment of the various support measures in place so far…
Hong Kong lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king has said her role as a delegate to China’s top legislative body is not in conflict with the presidency of the legislature, as she looks to unite lawmakers and align their work with national goals. Lee, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), was…
The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance becomes operational in Hong Kong on January 20, and will enhance child protections. It contains a mechanism for the early and effective detection of child abuse cases. It requires particular professionals to report if, during their work, they come to suspect a child has been suffering serious harm,…
Hong Kong’s development chief has vowed to tighten building safety laws to punish those exploiting loopholes, warning that authorities will show no leniency towards the construction sector that has come under public scrutiny after the deadly Tai Po fire. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho also said on Saturday that the government would take over…
The sole lawmaker-elect of the centrist Roundtable party in Hong Kong has said his victory in the recent Legislative Council election could embolden more moderate and outspoken politicians to contest future polls. Mark Chong Ho-fung also called on the government to strengthen oversight to improve public trust, citing two cases: the bottled water scandal and…
This month’s Legislative Council election once again put Hong Kong’s political participation in the spotlight. Despite official calls for civic engagement and a modest improvement over the previous election, voter turnout remained historically low. Among younger voters in particular, a sense of distance from institutional politics was palpable. This was not simply a matter of…
A leading university in Hong Kong has appointed a veteran academic administrator to be its vice-president in administration – the third person in the role in as many years – after his predecessor resigned less than twelve months after taking up the position. Albert Chow Hing-pong’s tenure at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)…