Appointments to Social Welfare Advisory Committee
The Government announced today (November 22) the appointment of Dr Ko Wing-man as the Chairman of the Social Welfare Advisory Committee (SWAC); the appointment of seven new members, namely Miss Chow Tsz-ki, Ms Hsu Siu-man, Professor Patrick Ip, Dr Sanly Kam Shau-wan, Dr Chloe Suen Yin-wah, Miss Sze Lai-shan, and Professor Hector Tsang Wing-hong; as well as the reappointment of five incumbent members to SWAC. Their appointments will take effect on December 1 for a term of two years.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, welcomed the appointments. He said, "Dr Ko has rich experience in community service and I am confident that he will be able to lead SWAC in providing valuable advice to the Government. I look forward to the members' sterling advice on the development of Hong Kong's social welfare policy."
He also thanked the outgoing Chairman, Mr Lester Garson Huang, for his outstanding leadership during the past six years and the five outgoing members, Professor Bai Xue, Dr Cheung Sze-wing, Mr Andy Ho Wing-cheong, Dr Lam James Joseph and Ms Eva Wong Ching-hung, for their invaluable contributions to SWAC.
SWAC reviews social welfare services from time to time and advises the Government on matters of social welfare policy.
The membership list of SWAC with effect from December 1, 2024, is as follows:
Chairman
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Dr Ko Wing-man
Non-official members
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Miss Chow Tsz-ki
Ms Hsu Siu-man
Professor Patrick Ip
Dr Sanly Kam Shau-wan
Mr Frederick Lai Wing-hoi
Ms Alice Lau Oi-sze
Ms Anthea Lee Shuk-wai
Dr Wingco Lo Kam-wing
Professor Petrus Ng Yat-nam
Mr Francis Ngai Wah-sing
Dr Pan Pey-chyou
Dr Chloe Suen Yin-wah
Miss Sze Lai-shan
Dr Ricky Szeto Wing-fu
Ms Rebecca Tsai Ching-yu
Professor Hector Tsang Wing-hong
Dr Rizwan Ullah
Mr John Wong Chung
Professor Frances Wong Kam-yuet
Mr Barry Wong Man-sing
Ms Wendy Yuen Miu-ling
Two property owners fined over $260,000 for not complying with removal order and repair order
Two property owners were convicted and fined over $260,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts last month and this month for failing to comply with a removal order and a repair order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
The case involved the alteration of four units into mini-storages in an industrial building on Kin Wing Lane, Tuen Mun. As the alteration and addition works were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), and they obstructed the means of escape and means of access for fire fighting and rescue as well as affecting the fire resisting construction of the buildings, contravening the Building (Planning) Regulations and the Building (Construction) Regulation, a removal order and a repair order were served on both of the two owners under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO.
Failing to comply with the removal order and the repair order, the two owners were prosecuted by the BD and were fined $261,560 in total, of which $101,560 was the fine for the number of days that the offences continued, upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on October 25 and November 8 respectively.
A spokesman for the BD today (November 22) said, "Unauthorised alteration works causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for fire fighting and rescue, or affecting the fire resisting construction of a building may lead to serious consequences. The owners concerned must comply with removal orders and repair orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement actions against owners who fail to comply with removal orders and repair orders, including instigation of prosecution, 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. Moreover, failure to comply with a repair order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of level 5 ($50,000 at present) and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.
