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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
A company director and three employers were fined $46,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (September 2), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485) (the ¡§Ordinance¡¨).
Lee Kit Ching, director of Cheung Yuen Toys & Garment Co, Ltd. (BR no.: 34454958), was charged for offences under section 7A(8) and section 44 of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period between April and September 2006. The defendant was fined $5,000 for the first summons and $1,200 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $11,000.
Cheung Yuen Toys & Garment Co, Ltd. was also charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between October 2006 and March 2007. The defendant was fined $5,000 for the first summons and $1,200 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $11,000.
Kingsland Engineering Co Limited (BR no.: 13210032) was charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between June 2007 and January 2008. The defendant was fined $8,000 for the first summons and $2,000 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $22,000.
Chu San Hung trading as Seashore Palace Health Spa (BR no.: 30026268) was charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods in April 2008. The defendant was fined $2,000 for the summons.
Meanwhile, the MPFA today also pursued seven claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $180,000 on behalf of 33 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the tribunal's hearing today, three defendants, Traders Choice International Company Limited, Cheung Hing Steel Furniture Manufacturing Company Limited and To Lap Kei Trading as Yau Bong Auto Glass, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $43,337.54, $17,262 and $16,958.76 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other four defendants,namely Tai Pang Logistics Limited, Choi Wai Man Trading as Health Link, Lodco Engineering Service Company Limited and Eternity International Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $44,344.96, $44,338.23, $13,560.43, and $1,035.03, 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 $186, $206, $160, $195, $470, $100 and $172 respectively as the costs in respect of the claims.
Ends/Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:07
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