The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (November 20) visited Islands District to meet with members of the Islands District Council (IDC) and see some of the social services provided in Tung Chung.

    Accompanied by the District Officer (Islands), Mr Anthony Li, Mr Yeung first visited the IDC to exchange views with its chairman, Mr Chow Yuk-tong, and other members on education and other district issues.

    Then he called at the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Tung Chung Integrated Services in Fu Tung Estate, Tung Chung. Established in 1997, the centre aims to serve children, young people, families, elderly people and new immigrants with services including guidance, healthcare, rehabilitation, training, employment and counselling.

    In addition to touring the centre's facilities and learning more about its services, Mr Yeung also took the opportunity to chat with its clients, including students and parents of students with special educational needs (SEN), about their studies and service requirements.
 
    Mr Yeung said, "The Government attaches great importance to the whole-person development of students. The Chief Executive has proposed in her 2018 Policy Address to provide a new recurrent Life-wide Learning Grant with an annual provision of $900 million, starting from the 2019/20 school year. The Grant will support public sector schools and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme to take forward, on the present foundation, life-wide learning with enhanced efforts through organising more out-of-classroom experiential learning activities.
 
     "For example, activities like field studies and workplace experience can enable students to learn in real-life contexts and broaden their horizons. Community service can also help develop students' care for others and empathy. We trust that the enlivened and enriched learning experiences will not only enhance students' interest in learning, but also help them develop positive values and attitudes."

    The Government will enhance its efforts to provide support for students with SEN. Starting from the 2019/20 school year, an additional funding of $800 million per year will be offered to schools so that they can acquire more resources and teaching staff, as well as professionals like educational psychologists and speech therapists, who will provide more comprehensive support services for students with SEN.

    Mr Yeung expressed the hope that with the concerted efforts of the Government, schools and social welfare organisations to improve their services, children and young people with different talents will be better supported to grow healthily, unleash their potential and contribute to the community.

     â€‹Two recycling sites in Yuen Long, operated by Shengji Industrial Trading Limited and Dragon_I Recycling Trading Company respectively, illegally stored hazardous electronic waste (e-waste). The responsible person and owner of the companies were convicted and fined a total of $20,500 at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (November 20) for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO) and the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.
      
     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that operations were conducted by EPD staff in March and April to step up enforcement actions to combat irregularities at open space recycling sites in the vicinity of Shek Wu Wai in Yuen Long. The officers successfully raided the recycling sites operated by Shengji Industrial Trading Limited and Dragon_I Recycling Trading Company respectively at the above location and found that the sites illegally stored waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) and waste LCD monitors, which are classified as chemical waste. Some waste PCBs and LCDs were stored in the open space or chaotically placed in plastic or paper boxes without lids. A total of about 50 bags of PCBs weighing about 18 tonnes and more than 800 waste LCDs monitors were found during the two operations, with a total export market value of $2 million. Upon evidence gathering, the EPD initiated prosecutions against the recycling sites' responsible person and owner in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation.
      
     The spokesman stressed that dismantled PCBs, LCD monitors and cathode ray tubes are hazardous e-waste, containing heavy metals and other toxic substances. They are classified as chemical waste. Chemical waste is hazardous by nature and, if not properly controlled, will pollute the environment and pose a risk to the health of relevant trade practitioners and the general public. The EPD will continue to combat the illegal collection, storage, handling and import activities of hazardous e-waste. Anyone who violates the above laws shall be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment for the first conviction. For subsequent offences, offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and two years' imprisonment.
      
     For more information about the control of chemical waste, please visit the EPD's website: www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_cwc.html.

    

     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved from the Disaster Relief Fund two grants totalling $8.8 million to two agencies for providing relief to earthquake and tsunami victims in Indonesia.

     Announcing the grants today (November 20), a spokesman for the Government said that the two grants, one of $5.8 million to World Vision Hong Kong and one of $3 million to Save the Children Hong Kong, will be used to provide food, household and hygiene items as well as education kits, to benefit around 62 700 earthquake and tsunami victims in Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. As the targeted localities of the two relief agencies are different, there will be no overlapping of resources. The Committee hopes the grants will facilitate the provision of timely relief to the victims and help them restore their normal living.

     "To ensure that the money is used for the designated purposes, the relief agencies will be asked to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts on the use of the grants after the relief projects have been completed," the spokesman said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
     
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office (IFFO) hosted a workshop on infrastructure finance on November 19 and 20, led by Professor Akash Deep of the Harvard Kennedy School and attended by close to 40 senior executives of IFFO partners and firms active in infrastructure financing.
      
     The workshop used real-life cases in both emerging and developed markets to demonstrate how various financing structures, risk mitigation techniques and corporate governance measures could enhance the bankability of infrastructure projects. It also discussed ways to manage the complex relationships between various stakeholders in public-private partnerships.
      
     Attendees to the workshop included project developers and operators, commercial and policy banks, investors and asset managers, professional service firms, and public organisations.
      
     The Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA and Director of the IFFO, Mr Eddie Yue, said, "IFFO is pleased to collaborate with Professor Akash Deep again on capacity building. Through workshops such as this, IFFO can play a useful role to narrow the expectation gaps between public and private sector stakeholders in, and improve the bankability of, emerging market infrastructure projects."

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients infected with Rhinovirus in a male ward for severe intellectual disability, the spokesperson for Siu Lam Hospital gave the following update today (November 20):
 
     One more 65-year-old patient in the ward presented with respiratory symptoms. Appropriate viral tests were arranged for the patient and the test results were positive for Rhinovirus. The patient concerned is being treated under isolation with stable condition.
 
     Admission to the ward has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.
 
     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.