Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a public procession to be held on Hong Kong Island this Sunday (July 29).

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 4pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Des Voeux Road Central;
– Eastbound Queensway between Des Voeux Road Central and Rodney Street;
– Rodney Street; and
– If necessary, the fast lane of Garden Road flyover.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to access or leave the car parks along the procession route during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     The Transport Department (TD) and the Committee on Taxi Service Quality (CTSQ) held a promulgation event today (July 27) to launch the new "Hong Kong Taxi Service Standard" and "Hong Kong Taxi Service Guidelines" at the TD headquarters. The TD and the CTSQ also invited taxi trade representatives to join the event to promote the new service standard and guidelines and to call for their support and compliance with them.
 
     Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Transport, Ms Mable Chan, said that the CTSQ, established in early January this year to enhance the service quality of some 18 000 existing taxis, has already made good progress in its work. It has proposed a series of measures, which include launching the new "Hong Kong Taxi Service Standard" and "Hong Kong Taxi Service Guidelines", enhancing training courses on in-service taxi drivers' service quality in phases at the end of 2018, reviewing the existing sanctions for various taxi malpractices and introducing measures to commend taxi drivers for their quality services. The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, said at the Legislative Council Transport Panel meeting on Wednesday (July 25) that the government, in collaboration with the taxi trade, will organise training and launch publicity and education campaigns, such as a taxi driver commendation scheme, to enhance the service quality of taxis.  
 
     Meanwhile, the TD and the CTSQ will continue to improve the existing mechanism for handling complaints about taxi services; and encourage the trade to leverage technology to enhance operational efficiency and service quality, such as setting up or integrating taxi hailing application platforms. Also, the TD is drafting guidelines on the installation of a CCTV system in taxi compartments on a voluntary basis for the trade's reference.
 
     Ms Chan appealed to the taxi trade to work together and forge ahead with efforts to enhance taxi service quality, and to improve the image of the taxi trade with a view to providing passengers with satisfactory and pleasant journeys.
 
     The "Hong Kong Taxi Service Standard" and "Hong Kong Taxi Service Guidelines" are complementary. The TD hopes that the new standard and guidelines give clearer information to taxi drivers, taxi owners, agents and passengers so as to enhance the standard of taxi service.
 
     The two documents set out the proper conduct and obligations as well as matters of concern that different stakeholders should pay attention to under the current legislation and the actual operation of the taxi trade.
 
     The "Hong Kong Taxi Service Standard" emphasises nine key points on taxi service, covering areas such as conduct and performance expected of taxi drivers, customer service attitude and taxi-related statutory requirements.
 
     The "Hong Kong Taxi Service Guidelines", which focuses on practical and operational aspects, describes the responsibilities of and matters to note for taxi drivers as well as the conduct of and matters to note for other stakeholders, such as taxi owners, agents and passengers. Some practical information about taxi services is also provided for taxi drivers and passengers in the guidelines.
 
     At the promulgation event today, the taxi trade and drivers joined a signing ceremony to show their support for compliance with the new standard and guidelines. To strengthen publicity and education, the TD will distribute copies of the standard and guidelines to taxi owners, drivers and passengers through various channels (e.g. the dedicated LPG filling stations, taxi trade groups, the TD's licensing offices and District Offices of the Home Affairs Department) starting from today. 
 
     The new standard and guidelines are also available at the websites of the TD (www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_276/guidebook(final).pdf) and the CTSQ (www.ctsq.org.hk/eng/pub/pub.html) for browsing and downloading by the public.

      

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, after the meeting with members of the trade on the preparation work for the implementation of the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment today (July 27):

Reporter: Mr Wong, did the trade raise any fresh concern with you at this late stage given it's just a few days away from implementation? And secondly, it is supposed to be a producer responsibility scheme. How are you going to ensure that it does not turn into a consumer responsibility scheme?

Secretary for the Environment: Firstly, you mentioned the name "PRS", producer responsibility scheme. I think we have to understand that the term "producer", under the PRS, not only means the manufacturers. It actually and theoretically includes producers, companies importing the appliances, retailers and consumers. All of them are part of the producers of e-waste, or equivalent, and they have to somehow share the burden or expenses for environmental benefits. But to what extent they are sharing will depend on the commercial decision. In a competitive environment, the price of a product depends on various factors. Based on overseas experience, commercial decision will finally decide how the expenses will be shared.

     Regarding the meeting, as I have said in my opening remarks, we have been keeping close contact with the trade in the past years. For instance, since late last year, we have already had a pilot scheme with certain retailers to implement and try out the Removal Service Trial Scheme. They have accumulated the experience and we have been in close contact with them to pave the way for rolling out this PRS. The meeting with them today is to keep me and all of us updated about what the Government is doing, what the WEEE‧PARK is planning to do, and any particular response from retailers. In general, they are reiterating their support for the PRS. We understand that time is needed for the trade and the public to adapt to the changes regarding the implementation of this PRS. I think it is a good timing for us to have the meeting. At the same time, they requested for more meetings after August 1 so that all of us can keep updated and see how we can do something extra to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The coverage of the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) System has today (July 27) been extended to include Kazakhstan, Mauritius and Mongolia, increasing the number of countries and regions covered by the System from 85 to 88. 

     A Security Bureau spokesperson said, "The Security Bureau regularly reviews the coverage of the OTA System. Following a recent review, the Security Bureau decided to extend the OTA System to Kazakhstan, Mauritius and Mongolia, which are increasingly popular as tourist and business destinations for Hong Kong residents. It brings the OTA coverage from 85 countries and regions to 88, providing Hong Kong residents with information on the outbound travel safety risks of more places."

     The spokesperson reminded Hong Kong residents to make reference to the Security Bureau's mobile app "Safeguard HK" and OTA webpage (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota/) before travel. Residents outside Hong Kong who need assistance may call the 24-hour hotline (852) 1868 of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department.
 

     â€‹The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, attended the closing ceremony of the Fin Society's internship programmes in Beijing today (July 27). He also visited Hong Kong youths participating in the internship programmes of the International Youth Legal Exchange Federation.
 
     Mr Lau said, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government strives to explore diversified development opportunities for Hong Kong youths to realise their goals. One of the key areas of work is to encourage and support young people to join internship programmes on the Mainland. The Government launched the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland in 2014-15."
 
     Since the launch of the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland, it has subsidised 460 projects and about 14 000 Hong Kong youths have benefited from the scheme. The Fin Society has received subsidies from the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland to organise finance-themed internship programmes in Beijing since 2016-17, benefiting more than 150 youths. The International Youth Legal Exchange Federation began organising legal-themed internship programmes this year and more than 100 youths have benefited from the programmes. 
 
     Mr Lau will accompany the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, to watch a children's Cantonese opera performance by the Sing Fai Cantonese Opera Promotion Association from Hong Kong tonight. The performance is part of a Chinese opera show that brings together different local opera performances from across the nation. Mr Lau will return to Hong Kong tomorrow morning (July 28).