*******************************************************
The Buildings Department was determined to tackle the problem of unauthorised building works by prosecuting private building owners who failed to comply with statutory removal orders, a spokesman for the Department said today (February 20).
"The department instigated 3,042 prosecution cases against non-compliant owners in 2006. In 2004 there were 1,664 prosecutions and in 2005 there were 2,962," the spokesman said.
"The prosecution action resulted in fines of $7.78 million last year. The heaviest penalty handed down by the court was a fine of $80,000," he said, saying that the defendant was convicted in July, 2006, of failing to comply with a statutory order to remove an unauthorised advertising signboard.
"The Buildings Department has been enforcing the law against unauthorised building works in accordance with a policy established in 2001. Under the policy, the department may serve removal orders on owners to remove unauthorised building works which are newly erected, constituting a danger to life or property or are situated in buildings that are targeted for large scale operations," he said.
Under the Buildings Ordinance, owners who have failed to comply with a statutory removal orders without a reasonable excuse may be prosecuted and are liable on conviction to a maximum penalty of a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for one year. The convicted owner would also be subject to an additional daily fine of $20,000.
"We have been taking vigorous action to tackle the problem of unauthorised buildings works to safeguard public safety. A total of 32,711 removal orders were issued and 48,479 unauthorised building works were removed or rectified in 2006," he noted.
The spokesman said building owners had a responsibility to maintain their buildings in a safe condition and to ensure the buildings were free from unauthorised building works.
"Building owners facing financial difficulties in demolishing unauthorised building works can apply for low interest or interest free loans under the Buildings Department's Building Safety Loan Scheme," he said.
Ends/Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:00
NNNN
