Property owner fined $100,000 for not complying with removal and repair orders
An owner was fined $100,000 yesterday (October 14) upon conviction at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on July 29 for failing to comply with a removal order and a repair order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
The West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, the West Kowloon Law Courts Building
The case involved alteration of units into mini-storages in an industrial building on Texaco Road, Tsuen Wan. 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 firefighting and rescue, contravening the Building (Planning) Regulations, a removal order and a repair order were served on the owner under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO respectively. Failing to comply with the statutory orders, the owner was prosecuted by the BD.
The Buildings Department. Photo source: reference image
A spokesman for the BD said today (October 15), "Unauthorised alteration works causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue, or affecting the fire-resistant construction of a building may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders and repair orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders and repair orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public 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 up to $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 up to $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.
Source: AI-found images
HKMA announces "ART" Framework to promote responsible AI adoption
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (October 15) the "ART" Framework to support the responsible adoption of AI in the banking sector, fostering an AI-enabled banking ecosystem with "Accountability", "Resilience", and "Trust".
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Photo source: reference image
AI systems are becoming more autonomous, with greater access to data, tools and workflows. With the aim of supporting banks in seizing the opportunities presented by AI while maintaining robust governance and operational resilience, key initiatives under the "ART" Framework include:
- An AItraining data sharing platform in collaboration with Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport) and the University of Hong Kong, with data quality assurance as a core design principle; and
- Further testing of agentic AIapplications through the GenA.I.Sandbox++and an upcoming discussion paper on a proposed supervisory framework for agentic A.I. governance, exploring intent-anchored accountability, a registry of material AIagents, and effective intervention mechanisms.
The HKMA is also co-hosting the two-day Finance+A.I. Forum with Cyberport on October 15 and 16, marking the successful completion of the technical trials under the second cohort of the GenAI Sandbox, which delivered positive results. Notably, more than 60 per cent of the use cases explored agentic AI, demonstrating the industry's active pursuit of advanced AI applications, such as automated planning and execution of multi-step tasks within defined boundaries and controls.
Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA Mr Arthur Yuen said, "The progression from generative to agentic AI represents an important new stage of innovation for the banking sector. Under Fintech 2030, the HKMA is introducing the 'ART' Framework, which stands for 'Accountability', 'Resiliency' and 'Trust', with the aim of providing a clear foundation for banks to develop and deploy AI responsibly. By pairing innovation with clear accountability, resilient operating models and effective human oversight, banks can fully realise the benefits of AI while maintaining the trust and stability for Hong Kong's financial system."
Photo source: reference image
