BackThe Office of The Ombudsman held a seminar entitled "Private Building Management" on June 25. Around 60 Justices of the Peace ("JPs") and Advisers of the Office attended the seminar and exchanged views with the guest speaker and other participants regarding the Government's policy on private building management, its role and support services provided to property owners, and several new measures and schemes being implemented.
In her welcoming speech, The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, said, "Private property is the major asset of many people in Hong Kong and they have put their lifetime savings into this investment. Effective private building management is, therefore, of paramount importance to them." Assistant Director of Home Affairs Mr Franco Kwok was invited as the guest speaker in this seminar. He explained the prevailing Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and discussed the role and functions of the Home Affairs Department in private building management.
Ms Lau noted that Government has already submitted to the Legislative Council the Property Management Services Bill for establishing the Property Management Services Authority to introduce a mandatory licensing regime for property management companies and property management practitioners, with an aim of enhancing their professional practice standards. The Office welcomes this proposal and will continue to monitor any improvement in the issue of private building management after the passage of the Bill.
Each year, the Office of The Ombudsman organises seminars on various topics for its Advisers and members of the JPs Assistance Scheme. These seminars aim to enhance their understanding of the Office's work and the responsibilities of different Government departments and provide them with a platform to express their views so that they can help promote the work of the Office through their daily contact with the public, thereby contributing to improvement in public administration and services.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman, Hong Kong
