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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (July 10) pursued nine claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $182,000 on behalf of 32 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the tribunal¡¦s hearing today, the defendant Keen Centre Limited did not dispute the amounts claimed. The adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sum of $12,726.98, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other eight defendants, namely Ocean China transportation Ltd, New Generation Travel Limited, The Spa By Slimming Found Consultant Limited, Au Chi Yuen, Red Phoenix Group (HK) Limited, Chan Yuen Ting and Ko Yu Fun formerly trading as Red Phoenix Group, Lee Pui Yee formerly trading as Hi-Speed Delivery Company, and Kitchen Workshop Limited trading as Hong Kong Kitchen Co., did not appear at today¡¦s hearing. In their absence, the adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $48,055.96, $48,013.3, $30,522.23, $21,840, $9,039.98, $6,027, $4,332.30 and $2,036.71, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees¡¦ MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The tribunal further ordered the respective defendants to pay $119, $160, $220, $165, $140, $119, $80, $75 and $176 as the costs in respect of the claims.
Keen Centre Limited pleaded guilty previously at Kwun Tong Magistracy to a count of failing to enroll its employee in an MPF scheme as required by the ordinance and was fined $3,000.
Ends/Friday, July 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:00
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