The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will provide heated swimming facilities in 25 swimming pools under its management throughout the territory for public use during winter (i.e. November 2018 to March 2019) to e… read more
Subsequent to the approval by the Chief Executive in Council today (October 30) of the application from the Hang Seng Management College (HSMC) to change its English and Chinese titles to “The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong” and “香港æ�’生大帔 respectively, the Permanent Secretary for Education has approved the change of the English and Chinese titles in accordance with the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap 320) (the Ordinance).
The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, congratulated the institution. He said that the development of private universities added diversity to Hong Kong’s higher education system and provided a channel for all sectors of society to contribute resources and efforts for the benefit of students.
The HSMC is the first self-financing post-secondary education institution to acquire a university title since the publication of the revised roadmap of criteria for acquiring university title for post-secondary colleges registered under the Ordinance in 2015. Factors considered included the breadth of programmes offered, research capability, size and scale, governance and management, financial sustainability, academic environment and quality assurance.
To assess the readiness of the HSMC for becoming a private university, the college invited the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to undertake an Institutional Review in 2017. The HKCAAVQ concluded that the HSMC met the standards expected of a private university.
The Hang Seng School of Commerce (HSSC) was founded in 1980 to provide mainly business diploma courses, however in later years it also began to offer matriculation courses and pre-associate and associate degree programmes. Established by the HSSC, the HSMC has been registered under the Ordinance since 2010. In the 2018/19 academic year, the HSMC operated 19 self-financing locally-accredited post-secondary programmes, including 17 bachelor’s degree programmes and two master’s degree programmes, with over 4 000 students in total.
To date, the HSMC has attained Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status for the disciplines of business and management; languages and related studies; and mass media and communications, journalism and public relations. Despite HSMC acquiring the title of a university, the PAA status obtained will still be subject to Periodic Institutional Review by the HKCAAVQ. Moreover, the HSMC will be required to submit a progress report together with an audited financial report to the Education Bureau annually to ensure its teaching quality and financial sustainability. The Education Bureau has commissioned the HKCAAVQ to review the reports and provide independent expert advice to the Bureau. read more
The Transport Department (TD) today (October 30) reminded the public that special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in Causeway Bay this Saturday and Sunday (November 3 and 4) to facilitate the holding of public parades.
The special traffic and transport arrangements mainly include:
November 3 (Saturday)
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* From about 7.30pm to 10pm, the section of Yun Ping Road between Lan Fong Road and Kai Chiu Road and the section of Kai Chiu Road between Yun Ping Road and Lee Garden Road will be closed. During the holding of the event, the Police may adjust the traffic diversion and road closure arrangements whenever necessary.
November 4 (Sunday)
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* From about 2.15pm, Great George Street, the section of Kingston Street westbound between Paterson Street and Gloucester Road and the section of Paterson Street between Kingston Street and Great George Street will be closed. During the holding of the event, the Police may adjust the traffic diversion and road closure arrangements whenever necessary.
* During the road closure period, Citybus route A11, New World First Bus route 2, cross harbour routes 102, 106 and 307, and green minibus route 25 will be temporarily diverted. The public transport operators concerned will arrange publicity to inform passengers of the arrangements.
* The public light bus stands at Sugar Street and Paterson Street, and the taxi stands at Paterson Street will be suspended during the road closure period.
* Car parks within the road closure areas will be suspended. Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precinct of the special traffic arrangements specified above will be towed away by the Police without prior notice.
The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of Causeway Bay will be significantly congested. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of the Police. Members of the public planning to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport as far as possible.
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 special traffic and transport arrangements are now available on the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk). read more
Two Chinese restaurants located at Lo Tak Court in Tsuen Wan emitted cooking fumes and caused environmental nuisance to nearby residents. The restaurants were convicted on October 23 and today (October 30) respectively by Fanling Magistrates’ Courts for contravening the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) and were fined a total of $16,000.
During the investigation of a complaint this January against the cooking emissions of a restaurant, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) found that the two restaurants concerned emitted excessive cooking fumes which affected nearby residents. The EPD then issued statutory notices under the APCO requesting them to take measures to abate the cooking fumes and odour nuisance by the deadline. The two restaurants had failed to comply with this requirement by the specified date and continued to emit visible cooking fumes, which violated the requirements of the statutory notices. The EPD then prosecuted the restaurants concerned and continued to follow up on the cases. The emission levels of the two restaurants had been improved noticeably this month.
According to the APCO, restaurant operators should adopt effective remedial measures to abate excessive cooking fume emissions within a specified time limit upon receipt of a statutory notice. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. A maximum fine of $200,000 and six months’ imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions.
An EPD spokesman reminded members of the food business that they should properly design and install appropriate and effective air pollution control equipment in the kitchens of food premises. They should also arrange for experienced technicians to clean, check and repair the equipment regularly to ensure no visible fumes or odours are emitted, so as to avoid causing air pollution and nuisance to the public. read more
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (October 30) that Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District will reopen on November 1 (Thursday). The beach was temporarily closed earlier for clearance of debris and fallen trees as well as repairs of the shark prevention net and beach facilities after the typhoon.
Fifteen beaches under the LCSD have been reopened recently. They are Butterfly Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Golden Beach and Kadoorie Beach in Tuen Mun District; Anglers’ Beach, Approach Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach in Tsuen Wan District; Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Lo So Shing Beach, Pui O Beach and Silver Mine Bay Beach in Islands District; and Repulse Bay Beach in Southern District.
Meanwhile, other gazetted beaches in Southern, Tsuen Wan, Islands and Sai Kung Districts, including Deep Water Bay Beach which is normally open all year round, will remain closed until further notice as much longer time is needed for repairing beach facilities and damaged shark prevention nets or clearing debris due to the severe damage brought about by the typhoon earlier. Red flags have been hoisted at these beaches.
The LCSD reminds members of the public not to go to the beaches that are temporarily closed, and not to swim or participate in other activities at those beaches for the sake of safety. read more