Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2019, steered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, is now open for enrolment. Entries of locally developed information and communications technology (ICT) products and solutions are invited. The deadline for enrolment is January 18, 2019.

     There are eight award categories for the HKICTA 2019. Organised by eight local industry associations and professional bodies, the best entry in each of the eight award categories will be granted a Grand Award. A Grand Adjudication Panel led by the Vice-Chancellor and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Rocky Tuan, will then select the Award of the Year among the eight Grand Awards.

     The award categories and respective Leading Organisers are:
 

Award Categories	Leading Organisers
Digital Entertainment Award	Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
FinTech Award	The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers
ICT Startup Award	Rotary Club of the HUB Hong Kong
Smart Business Award	Hong Kong Computer Society
Smart Living Award	Hong Kong Information Technology Federation
Smart Mobility Award	GS1 Hong Kong
Smart People Award	The Hong Kong Council of Social Service
Student Innovation Award	Hong Kong Innovative Technology Development Association

 
     As an annual flagship event for the industry, the HKICTA has endeavoured to recognise and promote outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby encouraging innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT talents and enterprises to meet business and social needs.

      Details of the HKICTA are available on the event website “www.hkictawards.hk“. Enquiries can be made to the Secretariat Office at 2788 5688 or by emailing info@hkictawards.hk. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 23) received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Jiangsu from the National Health Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.
 
     The case involved a 10-year-old girl from Suzhou in Jiangsu. She developed symptoms on October 29 and was hospitalised on November 3. She is now in a serious condition.
 
     From 2014 to date, 23 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.
 
     “All novel influenza A infections, including H5N6, are notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong,” the spokesman said.
 
     Travellers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms. They should be alert to the presence of backyard poultry when visiting relatives and friends. They should also avoid purchasing live or freshly slaughtered poultry, and avoid touching poultry/birds or their droppings. They should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.
 
     Travellers returning from affected areas should consult a doctor promptly if symptoms develop, and inform the doctor of their travel history for prompt diagnosis and treatment of potential diseases. It is essential to tell the doctor if they have seen any live poultry during travel, which may imply possible exposure to contaminated environments. This will enable the doctor to assess the possibility of avian influenza and arrange necessary investigations and appropriate treatment in a timely manner.
 
     While local surveillance, prevention and control measures are in place, the CHP will remain vigilant and work closely with the World Health Organization and relevant health authorities to monitor the latest developments.
 
     The CHP’s Port Health Office conducts health surveillance measures at all boundary control points. Thermal imaging systems are in place for body temperature checks on inbound travellers. Suspected cases will be immediately referred to public hospitals for follow-up.
 
     The display of posters and broadcasting of health messages in departure and arrival halls as health education for travellers is under way. The travel industry and other stakeholders are regularly updated on the latest information.
 
     The public should maintain strict personal, hand, food and environmental hygiene and take heed of the advice below if handling poultry:
 

• Avoid touching poultry, birds, animals or their droppings;
• When buying live chickens, do not touch them and their droppings. Do not blow at their bottoms. Wash eggs with detergent if soiled with faecal matter and cook and consume the eggs immediately. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling chickens and eggs;
• Eggs should be cooked well until the white and yolk become firm. Do not eat raw eggs or dip cooked food into any sauce with raw eggs. Poultry should be cooked thoroughly. If there is pinkish juice running from the cooked poultry or the middle part of its bone is still red, the poultry should be cooked again until fully done;
• Wash hands frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, before handling food or eating, and after going to the toilet, touching public installations or equipment such as escalator handrails, elevator control panels or door knobs, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing; and
• Wear a mask if fever or respiratory symptoms develop, when going to a hospital or clinic, or while taking care of patients with fever or respiratory symptoms.

 
     The public may visit the CHP’s pages for more information: the avian influenza page, the weekly Avian Influenza Report, global statistics and affected areas of avian influenza, the Facebook Page and the YouTube Channel. read more

     The Government today (November 23) announced that the Chief Executive has, pursuant to section 4 of the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance, re-appointed Professor Joseph Lee Kok-long, Ms Alice Mak Mei-kuen and Mr Wu Chi-wai as n… read more

     The Government today (November 23) announced the appointment of Mr Lester Garson Huang as the new Chairman of the Social Welfare Advisory Committee (SWAC), as well as the appointment of six new members and re-appointment of five incumbent members to the SWAC for a term of two years with effect from December 1.

     The six new members are Dr Bai Xue, Miss Cheung Sze-wing, Mr Andy Ho Wing-cheong, Dr Lam James Joseph, Ms Eva Wong Ching-hung and Mr Anthony Wong Kin-wai.

     Mr Lester Garson Huang is the Partner and Co-Chairman of PC Woo & Co. He is also the Chairman of the Council of the City University of Hong Kong, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, a Non-Executive Director of the Securities and Futures Commission, an ex-officio member of the Education Commission and a member of the Public Service Commission.

     Dr Bai Xue is an Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow of Sau Po Centre on Ageing of the University of Hong Kong.

     Miss Cheung Sze-wing is the Director of Best United Marketing Ltd. She is also a member of the Personalized Vehicle Registration Marks Vetting Committee and the Public Libraries Advisory Committee.

     Mr Andy Ho Wing-cheong is the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. He is also a non-official member of the Human Resources Planning Commission.

     Dr Lam James Joseph is the Director of the Centre for Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a member of the Sports Commission and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Vocational Training for People with Disabilities of the Vocational Training Council. He was Vice-Chairman of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee.

     Ms Eva Wong Ching-hung is the Co-founder of Wedo Global Ltd. She is also a non-official member of the Commission on Poverty and the Social Enterprise Advisory Committee.

     Mr Anthony Wong Kin-wai is the Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. He is also a member of the Appeal Panel (Housing) and the Committee on Child Abuse of the Social Welfare Department as well as a non-official member of the Social Enterprise Advisory Committee.

     The five re-appointed incumbent members are Ms Sylvia Chan May-kuen, Dr Gary Cheng Faat-ting, Mr Manohar Thakurdas Chugh, Mr Anthony Kwan Wai-ming and Ms Amarantha Yip Yun-wan.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, welcomed the appointments. He said, “Mr Huang has rich experience in community service and I am confident that he will be able to lead the SWAC in providing valuable advice to the Government. I look forward to the members’ sterling advice on the development of Hong Kong’s social welfare policy.”

     He also thanked the outgoing Chairman, Mr Vincent Lo Wing-sang, for his outstanding leadership in the past six years and the five outgoing members, Dr Crystal Cheng Lai-ling, Dr Roy Chung Chi-ping, Mr Laurence Ho Hoi-ming, Ms Christina Maisenne Lee and Mr Laurence Li Lu-jen, for their valuable contributions to the SWAC.

     The SWAC reviews social welfare services from time to time and advises the Government on all matters of social welfare policy.

     The membership list of the SWAC with effect from December 1, 2018 is as follows:

Chairman
———–
Mr Lester Garson Huang

Non-official members
————————
Dr Bai Xue
Ms Sylvia Chan May-kuen
Dr Gary Cheng Faat-ting
Miss Cheung Sze-wing
Mr Manohar Thakurdas Chugh
Mr Andy Ho Wing-cheong
Mr Ip Wai-ming
Mr Anthony Kwan Wai-ming
Dr Lam James Joseph
Mr Armstrong Lee Hon-cheung
Ms Anthea Lo Wing-sze
Dr Annissa Lui Wai-ling
Dr Gary Ng Ka-wing
Mr Daryl Ng Win-kong
Professor Steven Ngai Sek-yum
Ms Cindy Pun Siu-fung
Dr Janice Tsang Wing-hang
Ms Eva Wong Ching-hung
Mr Anthony Wong Kin-wai
Dr Loretta Yam Yin-chun
Ms Amarantha Yip Yun-wan read more

     â€‹The Transport Department (TD) announced today (November 23) that starting from November 27, the eight airport “A” routes currently serving the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will be re-routed via the Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link (Southern Connection), i.e. Shun Long Road, on their journeys to the urban area or the New Territories.
      
     The TD said that after the re-routing via Shun Long Road, the journey distance of the eight airport “A” routes will be reduced by about 4 kilometres while the estimated journey time will be shortened by about 4 minutes. The eight airport “A” routes are route A11 (plying to and from North Point), route A21 (plying to and from Hung Hom), route A22 (plying to and from Lam Tin), route A29 (plying to and from Tseung Kwan O), route A31 (plying to and from Tsuen Wan), route A33X (plying to and from Tuen Mun), route A36 (plying to and from Yuen Long) and route A41 (plying to and from Sha Tin).
      
     A spokesman for the TD pointed out that a total of 28 additional buses, representing an increase of 37 per cent in the number of buses, have already been deployed to the eight bus routes concerned since en-route bus stops are designated at the Hong Kong Port to tie in with the commissioning of the HZMB. To meet the increase in passenger demand, the bus companies will deploy four more buses to routes A11, A21 and A31 and increase bus frequencies to cope with the passenger demand. The bus companies will continue to strengthen their services by deploying additional buses and providing special departures on specific routes according to the actual passenger demand during peak days or periods. The TD and the bus companies will continue to closely monitor the occupancy of the bus routes serving the Hong Kong Port and further enhance the bus services when necessary.
      
     The TD added that starting from November 27, the routing and location of the en-route stops of airport route A31 (Tsuen Wan bound near Luk Yeung Sun Chuen) and A33X (both directions near Siu Hong Court) will be adjusted for the convenience of passengers. For details, please visit the websites of the TD and the bus company.
      
     The spokesman said that the department has implemented a new measure since November 21 to further assist tour coach operators to pick up passengers at the pick-up area at the Hong Kong Port Public Transport Interchange (South). Provided that coach operators have submitted applications and completed certain simple procedures via the TD’s online system by 9pm on any day, they can enter the area to pick up passengers on the next day. The operation of the new measure has been smooth, which has helped operators to flexibly deploy their tour coaches to provide services at the Hong Kong Port and hence divert inbound passenger flows. read more