Authorized person and registered structural engineer reprimanded and fined by disciplinary board
The Authorized Persons', Registered Structural Engineers' and Registered Geotechnical Engineers' Disciplinary Board (the Board) has completed disciplinary inquiries under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) and decided that an authorized person (AP) and a registered structural engineer (RSE) should be disciplined for having been convicted by the court of offences related to carrying out their professional duties.
The Board ordered the AP to be reprimanded and to pay $50,100 in total, being the costs of the Board and the Buildings Department (BD) for conducting the inquiry, while the RSE is to be reprimanded, fined $25,000 and pay $46,600 in total, being the costs of the Board and the BD for conducting the inquiry.
The Board's written decisions and orders issued on April 2 were published in the Gazette today (April 24). Details are available at the following links:
(i) egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=17¬ice_no=2274&extra=0
(ii) egazette.gld.gov.hk/pdf?type=egn&year=2026&volume=30&gno=17¬ice_no=2273&extra=0
The case involved the excavation and lateral support works carried out at a construction site at Cambridge Road, Kowloon Tong. An investigation by the BD found that the replacement works of channel planking were carried out without prior approval and consent obtained from the Building Authority, the excavation and lateral support works diverged or deviated in a material way from the approved plans, and the works were carried out in such a manner as was likely to cause a risk of injury to any person or damage to any property.
The AP and the RSE in question were later prosecuted, convicted and each fined $16,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on February 8, 2023, pursuant to sections 40(1AA), 40(2A)(b) and 40(2B)(b) of the BO.
In view of the convictions and the results of the investigation, the BD notified the Board for its consideration to take disciplinary actions against them under the provisions of section 7(1) of the BO.
A spokesperson for the BD reiterated that any building professional who contravenes the relevant provisions of the BO in carrying out his professional duties, or is convicted by any court of an offence related to the carrying out of his professional duties, or has been negligent or has misconducted themselves, will be subject to enforcement action including criminal prosecution and disciplinary action under the BO.
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More Hong Kong Reading Week highlight activities to be held this weekend
Various highlight activities of Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 (HKRW) will be held tomorrow (April 25) and on Sunday (April 26) at the Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL), selected public libraries, and Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong. HKRW is presented by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
The public libraries in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao earlier organised the 4.23 World Book Day Creative Competition under the theme "Blissful Moments Between Pages". The HKPL will hold a prize presentation ceremony at the HKCL tomorrow to commend participants from Hong Kong who excelled in the competition.
A series of fun day activities suitable for people of all ages will be available at the HKCL tomorrow and on Sunday, including a music and story sharing session hosted by pop singer Phil Lam at the Exhibition Gallery of the HKCL at 7.30pm tomorrow. With a captivating performance of songs and selected book excerpts, Lam will share the companionship found in words throughout the ups and downs of life. A live broadcast of the sharing session will be available at the "Reading is Joyful" social media page.
Other fascinating fun day activities include a magic performance and workshops by Harry Wong, interactive sessions with guide dogs, a sand painting performance and workshops, the "Miniature World of Hong Kong" exhibition, and music interflows featuring classic pieces by Chinese and Western ensembles of the Music Office. An interactive device, "The Happiness Explorer", will be set up to recommend good books to participants through combining reading and elements of self-exploration to encourage them to find happiness and joy in reading.
Furthermore, the Pop-up Library@Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 under the theme "Happiness Is Just Around the Book Corner" will be held at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong between 11am and 7pm tomorrow. There will be a cappella and band performances, live story telling sessions by Story Ambassadors, a virtual reality journey through the worlds of literary classics, and book reading sessions with professional therapy dogs for members of the public to enjoy.
Selected public libraries across Hong Kong will hold storytelling and handicraft workshops tomorrow and on Sunday, while self-service photo booths will also be available in some of the selected libraries for patrons to enjoy reading in a fun-filled atmosphere.
HKRW is being held from April 20 to 26. Under the theme "Delight/LIBRARY", the HKRW offers about 470 events to encourage members of the public to develop the reading habit. All HKRW activities are free of charge, with seat reservations required for some events. For details, please visit the website: www.hkpl.gov.hk/hkrw.
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