Pay findings not unanimously agreed

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Pay Trend Survey Committee met today to consider the findings of the 2013 Pay Trend Survey, and the two Staff Side representatives of the Police Force Council did not agree to validate the survey findings.One Staff Side representative of the Senior Civil Service Council accepted the survey findings with reservations, and the two Staff Side representatives of the Disciplined Services ...

Chapman brothers exhibit hanged Ronald McDonald in Hong Kong

merinews - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

What can only be described as grotesque by conservative art connoisseurs is beauty for the Chapman brothers. By the looks of their work, it seems that they create art to shock regular ...

Hong Kong soaked by black rainstorm

Euro News - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

A mother carries her daughter as she wades through ankle-deep water on the streets of Hong Kong – where rainfall in some districts reached 200 millimetres. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a black rainstorm warning signal on Wednesday May 22. REUTERS/Tyrone ...

Hong Kong Finds Its Footing in Art World

General Sources - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

As Art Basel inaugurates its first fair in the Far East on Thursday, it will not only be staking its claim to a growing market for contemporary and modern art, but also bolstering Hong Kong's position as the dominant art hub of ...

Fallout spreads in Hong Kong over shut-down Mercantile Exchange

Reuters - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A close political ally of Hong Kong's chief executive has vowed to cooperate with an investigation into the shuttered Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange after the city's financial watchdog said it had alerted the police to ...

Alert issued on bogus email

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Monetary Authority today issued an alert on an email purporting to be sent from the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (Asia).It asks recipients to give remittance confirmation, and may contain files with unknown content attached.The bank has clarified that the email was neither issued nor authorised by it, and it has not asked customers or any other person to give the remittance ...

Gold Bars Hit New Record Premium in Hong Kong Ahead of US Fed Speech Europe Urged to Start Aggressive Money Printing

Bullion Vault - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

prices rose throughout Asian and early London trade in the wholesale market on Wednesday, touching $1398 per ounce for the third time this week and recovering 4.4% from Monday's one-month low.Silver rose more steadily, and was capped below $22.80 as energy prices slipped and agricultural commodities held flat.Tuesday's retreat in the gold price today ...

Private recreation leases reviewed

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Home Affairs Bureau has advised all private recreational leaseholders that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review of the private recreational leases policy, and that lessees should not assume that their leases will be renewed under the same terms and conditions upon expiry.Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing told lawmakers today that whilst renewing private recreational ...

Elderly get dental subsidy

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Scheme, seniors aged 70 or above can make use of the vouchers for dental services provided by private dental clinics and those run by non-government organisations.Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man told lawmakers today the Government increased the annual voucher amount to $1,000 from January 1.He said there are about 2,060 registered ...

Heavy rain brings landslips flooding

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

A trough of low pressure lingering around the Guangdong coast brought several episodes of heavy rain and thunderstorms to Hong Kong this morning, causing landslides and flooding in some places, the Hong Kong Observatory says.The Black Rainstorm Warning Signal was issued from 4.10am to 9.45am. The signal was last raised in July, 2010.From midnight till noon, more than 150mm of rain was recorded ...

Minimum wage set correctly Labour chief

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Requiring the minimum wage to rise at a higher rate than inflation would not be a suitable option, says Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung.Speaking in response to a question in the Legislative Council today, Mr Cheung said such an arrangement would cause a self-perpetuating inflationary spiral of wages and prices chasing each other. The evidence-based approach adopted by the ...

Art Basel highlights Hong Kongs new status as arts hub

General Sources - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The recent rise of "illegal" street demonstrations in Malaysia does not adversely impact tourism in general, says new Tourism Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul ...

CE mourns Sir Denys Roberts

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Chief Executive CY Leung today expressed his sadness at the passing of former Chief Justice Sir Denys Roberts.Sir Denys was appointed Attorney General in 1966 and Colonial Secretary (later renamed as Chief Secretary) in 1973. He was Chief Justice from 1979 to 1988. He had also served as Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal between 1997 and 2003.Mr Leung said Sir Denys had made ...

Public order law to stay TK Lai

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Public Order Ordinance has been effective in enabling Police to take reasonable and appropriate measures when discharging their duties, facilitating peaceful conduct at lawful assemblies, processions and demonstrations, and the Government has no plans to amend the law.This was the message from Secretary for Security TK Lai to lawmakers today, on the arrest of a woman who took part in a ...

Ovitrap index rises to 2.5

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The monthly average ovitrap index for April rose to 2.5% from 0.1% in March, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department announced today.The ovitrap indices reflect the prevalence of Aedes albopictus, a mosquito vector for Dengue fever transmission.Among the 44 areas surveyed last month, positive ovitrap indices were recorded in 20 areas, ranging from 1.6% to 16.7%, with the highest in ...

Welfare cases fall 0.2

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance caseload stood at 267,206 in April, with a total of 412,889 recipients, the Social Welfare Department announced today.Compared to March, there was a reduction of 417 cases, or a drop of 0.2%.Low earnings and unemployment cases registered month-to-month decreases of 0.9% and 0.7% to 9,854 and 23,139 cases.Single parent and old age cases both ...

Views sought on stored value facilities

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau and the Monetary Authority are seeking views on a proposal to enhance the regulatory regime for stored value facilities and retail payment systems in Hong Kong.The Banking Ordinance currently contains a regulatory regime for multi-purpose stored value cards to regulate device-based stored value products.The authority's Deputy Chief Executive ...

Hong Kong Regulator Says Former Deutsche Bank Trader Violated Code of Conduct

Fox Business - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Securities and Futures Commission said late Tuesday a former trader at Deutsche Bank AG violated the regulator's code of conduct, which resulted in a sudden fall in the price of HSBC Holdings PLC's (0005.HK) Hong Kong-listed shares four years ago.The regulator's statement follows a multi-year investigation that aimed to uncover whether there was any market manipulation ...

Central Oasis ready in 2020

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The first phase of the proposed Central Oasis project to revitalise the former Central Market is expected to be completed by 2017-18, while the whole project will be completed by 2019-20.Secretary for Development Paul Chan made the statement to lawmakers today, saying the project is two years behind the original plan. The new dates are subject to Town Planning Board approval."Apart from ...

ExCo suspension justified CE

news.gov.hk - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Chief Executive CY Leung has reiterated that the suspension of the Executive Council's weekly meeting yesterday was due to no items being on the agenda, and the decision was made a week ago. It had nothing to do with the matter relating to Barry Cheung.Mr Leung made the statement to the media today before attending a ceremony.He said the Executive Council has met often, and its meetings ...

Heavy rain puts Hong Kong on hold

China Daily - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

/enpproperty--> HONG KONG - Hong Kong had been affected by heavy rain on Wednesday morning, with more than 20 cases of flooding reported, and schools and public services on halt. The city's observatory issued black rainstorm warning at around 4 am local time which had been in force for over five hours. More than 150 mm of rainfall were recorded over many parts of the territory. A total ...

Hong Kong Disneyland unveils new attraction

China.org.cn - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Mystic Manor, the final chapter of Hong Kong Disneyland's current expansion project officially opened on May 17, 2013 to attract large numbers of tourists. [Photo: Xinhua] Mystic Manor, the final chapter of Hong Kong Disneyland's current expansion project officially opened recently, attracting large numbers of tourists. Featuring one of the most sophisticated systems ever built by ...