The Transport Department (TD) today (December 28) reminded members of the public that to facilitate urgent road repair works, the fast lane of the section of East Kowloon Way westbound between Lok Shan Road and Shek Tong Street will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic from 8am to 5pm this Sunday (December 30).

     Due to the lane closure, the TD anticipates that the traffic along Kai Tak Tunnel westbound and East Kowloon Way westbound will be relatively busy during the above period. Motorists passing through the road section concerned should exercise tolerance and patience and drive with utmost care. Appropriate traffic signs will be erected on-site to guide motorists.

     Motorists are advised to consider using alternative routes to Kowloon Central and Kowloon West. They are also advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow more travelling time to avoid unexpected delay.

     The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary. Members of the public are advised to stay alert to the latest traffic news on radio and television.

     Details of the temporary traffic arrangement are now available on the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).

     The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) (Regular Portion's 12th Round Application) and the Dedicated Portion of the PFD for Implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes (Dedicated Portion's Fifth Round Application) managed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) opened for application today (December 28). Welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and eligible primary and secondary schools are encouraged to submit proposals.
          
     The Government set up the PFD in 2005 for promoting tripartite partnership among the welfare sector, business corporations and the Government to help the disadvantaged. To date the Government has injected a total of $1.2 billion. Apart from a commitment of $800 million for the Regular Portion of the PFD to help the disadvantaged, a total of $400 million has been earmarked as Dedicated Portion. Since its launch in 2015, the Dedicated Portion has been actively promoting the "Citizens-Business-Government-School" collaboration to implement more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families to facilitate their whole-person development.
          
     A spokesman for the SWD said that the first 11 rounds of the Regular Portion Applications of the PFD have approved matching grants worth over $437 million for 185 welfare NGOs sponsored by over 1 500 business partners. More than 1 million disadvantaged persons have benefitted from a total of 923 welfare projects. The first four rounds of Dedicated Portion applications attracted a favourable response. Around $180 million matching grants have been approved for 239 after-school learning and support projects so far. Over 300 business organisations participated in the projects, benefitting more than 100 000 primary and secondary students in total.
          
     Summaries of the two applications are as follows:
 

     
     Details of the Regular Portion and the Dedicated Portion of the PFD are available on SWD homepage: www.swd.gov.hk. For enquiries about the applications, please contact the Secretariat of the PFD during office hours on 2892 5104/2892 5306, or by email to pmpfd@swd.gov.hk.

     The Government announced today (December 28) that the Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Eugene Fung Ting-sek, SC, as Chairperson of the Banking Review Tribunal, and appointed four persons as members of the Tribunal. All appointments will take effect for a term of three years from January 1, 2019. 

     Two incumbent members of the Tribunal, namely Mrs Dorothy Sit Kwan Yin-ping and Mr Dieter Yih Lai-tak, are reappointed, while Ms Joan Ho Yuk-wai and Professor Tam Kar-yan are newly appointed as members of the Tribunal.

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, said, "I welcome the above appointments. I am confident that the appointees' expertise and experience will continue to contribute to the effective operation of the tribunal."

     Mr Lau also expressed his gratitude to the outgoing members, Ms Dilys Chau Suet-fung and Professor Japhet Sebastian Law, for their valuable contributions over the past years.

     The Banking Review Tribunal was established under the Banking Ordinance to hear appeals against relevant decisions made by the Monetary Authority in relation to capital, liquidity and disclosure requirements that apply to authorized institutions.

     The above appointments made under the Banking Ordinance were gazetted today.

     The Government announced today (December 28) that the Chief Executive has re-appointed Dr Ben Cheung Kin-leung as Chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) and re-appointed nine members. Seven new members have been appointed. 
      
     The re-appointments and new appointments are for a two-year term from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020. 
      
     The newly appointed members are Dr Cheung Wai-him, Dr Lam Ho-yi, Mr Clifford Leung Siu-on, Professor Anthony Ng Chi-fai, Mr Poon Hing-fai, Mr Albert Su Yau-on and Professor Tang Wai-kwong. 
                                                                            
     "The new members come from different sectors including the social services, medical, education and business sectors. With their wealth of experience and expertise, we are confident that they will bring new momentum to the work of the ACAN," a spokesman of the Narcotics Division, Security Bureau, said.
      
     Among the newly appointed ACAN members, Dr Cheung Wai-him is a psychiatrist; Dr Lam Ho-yi is a senior vice president of a company; Mr Clifford Leung Siu-on and Mr Albert Su Yau-on are senior management of charitable organisations; Professor Anthony Ng Chi-fai and Professor Tang Wai-kwong are university medical professors; and Mr Poon Hing-fai is a secondary school principal.
      
     The spokesman also expressed gratitude to the seven outgoing members for their contributions to the work of the ACAN and dedication to the anti-drug cause. They are Professor Cheung Yuet-wah, Dr Susan Fan Yun-sun, Mr Hui Yung-chung, Ms Lisa Lau Man-man, Mr Irons Sze, Dr Tik Chi-yuen and Dr Tse Man-li.
      
     The ACAN is the Government's advisory body on anti-drug matters. It was established in 1965. The membership list of the new term of the ACAN is as follows: 
 
Chairman
 
Dr Ben Cheung Kin-leung
 
Members
 
Mr Chan Man-ho
Mr Chan Wing-kin
Mr Edwin Cheng Shing-lung
Dr Cheung Wai-him
Mr Fan Hoi-kit
Mr Simon Ip Shing-hing
Miss Anna-Mae Koo Mei-jong
Dr Lam Ho-yi
Dr Lee Tin-yan*
Mr Clifford Leung Siu-on
Miss Li Ka-yan*
Dr Annissa Lui Wai-ling
Professor Anthony Ng Chi-fai
Mr Poon Hing-fai
Mr Albert Su Yau-on
Mr Sunny Tan
Professor Tang Wai-kwong
Ms Susan Yeung
Director, Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore
Secretary for Education or his representative
Commissioner of Police or his representative
Commissioner of Customs and Excise or his representative
Director of Health or his representative
Director of Social Welfare or his representative
Commissioner for Narcotics
 
*appointed through the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth with a term of appointment from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2020.

     The Government today (December 28) launched Phase 1 of the Trade Single Window (TSW), which initially covers five types of import and export trade documents for specific types of commodities and is aimed to be progressively extended to cover some 13 types of trade document in the first half of 2019 at the earliest. Phase 1 of the TSW provides a voluntary e-option for the trade to lodge the relevant types of documents through a single electronic platform.
 
     The five types of import and export trade documents initially covered by Phase 1 of the TSW are set out as follows:  
 

                
     A Government spokesman said, "By making use of the TSW platform, members of the trade can lodge the relevant types of trade document round the clock and check the status of their applications and the validity of the licences or permits at any time. Re-use of data for future applications is also more convenient. Trade members are encouraged to register on-line as TSW users and submit paperless applications for the relevant documents through the platform."
 
     The new service can be accessed through the TSW website (www.tradesinglewindow.hk). During Phase 1 of TSW, an option remains open for trade members to make use of the existing counter services operated by relevant Government departments to submit trade documents.
 
     The TSW will be implemented in three phases. Phase 1 will be progressively extended to cover some 13 types of trade document and Phase 2 will cover some 28 additional types of trade document. Trade documents covered by these two phases are mainly those for specific types of commodities (e.g. licences for the import and export of specific controlled products). Phase 3 will cover trade documents required or proposed to be required for all cargoes (e.g. Import and Export Declaration, Advance Cargo Information and Cargo Report). Subject to satisfactory progress of all the preparatory work, the Government plans to roll out Phase 2 in 2022 and Phase 3 in 2023 the earliest.
 
     "The Government will continue to engage the trade and collect feedback with a view to enhancing the TSW system and service. The experience gained in Phase 1 will also provide us with useful reference for the system design and development of future phases," the spokesman said.
 
     To tie in with the launch of Phase 1 of TSW, the Customs and Excise Department has set up a dedicated office to oversee the operation of the TSW system and provide support to TSW users through training, help-desk and hotline services. For enquiries, please contact the Office of Trade Single Window Operation at 2117 3348 or by email to enquiry@tradesinglewindow.hk.