Police today (August 20) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kowloon City. Yiu Chan-wa, aged 60, went missing after he left his residence on Man Wan Road on August 16 … read more
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the naming ceremony for the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) today (August 20):
Lester (Council Chairman of CityU, Mr Lester Huang), Simon (Chairman of Hong Kong Jockey Club, Dr Simon Ip), Carlson (Chairman of the University Grants Committee, Mr Carlson Tong), Professor Kuo (President of CityU, Professor Kuo Way), Professor Warnick (Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Professor Lorin Warnick), Professor Reichel (Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, CityU, Professor Michael Reichel), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. I am delighted to join you for this naming ceremony for the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science of the City University of Hong Kong. Today we are celebrating an important milestone in our public health mission as well as our higher education vision, as this College is Hong Kong’s first and only veterinary college.
To establish a veterinary college is not a simple endeavour. Professor Kuo has described it as a 10-year long marathon by CityU. And it is achieved by innovative thinking and persistence as there were scepticisms expressed in various quarters, including within the Government, during the decade-long journey. We have to thank the CityU team for its perseverance, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University for its trust and collaboration. I would also like to express gratitude to the Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous donation of HK$500 million to CityU.
CityU’s new initiative in providing veterinary education in Hong Kong is indeed timely. According to the World Health Organization, 60 per cent of existing human infectious diseases are zoonotic, and at least 75 per cent of emerging human infectious diseases originate from animals. Issues such as virus and bacteria mutations, anti-microbial resistance and food-borne disease continue to present new challenges to the medical profession. These challenges are amplified by an increasing risk of disease transmission through cross-border travel and international trade, as well as rising population and density, placing even more pressure on public health.
Good public health is the cornerstone of any safe and liveable city. This is particularly important for a dense city like Hong Kong with large numbers of people movement. Therefore safeguarding public health is a top priority for my Government. We fully embrace the internationally advocated concept of “One Health” in planning and implementing our policies and measures to safeguard public health from a holistic perspective involving veterinary and medical professionals. Our respect for the One Health concept and our vigilance in public health have borne fruit. For well over a decade, Hong Kong has remained free from many globally significant and potentially deadly zoonotic diseases, most notably rabies, avian influenza and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). But the recent local incidents of dengue fever have reminded us of the importance of vigilance.
As regards the veterinary profession, Hong Kong has all along adopted an open regime, welcoming the best veterinarians trained in overseas universities to come to practice here. Undoubtedly, their contributions have helped to keep deadly zoonotic diseases at bay. But there is no room for complacency. CityU is now blazing a trail with the establishment of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences to create a centre of excellence in veterinary and biomedical education. The College has launched Hong Kong’s first bachelor programme in veterinary medicine to build a local pool of expertise alongside that of overseas veterinary surgeons. The first cohort of veterinary students embarked on their journey last September.
Training highly skilled professionals requires world-class academic and clinical facilities. To this end, CityU will establish a 12-storey One Health Tower as an educational and research base for veterinary medicine and life sciences to complement the College’s clinical facilities, livestock farms and veterinary diagnostic laboratory. I am sure that with CityU’s commitment to this new initiative, coupled with well-qualified academic staff and excellent teaching facilities, the College will produce graduates who measure up to veterinarians trained in other renowned institutions round the world.
CityU’s vision and initiative would not have succeeded without the generous support from the Jockey Club Charities Trust. Naming the College as the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science is indeed appropriate. Looking ahead, the Jockey Club One Health Tower will not only provide the necessary space for students’ learning and research work, but will also serve as a platform for collaboration between veterinary and biomedical science under the One Health paradigm.
It is also fitting that the Jockey Club will be a beneficiary of CityU’s initiative, as the graduates of the College would likely be amongst the targets for recruitment when you enlarge your own pool of veterinary expertise. So this is going to be a win-win result for all.
Last but not least, I thank the University Grants Committee (UGC) for its expert advice to the Government and CityU on the proposal to introduce a publicly funded bachelor programme in veterinary medicine in Hong Kong. Carlson has just reminded me that this is only a recommendation to the Government, and as you know the Government does not always endorse the recommendations of the UGC. But on this occasion, I am happy to say that we are willing and happy to endorse the UGC’s recommendation. I look to the UGC Chairman that the UGC will continue to work closely with CityU to review the progress of the College.
I wish the College, its management, teachers and students a great success and look forward to seeing the first batch of locally trained veterinary surgeons graduate in five years’ time.
Thank you very much.
The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, visited the Government Logistics Department today (August 20) and met with its management and staff of various grades to learn more about their work and the challenges confronting them.
Accompanied by the Acting Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Brian Lo, Mr Law first met with the Director of Government Logistics, Miss Mary Chow, and directorate staff to get an update on the Department’s work in the provision of logistics support services to government bureaux and departments, which covers procurement and supplies, transport operation and management, and printing services.
Mr Law then toured the Printing Unit and the Finishing Unit of the Printing Division to learn more about the printing, binding and delivery of various types of publications for bureaux and departments, including government forms and gazettes as well as the Policy Address and Budget publications.
While visiting the Unallocated Store of the Storage and Distribution Section of the Supplies Management Division, Mr Law was briefed on the storage and delivery of essential and emergency items for bureaux and departments.
Colleagues of the Land Transport Division showed Mr Law a new electric van for the government fleet, who said he was pleased to learn that subject to operational requirements the Department would give priority to environment-friendly vehicles when replacing vehicles in the government fleet. This measure will help to reduce pollutant emissions and enhance energy efficiency.
Mr Law also met with staff representatives of various grades at a tea gathering to exchange views on matters that concern them. He encouraged colleagues to continue to provide cost-effective and timely logistical support services for various bureaux and departments.
A Pakistani illegal worker holding a recognisance form was jailed by Shatin Magistrates’ Courts on August 18.
Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators arrested a male Pakistani illegal worker, aged 24, at the China Ferry Terminal on August 16. He was suspected to have presented an identity card relating to other person for registration in order to enter the restricted area for taking up employment as an odd-job worker. Upon investigation, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment, and he was found to be a non-refoulement claimant.
The illegal worker was charged at Shatin Magistrates’ Courts on August 18 with taking employment after landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration or while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. In addition, he was also charged with using an identity card relating to another person and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently, making a total of 15 months’ imprisonment.
The ImmD spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment should be applied in such cases.
The spokesman also warned that it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or an identity card relating to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening on vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation, with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments. read more
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 20) that the leisure and sports facilities at Osman Ramju Sadick Memorial Sports Centre in Kwai Tsing District will be temporarily closed from September 1 to Octob… read more