Company director and employers fined for breaching MPFS Ordinance
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    A company director and two employers were fined $26,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (June 4), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.

     Chan Po Yi, director of Real Dragon Investment Limited trading as Rico Bistro, was charged with offences under section 7A(8) and section 44 of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions for her employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between October and December, 2006. The defendant was fined $5,000 for the first summons and $1,500 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $8,000.

     Real Dragon Investment Limited trading as Rico Bistro was charged with offences under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between July and September, 2006. The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first summons and $2,000 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $10,000.

     Chan Wing Kin trading as Sun Wing Lee Transportation Company was charged for offences under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between March and April, 2005. The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first summons and $2,000 for the other summons, totalling $8,000.

     Meanwhile, the MPFA obtained an order for payment of outstanding MPF contributions at about $78,000 against an employer in the District Court. The MPFA also pursued six claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $50,000 on behalf of six employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

     The District Court issued a judgment against an employer, Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited. The defendant was ordered to pay the MPFA $78,607.59, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable to three employees of the defendant.

     At the tribunal's hearing, defendant, Ng Chi, did not dispute the amount claimed. The Adjudicator ordered him to pay the MPFA $18,150.09, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The other five defendants, Polylink (International) Cargo Service Limited, Pioneer Sun Textiles Holdings Limited, Join Channel Limited, Soonbase Industrial Limited and So Kwok Ching, Ben formerly trading as L. Ling Shop, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $23,588.72, $12,568.62, $10,675, $10,121.92 and $3,750, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The amounts both awarded at the District Court and the tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The District Court and the tribunal further ordered each of the respective defendants to pay costs of $930 for the District Court case and $200, $116, $96, $90, $136 and $140 for the Tribunal cases as the costs in respect of the claims.

Ends/Monday, June 4, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:25

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