Authorized person disciplined for professional negligence
The Authorized Persons', Registered Structural Engineers' and Registered Geotechnical Engineers' Disciplinary Board has completed a disciplinary inquiry and decided that an authorized person (AP) should be disciplined for professional negligence under section 7(1A)(b) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO).
The Board ordered the AP to be reprimanded and to pay $131,800, being the costs of the Board for conducting the inquiry.
The Board's written decision and order issued on December 20, 2024, was published in the Gazette today (January 3). Details are available at the following link: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20252901/egn2025290131.pdf.
The case involved a building construction project on Tai Shu Ha Road West in Yuen Long. Upon investigation by the Buildings Department (BD), it was found that the layout of the clubhouse in the project differed from the approved plans, as an additional floor slab was found between G/F and 1/F of the clubhouse. The AP advised in a letter to the BD in 2018 that one of the reasons for altering the layout of the clubhouse was a request from the Water Supplies Department to enlarge the water meter room, which turned out to be inaccurate. In view of the investigation results, the BD notified the Board for its consideration of disciplinary action against the AP under the provision of section 13(1) of the BO.
A spokesperson for the BD emphasised that persons registered under the BO may be disciplined if they are negligent or engage in misconduct.
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine worth about $1.9 million in anti-narcotics operation
Hong Kong Customs on January 2 seized a total of about 4 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $1.9 million in Tai Wai.
Through risk assessment, Customs on that day inspected an air parcel, declared as clothing and arriving in Hong Kong from the United Kingdom, at a warehouse of a local consolidator company in Tai Wai. Upon inspection, Customs officers found about 4kg suspected ketamine concealed inside the parcel.
After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation yesterday (January 4) in Causeway Bay and arrested a 59-year-old male consignee. The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (January 6).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Customs reminds members of the public to pay attention to the fact that drug trafficking is a serious criminal offence. A criminal conviction will result in grave repercussions for their future and they should not take risks in the hope that they may not be caught.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine worth about $1.9 million in anti-narcotics operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
