Chan fails to overturn injunction

The High Court has rejected an attempt by fung shui master Tony Chan, who is being sued by the temporary administrator of the Nina Wang estate for HK$130 million in legal fees, to conceal assets.

Chan lost a court battle to claim the deceased real estate tycoon's estate. The Court of Final Appeal ruled in February last year that the 2006 will Chan presented was a forgery. The accounting firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu secured an injunction in December to freeze Chan's assets to settle some HK$130 million in legal fees. Chan was also required to list every asset worth more than HK$100,000.

In response, Chan filed an affidavit with the High Court, saying he could pay the HK$130 million if he were allowed to sell some of his assets. Counsel for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu objected on the grounds that Chan's assets are held by a company and proceeds from selling them do not necessarily go to Chan.

Ombudsman probe food regulator

The Ombudsman Alan Lai launched a direct investigation on Thursday into regulatory measures and enforcement actions taken against unauthorized extension in the business area of restaurants.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) regulates food businesses through a licensing system. The FEHD takes enforcement action against street obstructions under public health ordinances.

But from the complaints handled by the Ombudsman's office, the regulations and the enforcement actions have not been effective, said Lai.

Mobile broadband users surge

There were 7.7 million mobile broadband users in Hong Kong by October last year. That compared with 6 million at the same time in 2010, according to the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA).

Complaints filed with the telecom service regulator dropped by 13 percent to something above 4,900 cases last year. Of the complaints, those involving bill disputes fell by more than 30 percent.

With the OFTA's fair use policy guideline going into force on Feb 13, the OFTA stressed the operators are not allowed to market as "unlimited" access, plans that carry usage restrictions. Instead, the operators may consider adopting names such as "high volume plans".

Chickenpox peak caution

Hong Kong may see another cyclical outbreak of chickenpox this year or next, with the peak season from December to February.

The Centre for Health Protection warned on Thursday that the disease, prevalent among children, would normally strike every three to four years - the last outbreak being in 2007.

There were 13,600 confirmed cases of chickenpox in Hong Kong last year, with 440 cases reported at kindergartens and child-care centers and 310 at primary and secondary schools. The center said infected persons would normally have permanent immunity against chickenpox although there may be exceptions. However, the virus is likely to remain latent in the body and recur later with a rash commonly called shingles.

China Daily

(HK Edition 02/10/2012 page1)