XN000022-1995-12-20 — Page 16

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Summonses issued to contractor for suspected late payment

The Labour Department today (Wednesday) issued six summonses to a building contractor for suspected late payment of wages to a group of imported workers from Thailand in July and August this year.

The summonses were served on Dragages et Travaux Publics, the contractor of a construction site under the new airport and related projects at the Central Reclamation Phase One under Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance.

Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance stipulates that wages shall become due on the expiry of the last day of the wage period and shall be paid as soon as practicable but in any case not later than seven days thereafter. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.

The case will be heard in Western Magistracy on January 19, 1996.

A Labour Department spokesman said labour officers were still investigating a number of cases involving late payment of wages to imported workers engaged in the new airport and related projects.

"Prosecution will be taken once we collect sufficient evidence and upon receiving advice from the Attorney General," the spokesman added.

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New drop-off area completed to relieve congestion at airport

In a bid to improve customer service and relieve pressure on the already congested roads in the airport during the Christmas and Chinese New Year, finishing touches have just been put to the new drop-off area at Kai Tak Airport.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Department said today (Wednesday) the new drop-off area was converted from the second floor of the car park and was easily accessible from Olympic Avenue.