The 2018 provisional register and the omissions list for the Rural Representative Election (RRE) are available for public inspection during ordinary business hours from today (August 27) to September 9.
      
     A full copy of the provisional register and the omissions list can be inspected during ordinary business hours (Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm) at the office of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) at the Home Affairs Department, 30/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai. Copies of the divisions of the provisional register and the omissions list for a rural area can be inspected at the offices of the Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) in the respective New Territories District Offices.
      
     The names and relevant particulars of electors recorded in the Existing Villages register, the Indigenous Villages and Composite Indigenous Villages register and the Market Towns register will be available for public inspection. Particulars of persons who are no longer eligible for registration as electors will be shown on the omissions list.
      
     Anyone who considers a registered person not eligible for registration may lodge a notice of objection at the office of the ERO or the relevant AERO during ordinary business hours on or before September 9. Objections must be lodged in person.
      
     Anyone who has made an application for registration but whose name is not recorded in the provisional register, or is included in the omissions list, or who has a claim to make about his or her particulars in the register, may lodge a notice of claim in person during the above-mentioned period.
      
     Those whose principal residential address is not in Hong Kong may also submit a notice of claim in person, by post, fax or electronic means (an electronic record authenticated by a digital signature), or through a person authorised by them in writing. Notices of claim must reach the office of the ERO or the relevant AERO during the above-mentioned period (Hong Kong time).
      
     As September 8 and 9 fall on a weekend, anyone who wishes to submit a notice of objection or a notice of claim in person must reach the office of the ERO or the relevant AERO during office hours on or before September 7.
      
     Notices of objection and notices of claim can be obtained from the ERO office and the AERO offices at the relevant District Offices. They can also be downloaded from the RRE website (www.had.gov.hk/rre).
      
     For further details, please call 2152 1521 or visit the RRE website.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 27) invited interested parties to express their interest in operating the following two licensed ferry services:

(i) "Central – Hung Hom"; and
(ii) "Kai Tak – Hung Hom – Tsim Sha Tsui East – Central – West Kowloon (Circular)".

     Interested parties can download the expression of interest (EOI) documents with the specified submission forms from the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/en/tender_notices/notices_of_inviting_expression_of_interest/index.html), or obtain them from the Ferry and Paratransit Division, Transport Department, Room 2001, 20/F, Harcourt House, 39 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
          
     All submitted documents should be placed in a sealed envelope clearly marked with "EOI for Operating Licensed Ferry Services (i) Central – Hung Hom and (ii) Kai Tak – Hung Hom – Tsim Sha Tsui East – Central – West Kowloon (Circular)" and must be submitted to the TD at the aforesaid address at or before noon on September 27, 2018 (Thursday).

     For enquiries please call 3528 0609.

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, will leave Hong Kong in the morning on August 29 for Harbin, travelling via Shenzhen, to attend the China-Japan-South Korea Cultural Ministers' Meeting. Mr Lau will attend the meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation.
      
     Mr Lau will return to Hong Kong from Harbin in the afternoon on August 31. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Jack Chan, will be the Acting Secretary for Home Affairs.

     Firing practice will take place at two military sites, namely the San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range and the Tsing Shan Firing Range, next month (September).
      
     Red flags or red lamps will be hoisted at the firing areas before and during firing practice. For their safety, people are advised not to enter the firing area.
      
     Following are the dates and times for the firing practice sessions in September 2018:
 
San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range
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Tsing Shan Firing Range
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     The Food and Health Bureau today (August 27) invited interested parties to apply for the Research Fellowship Scheme under the Health and Medical Research Fund.

     The scheme aims to support researchers or professionals in their early to mid-career, particularly healthcare professionals, to enhance their skills in public health research, in particular public health policy.

     To tie in with the Government's "Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) in Hong Kong", higher priority will be accorded to applications which address the preventable or modifiable risk factors for NCDs: smoking, alcohol drinking, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Subject to the quality of the applications, at least four of the eight awards in this round of application will be granted to applications which can address the aforementioned four factors for NCDs, with one award in each area.

     The grant ceiling per award is $1.2 million inclusive of $200,000 for training. Tertiary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee can each nominate up to five fellowship applicants. Each applicant can only submit one application.

     The application should cover:

* a local or overseas training programme (regular programmes for higher academic qualifications, e.g. Master or PhD degree will not be considered); and

*  a research project relating to the proposed training programme.

     Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. Applications will be subject to peer review. The vetting will take into account the capability of the applicant and his or her performance at the interview, the support by the mentor and administering institution, the importance of the training proposal and its relevance to the proposed research project. The proposed research project will be evaluated on its scientific merit, local relevance, translational potential or value, value for money of the proposals, research ethics and track record of the applicant.

     The closing date for application is 6pm on November 16, 2018. Application guidelines can be downloaded from the website of the Research Fund Secretariat.  Enquiries can be made by fax at 2102 2444 or by email to rfs@fhb.gov.hk.