The Government announced today (September 10) the appointment of Mr Darren Straker as Chief Inspector of Accidents to head the new Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA).  His appointment will mark the formal establishment of the new AAIA, which is under the Transport and Housing Bureau and independent from the Civil Aviation Department.
 
     Mr Straker assumes office today.  He is recruited under an open recruitment exercise and he will take over the duties and statutory powers in respect of air accident investigation under the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulation (Cap 448B) from the incumbent Chief Inspector, who is the Director-General of Civil Aviation. 
 
     The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, said, "Mr Straker is a seasoned aviation professional with extensive international experiences of air accident investigation and safety management.  I have confidence that he will be able to lead the new Authority to rise up to the challenges ahead and bring our aviation safety management to new horizons."  
 
     Mr Straker held the position of Chief Air Accident Investigator of the Air Accident Investigation Sector of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of United Arab Emirates (UAE) from early 2012 to 2017, having previously held the position of Regulations and Investigation Inspector with the GCAA from 2010.  Mr Straker is well-versed in the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in aircraft accidents and incident investigation. 
 
     Mr Straker has an extensive background as an Investigator In Charge in leading investigations in UAE, and as an Accredited Representative or Investigation Technical Adviser in investigations in Europe, the United States, Canada and Asia.  With his rich international experiences, he also acted as an Adviser to ICAO for a number of safety initiatives in respect of air accident investigation.
 
     The independent AAIA is established to comply with the latest SARPs prescribed in Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation of the ICAO, which requires an investigative authority to be independent from the state aviation authorities and other entities that could interfere with the conduct or objectivity of an investigation.  It will take over the air accident investigation function from the Civil Aviation Department.
 
     ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations established in 1944 by virtue of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.  China is a Contracting State of ICAO and assumes the responsibility for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the said Convention and the relevant requirements also apply to Hong Kong.
 
Brief biographical notes of Mr Straker are set out below:
 
     Mr Straker started his career as a commercial pilot.  He later joined Airbus and worked in various positions encompassing aircraft design and flight safety management until 2010 when he joined the GCAA of UAE as a Regulations and Investigation Inspector.  He was responsible for setting up the new Air Accident Investigation Sector for the GCAA in 2011 and held the position of Chief Air Accident Investigator from early 2012 to 2017.  Over the years, he also acted as an Adviser to ICAO for safety initiatives such as the Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organizations (RAIOs) and Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs).

     The Civil Aid Service (CAS) Cadet Corps held its 50th Anniversary Parade at the CAS Headquarters today (September 9).  The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, officiated at the reviewing ceremony.

     Addressing at the parade, Mr Cheung said that the CAS Cadet Corps, established in 1968, aimed to encourage young people to develop skills and leadership and to build their confidence and sense of responsibility by participating in group activities and training which were beneficial to their development. 

     In 2017, the CAS Cadet Corps introduced the School Partnership Scheme, which provided disciplinary and leadership training for secondary students fitting in  their school schedule.  The scheme has been well received by the education sector and has attracted the participation of 21 schools since last year.  In order to nurture more young people to become future leaders of our community, the HKSAR Government will provide strong support for the enlargement of the CAS Cadet Corps establishment to 4 000, which allows more students to join the Cadet Corps.

     The Parade was followed by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Training Sharing Session.  Youth training leaders in various cities in the Bay Area were invited to attend.  Officiating at the opening ceremony, Mr Cheung expressed the hope that the sharing session would facilitate youth training and development organisations in the Bay Area to establish closer links with each other and share experience for the building of a more effective communication platform so as to lay a solid foundation for further exchanges and co-operation in the future.

     The CAS Cadet Corps has taken a proactive approach to promote national education over the last decade. The cadets gain a better understanding of our country and a stronger sense of national identity through visits to Zhongshan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Huizhou and Jiangmen.  The CAS Cadet Corps will continue to cooperate with the cities in the Bay Area to provide more exchange opportunities to young people in the area for a better understanding of one another.

              

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (September 9) closely monitoring an imported case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Korea, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit.
 
     According to the WHO, the case involves a 61-year-old male patient, who travelled to Kuwait for business between August 16 and September 6. The patient was hospitalised with fever, diarrhoea and respiratory symptoms shortly after returning to Korea and is currently receiving treatment in isolation.
 
     According to the WHO, this is the first MERS case detected in Korea since the end of the outbreak in 2015.

     "We will maintain close communication with the WHO and the health authority of Korea," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Locally, the CHP's surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Suspected cases identified will be sent to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS Coronavirus.
 
     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus," the spokesman said.

     The Hajj pilgrimage ended in late August. If pilgrims feel unwell during the two weeks after returning to Hong Kong, they should wear a surgical mask and seek medical attention immediately and inform a doctor of their recent travel history, including transit.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS page of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the WHO's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.

     The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, started her visit to Beijing today (September 9). 
 
     She attended the Tsinghua World Forum on the Rule of Law, where she delivered a speech in the session on "Regional Economic Integration, Trade Disputes and the Construction of the Rule of Law" and participated in the panel discussion. 
 
     In the speech, Ms Cheng said that Asia has become an active player in the development of international rule of law, especially in the field of international trade and investment.  Using Hong Kong as an example of special economic zone, she highlighted the continuation of the common law system in Hong Kong under the "one country, two systems" policy.
 
     Under the theme "Global Economic Transition and Construction of the Rule of Law", the forum discussed issues including regional economic integration, trade disputes and construction of the rule of law, international investment opportunities and legal risk management, as well as legal responses to the advancements of information technologies.
 
     Ms Cheng will fly to Incheon, Korea this evening to attend the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Inter-sessional Regional Meeting on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Reform. She will speak on third party funding of arbitration and mediation and join the roundtable discussion.
 

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 9) that Sheung Shui Swimming Pool in North District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 8.30pm today.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.