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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
Four employers and one manager were fined $82,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (February 5), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.
CCV Development Limited pleaded guilty to an offence under section 7(1) of the ordinance. The defendant was fined $8,000 for failing to enrol an employee in MPF scheme as required by the ordinance.
Pioneer (Asia) Limited trading as Phoenixe Court pleaded guilty to an offence under section 7(1) of the ordinance and was fined $10,000 for failing to enrol an employee in MPF scheme.
Strong Base Engineering Limited was charged under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to nine counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between April and December, 2005. The defendant was fined $12,000 for the first offence and $3,500 each on the other counts, totalling $40,000.
Waheungai Company Limited was charged under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between April and August, 2007. The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first offence and $1,500 each for the remaining offences, totalling $12,000.
Wong Yuen Ming, manager of Waheungai Company Limited, was charged under section 7A(8) and section 44 of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period in April and August 2007. The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first offence and $1,500 each for the remaining offences, totalling $12,000.
The MPFA pursued five claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $100,000 on behalf of nine employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
Three defendants, Pang Sing Fu trading as Fu Kee Aquarium Eng Company, Wong Sze Kwong trading as Tong Li Car Service and City Grand Construction Engineering Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $38,680, $37,474.30 and $4,979.03, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Lo Yuk Chun trading as Law's Container Service Co. and Ng Chung Kin formerly trading as Greatful Logistics Company, did not appear. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $19,961.20 and $8,250, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded at the tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The tribunal further ordered the defendants to pay costs of $230, $170, $186, $120 and $150.
Ends/Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:10
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