Auction of personalised vehicle registration marks to be held January 17 and 18
The Transport Department (TD) today (January 2) announced that auctions of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on January 17 (Saturday) and 18 (Sunday) in Meeting Room N101, L1, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
"A total of 223 approved PVRMs will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of the marks have been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html," a department spokesman said.
The reserve price of each of these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following points:
(1) Bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after a successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser (if the purchaser and the successful bidder are different persons);
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (if the purchaser is a body corporate); and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for the mark assignment can be completed. Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.
(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the Memorandum will not be permitted.
(3) A PVRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
(4) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.
(5) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed.
(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for reallocation by the Commissioner for Transport in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
"Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing," the spokesman added.
For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes - Auction of PVRMs, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/pvrm_auction/index.html.
The Transport Department (TD), Photo by Bastille post
Take action to prevent cervical cancer in support of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
The Department of Health (DH) today (January 2) urged members of the public to support Cervical Cancer Awareness Month by adopting healthy lifestyles and taking effective precautionary measures against cervical cancer, including receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and undergoing regular cervical screening.
"The Government attaches great importance to cancer prevention and control. We have consistently pursued the goal of 'early prevention, early detection and early treatment' through vaccination. The Cervical Screening Programme has been launched since 2004. HPV vaccination has been included under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) since 2019, and a high vaccination rate of about 90 per cent has been maintained in recent years. This significantly lowers the risk of cervical cancer in Hong Kong females. The DH also launched a one-off HPV Vaccination Catch-up Programme in December 2024, with over 48 000 doses administered so far. The Government will further expand cervical screening services to encourage more women to undergo screening and safeguard their health," said Dr Edwin Tsui, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) designated January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness and motivate actions against cervical cancer, with the goal of eliminating this public health concern within the next century.
In Hong Kong, cervical cancer was the seventh most common female cancer in 2023 and the ninth leading cause of cancer deaths among females. As most cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV, women are recommended to receive HPV vaccination before having sexual relations, undergo regular cervical screenings and practise safe sex (such as using condoms and avoiding multiple sexual partners) to prevent HPV infection. In addition, smoking should be avoided as it can increase the risk of cervical cancer.
HPV vaccination
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"HPV vaccination is among the most effective measures for cervical cancer prevention, especially for those who have never been exposed to HPV infection, i.e. before their first sexual encounter. Since the 2019/20 school year, the DH has been providing free HPV vaccinations to eligible Primary 5 schoolgirls under the HKCIP. The DH's School Immunisation Teams provide the first dose of vaccine to Primary 5 female students at their schools, and the second dose will be given to them when they reach Primary 6 during the following school year. The second dose coverage rates of HPV vaccination for Primary 6 girls in the school year 2024/25 has reached 92 per cent," Dr Tsui said.
In December 2024, the DH launched a one-off HPV Vaccination Catch-up Programme, offering free catch-up vaccinations to female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have not completed their HPV vaccination. Eligible persons only need to register with eHealth, and can schedule an appointment through the website or by calling 2855 1333 to receive a free HPV vaccination at Women Wellness Satellites (WWSs) or designated District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses (DHCEs) under the Primary Healthcare Commission of the Health Bureau. The programme is to last for about two years. Details can be found on the DH's website.
Cervical screening
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Infection with HPV or early stages of cervical cancer may not have any noticeable symptoms. Therefore, women aged 25 to 64 who have had sexual experience should undergo regular cervical screenings. Members of the public can access information about cervical screenings via the DH website. The DH also regularly sends reminders to eligible women via the Cervical Screening Information System and the eHealth mobile app to schedule their screenings.
Cervical screening services are available at Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the DH, WWSs, as well as through non-governmental organisations and private healthcare providers. Common screening methods include HPV testing and/or a cytology examination (also called a cervical smear or pap smear) performed by healthcare professionals. The WHO has also recommended vaginal self-sampling for HPV testing as another reliable method for cervical screening. Starting in 2024, the DH initiated HPV testing of self-collected samples at 11 MCHCs to study the feasibility and acceptability of vaginal HPV self-sampling locally. Moreover, HPV testing of self-collected samples is planned to be rolled out in WWSs in the first quarter of 2026. Details will be announced later on the WWS's website.
It is important to note that there is currently insufficient scientific evidence in Hong Kong or internationally to support the use of self-collected menstrual blood or urine samples for cervical screenings. The DH will continue to review the latest scientific evidence.
Women who wish to receive a cervical screening at MCHCs can schedule an appointment through the 24-hour hotline at 3166 6631, or contact WWSs via itswebsiteor 18 DHCs/DHCEs (website) for personalised primary healthcare services for women including cervical cancer screening. For further information on cervical cancer and screenings, please visit the DH's website.
Life course preventive care plan
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At the same time, the Primary Healthcare Commission is actively promoting the life course preventive care plan. Based on the core principles of prevention-oriented and whole-person care, a personalised preventive care plan will be formulated to address the health needs of citizens across different life stages with reference to the latest evidence. Family doctors and primary healthcare professionals will collaborate to provide health advice and education on chronic diseases and cancer screening as well as healthy lifestyles according to age, sex and personal factors such as family history. The WWSs offer personalised primary healthcare services for women, including health assessments, individual consultations, cervical cancer and breast cancer screenings, etc and will refer cases to family doctors for follow-ups when necessary.
The Department of Health (DH), Photo source: reference image
