The Immigration Department will hold the new smart Hong Kong identity card (HKIC) roving exhibition at the Covered Piazza, Times Square, Causeway Bay, on April 13 and 14 from 11am to 7pm. Members of the public are invited to attend and admission is free.
 
     Through various display panels, a touchscreen display and promotional videos, the exhibition will introduce the new smart HKIC, the Territory-wide Identity Card Replacement Exercise and the history of the HKIC. In addition, games stalls will be set up and relevant promotional materials and souvenirs will be distributed. Members of the public can gain a better understanding of the new smart HKIC and details of the Replacement Exercise through the exhibition.
 
     The roving exhibition will later be held in other districts and the details will be announced in due course.

      

     The integrated science programme HK SciFest 2019 is running from today (April 12) until April 28, offering over 150 activities to enhance public interest in science and technology. The festival is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by the Hong Kong Science Museum in collaboration with 94 partners and units, aiming to encourage members of the public to experience the fun of science.
 
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, said that the Government has carried out several initiatives to foster innovation and technology development in Hong Kong, under which STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education is of great importance. With STEM as the theme, this year's edition of the annual HK SciFest aims to deepen public understanding on STEM education and enhance students' interest in science, as well as make contributions to Hong Kong's innovation and technology development.
 
     Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Science Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Ching Pak-chung; the Assistant Director of the Highways (Technical), Mr Ho Yiu-kwong; the Director of the Interdisciplinary Programs Office and Acting Dean of Students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Chow King-lau; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Science Museum, Ms Paulina Chan.
 
     To tie in with the theme, the Hong Kong Science Museum will turn into a STEM hub during the Easter holidays to provide members of the public with a series of remarkable STEM-themed activities. In addition, Croucher Science Week will continue to take place this year, with science communicators from the UK, the US and Australia joining local Croucher Scholars to present interesting science drama shows and workshops. Members of the public are also welcome to join the Fun Science Carnival to enjoy science in a light-hearted way.
 
     Other fun-filled activities of the festival include field visits, exhibitions, guided tours, science workshops, science drama shows, lectures, science film shows, experiment classes and science competitions. The wide range of topics covers life sciences, chemistry, mathematics and physics, technology and engineering, Earth sciences and climatology, astronomy and space technology, and interdisciplinary programmes.
 
     For details on activities and enrolment procedures under HK SciFest 2019, please visit the website at www.hk.science.museum/scifest2019/web/?lang=en&text=0.

     The Government announced in the Gazette today (April 12) appointments to the Process Review Panel in relation to the Regulation of Mandatory Provident Fund Intermediaries (PRP).

     The Chief Executive has appointed Ms Grace Yu Ho-wun and Mr Allen Lau Kai-hung as members of the PRP. The appointments will take effect from April 12, 2019, until March 31, 2021, both dates inclusive.

     Welcoming the appointments, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, said, "I trust the new appointees will utilise their sound professional knowledge and expertise and contribute to the work of the PRP.

     "Under the distinguished leadership of Dr Eddy Fong, the PRP has played a vital role in enhancing the regulatory regime for the protection of Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) scheme members by reviewing the operations of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) in relation to MPF intermediaries. I am confident that the PRP will continue to provide constructive and insightful suggestions to the MPFA with a view to continuously improving the effectiveness and enhancing the transparency of the regulatory regime for MPF intermediaries."

     Established in November 2013 following the commencement of the statutory regulatory regime for MPF intermediaries, the PRP is an independent panel tasked to review and advise the MPFA on the adequacy and consistency of its internal procedures and operational guidelines governing the actions taken and operational decisions made by the MPFA and its staff in the performance of its regulatory functions relating to the regulation of MPF intermediaries and associated matters.

     Following is the membership of the PRP with effect from April 12, 2019:

Chairman
———–
Dr Eddy Fong Ching

Members
———–
Miss Grace Chan Man-yee
Mr Chan Yim-kwong
Ms Agnes Choi Heung-kwan
Mr Eugene Fung Ting-sek, SC
Mr Hui Ching-yu
Mr Allen Lau Kai-hung
Mr James Lin
Ms Nicole Yuen Shuk-kam
Ms Grace Yu Ho-wun

Ex-officio members
———————-
Chairman of the MPFA
Secretary for Justice (or her representative)

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) estimates that around 6.1 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong's sea, land and air control points during the upcoming Easter festive period (from April 18 to 22). Among them, about 79 per cent, or around 4.8 million passengers, will pass through land boundary control points. The number of outbound passengers will be at its highest on April 19 (Friday) with around 657 000 passengers departing Hong Kong, while the number of inbound passengers using land boundary control points will reach its peak on April 21 (Sunday), with around 552 000 passengers arriving in Hong Kong.
 
     Lo Wu will be the busiest control point, and it is estimated that there will be around 1.54 million passengers, with a daily average of about 309 000 passengers, travelling via this control point during the festive period. The passenger traffic at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and Shenzhen Bay control points will also be heavy, with daily average forecasts of about 192 000 and 150 000 passengers respectively.
 
     To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic during the festive period, the ImmD has minimised leave for front-line officers for flexible deployment and operation of extra clearance counters and kiosks. Additional security guards will also be deployed to provide crowd management support.
 
     Furthermore, the ImmD, the Police, the Customs and Excise Department and the MTR Corporation Limited will set up a joint command centre at Lo Wu Control Point to make necessary arrangements. The ImmD will also establish close communication with the Mainland frontier inspection authorities. To ensure smooth passenger traffic flow, passenger conditions will be closely monitored and appropriate traffic diversion plans will be adopted when necessary.
 
     To avoid congestion and a longer than usual waiting time for immigration clearance, the ImmD advises all land boundary passengers to plan in advance and avoid making their journeys during busy periods, and to keep track of radio and TV broadcasts on traffic conditions at the various control points. The expected busy times at boundary control points are available on the website of the ImmD at www.immd.gov.hk. Furthermore, passengers may also check the estimated waiting times of all land boundary control points at any time or place via the Immigration Mobile Application (ImmD Mobile App). They can then plan their trips effectively and save time queuing up at control points. The ImmD Mobile App can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store (supports iOS version 9.0 or above) and Google Play (supports Android version 5.0 or above). The links for downloading can also be found on the ImmD website, www.immd.gov.hk. In addition, information on public transport services to and from various control points is available on the Transport Department website at www.td.gov.hk.
 
     The ImmD will upload daily passenger statistics for the above festive period to its website at www.immd.gov.hk for public reference.
 
     For travellers making journeys to the Mainland, the ImmD reminds them to carry their proof of identity and valid travel documents for crossing the boundary. Hong Kong residents should also check the validity of their Home Visit Permits. Non-permanent residents must carry their valid smart identity card as well as their Document of Identity for Visa Purposes or valid travel document.
 
     Holders of the acknowledgement receipt issued due to reported loss or replacement of their Hong Kong identity cards, or children under 11 years old who hold Hong Kong identity cards, should carry a valid travel document or Re-entry Permit.
 
     Over 700 e-Channels have been installed at various control points. Re-enrolment is required for enrolled Mainland visitors holding a booklet-type Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao who have changed their enrolment information, e.g. having renewed their exit endorsement. Furthermore, eligible Mainland holders of the electronic Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (e-EEP) can enrol for the e-Channel service by using their e-EEP and undergoing the enrolment process at a traditional entry counter on their first visit to Hong Kong. Eligible Mainland visitors who have renewed their e-EEP have to go through the aforesaid enrolment process again before they can use the e-Channel.
   
     In addition, all control points have introduced self-service departure for visitors to Hong Kong (Smart Departure) which provides greater travel convenience for visitors. The service employs facial recognition technology for identity verification, which allows eligible visitors holding electronic travel documents to perform self-service departure clearance through Smart Departure e-Channels without prior enrolment.
 
     Hong Kong residents who require assistance while travelling outside Hong Kong may call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD at (852) 1868.

     The Government today (April 12) published in the Gazette the Entertainment Special Effects (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2019. The Amendment proposes to adjust upward the licence and permit fees under the Entertainment Special Effects (Fees) Regulation (Cap. 560B) by 11.1 per cent to 14.4 per cent.

     Subject to the approval of the Legislative Council through the negative vetting procedure, the proposed new fees will take effect on July 1, 2019.

     A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said that the existing fees have been in force since May 2013. The proposed fees adjustment was in response to inflation and increases in associated costs since 2013.

     "Under the proposed fees revision, the increase in fees for permits is in the order of tens of dollars; whereas for licences, in over 90 per cent of the items the increase in fees is less than $225. It is expected that the proposed fees revision will have negligible impact on business operating costs of the film and entertainment sectors concerned.

     "In accordance with the 'user pays' principle, it is the Government's policy that fees charged by the Government for various services should in general be set at levels sufficient to recover the full cost of providing the services. The proposed fees revision is in line with relevant policy," the spokesman said.