Author Archives: hksar gov

     Local renowned jazz guitarist Alan Kwan will host a lecture demonstration series entitled “Jazz Classics: Let’s Listen, Let’s Jam!” in November and December.
 
     In a series of six lectures, Kwan will talk about the influences behind and share some interesting stories about various modern jazz masters. Participants can also listen to the legends’ classic works and learn about their performing styles and techniques. The lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and supplemented with live demonstrations by Kwan, as well as Patrick Lui (piano), Wong Tak-chung (double bass) and Ted Lo (drums). All of the lectures will be held at 8pm at GR3, 8/F, Backstage, Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Details are as follows:
 
November 13 (Tuesday)
Topic: “Miles Davis”
Picks of the day: “So What” and “Four”
 
November 22 (Thursday)
Topic: “John Coltrane”
Picks of the day: “Mr. PC” and “Central Park West”
 
November 29 (Thursday)
Topic: “Bill Evans”
Picks of the day: “Autumn Leaves” and “Waltz for Debby”
 
December 6 (Thursday)
Topic: “Nat King Cole”
Picks of the day: “But Beautiful” and “Unforgettable”
 
December 13 (Thursday)
Topic: “Wes Montgomery”
Picks of the day: “Four on Six” and “West Coast Blues”
 
December 20 (Thursday)
Topic: “Wayne Shorter”
Picks of the day: “Infant Eyes” and “Footprints”
 
     Alan Kwan studied and developed his career in jazz music in New York. He has performed in New York, Texas, Tokyo and Taiwan with well-known jazz musicians including Dayna Stephens, Fabian Almazan and Paul Bollenback, as well as Grammy award nominee Gene Aitken.
 
     “Jazz Classics: Let’s Listen, Let’s Jam!” is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced at $80 (for each lecture) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_633.html. read more

      Terrapin Puppet Theatre from Australia will perform the puppet theatre production "Red Racing Hood" in December. This theatre performance is suitable for children aged 5 and above.      &nb… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service:

     The Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service will resume the hearing to receive further oral evidence from the nominated representatives of the Transport Department (TD), next Tuesday (October 16) from 10am to 4.30pm (with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm) at the Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. The Committee’s rules of procedure for the receipt of oral evidence and notice to the public attending the hearings to receive oral evidence are available on the Committee’s website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/press.html).

     Having received and considered written submissions from various interested parties, and in order to obtain further information, the Committee is in the process of inviting specific interested parties to give oral evidence to the Committee through nominated representatives. Sixteen hearings have been held so far to receive oral evidence from:

(A) Representatives of:

• the Transport and Housing Bureau;
• the TD;
• Hong Kong Police Force;
• Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) and Long Win Bus Company Limited
• the New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited;
• the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited;
• Tai Po, Sha Tin and Sham Shui Po District Councils;
• ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Openmatics s.r.o.;
• the Community for Road Safety;
• the Motor Transport Workers General Union, including its sub-unions of Citybus Branch, KMB Branch, Long Win Bus Branch, New Lantao Bus Branch and New World Bus Branch;
• The Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, including its members of KMB Staff Union, New World First Bus Company Staff Union and Citybus Limited Employees Union;
• the KMB Employees Union;
• the Staff Rights Association of KMB;
• the Monthly-Rated Drivers Union; and
• the Part-time Drivers Union

(B) Former employees of the KMB:

• Mr Alok Jain; and
• Mr Raymond Cheng

(C) Employees of the KMB:

• Ms Debby Wong; and
• Mr Kelvin Yeung

(D) Experts appointed by the Committee –

• Professor John Stanley; and
• Mr Mike Weston

     A transcript of that evidence (and a translation in Chinese) is available on the Committee’s website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/transcripts.html).

     The Committee wishes to invite family members of the victims and passengers on board the bus involved in the fatal incident on Tai Po Road, and other recent serious incidents involving franchised bus services, to attend the hearing, and invites them to contact the Secretariat in advance of the hearing if they wish to attend. Except for seats reserved for such persons as well as the media and specifically identified interested parties, all available seats in the hearing venue will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration counter will open at 9.30am on October 16.

     Enquiries regarding the hearing may be directed to the Secretariat of the Committee at 2867 5324. read more

     Police yesterday (October 11) held the Regional Traffic Day in Kowloon West to raise public awareness of road safety through stringent enforcement actions.      A total of 233 officers from Traf… read more

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the work accident that happened at a construction site in Tin Shui Wai this afternoon (October 11), in which a male worker while working inside the hoistway of a material hoist, fell from 4/F to 2/F as the receptacle descended suddenly. He was certified dead in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker in the accident and expresses its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.

     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned to suspend the use of the material hoist involved and the work inside the hoistway of the hoist. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken.”

     The spokesman added, “We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”

     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, safe plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. If family members of the deceased have financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more