The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, concluded his visit to San Francisco, the United States, today (May 31, San Francisco time).
 
     He visited Visa Inc in the morning and met with the Vice President of Global Government Relations, Mr Todd Fox, to understand the company's technological adoption and how it would remain relevant in the world of mobile payments and an Internet of Things environment.
 
     Mr Lau went on to pay a courtesy call on the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco, Mr Luo Linquan, and gave updates on the latest developments in Hong Kong and how Hong Kong is embracing innovation and technology as an engine of growth.
 
    In the afternoon, Mr Lau met with Partner at 500 Startups Ms Edith Yeung to listen to her describe venture capitalist experience in investing in start-ups and training up early stage companies.
 
     Mr Lau was in San Francisco for three days to promote Hong Kong's strengths in financial services and financial technology developments. He concluded his visit in the evening and will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow morning (June 2).

        

     The 24th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tripartite Heads of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Meeting was held in Macao yesterday (May 31). Led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Lau Yip-shing, representatives of the Hong Kong Police Force met with the delegations respectively headed by the Director of CID, Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department (GD PSD), Mr Zhang Rui, and the Commissioner-General of Macao Unitary Police Service (MUPS), Mr Ma Io-kun.

     At the meeting, the tripartite CID heads reviewed the cooperation during the past year and mapped out the way forward. They discussed issues including cross-boundary crime, intelligence exchange and training.
        
     The Hong Kong delegation comprised Director of Crime and Security, Mr Li Chi-hang, five Bureau Heads of Crime Wing and officers from Liaison Bureau. The Mainland delegates came from GD PSD, Shenzhen and Zhuhai Municipal Public Security Bureaux, while the Macao members were from MUPS, Judiciary Police and Public Security Police. Also attended the meeting were representatives of the Ministry of Public Security.

     Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao police have worked in perfect harmony for years, resulting in the detection of many organised and serious crimes. It is evident that close co-operation and liaison among tripartite criminal investigation departments have contributed proactively to combating cross-boundary crime.

  

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 1) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
   
     Twenty-six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 10 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Kadoorie Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
 
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (June 1) that the following leisure and sports facilities will be temporarily closed:
 
(a) The turf pitch and golf driving range of Wo Yi Hop Road Sports Ground in Kwai Tsing District will be temporarily closed from June 3 to July 15 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use the artificial turf soccer pitch at Tsing Yi Northeast Park in the same district.
 
(b) The turf pitch of Kwai Chung Sports Ground in Kwai Tsing District will be temporarily closed from June 20 to July 31 for turf maintenance works, while the running track will remain open. During the closure period, the public may use the artificial turf soccer pitch at Tsing Yi Northeast Park in the same district.
 
     For the most up-to-date closure schedules of the above leisure and sports facilities, the public may refer to the notices at the venues or contact venue staff directly.

     The Government today (June 1) announced that the Chief Executive has appointed two new young members, Dr Lee Tin-yan and Miss Li Ka-yan, to the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) as recommended through the Pilot Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth. Their appointments are for a two-year term from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2020.
      
     ACAN is the Government's advisory body on anti-drug matters. The membership list of ACAN is as follows:
 
Chairman
———–
Dr Ben Cheung Kin-leung
 
Members
———–
Mr Chan Man-ho
Mr Chan Wing-kin
Mr Edwin Cheng Shing-lung
Professor Cheung Yuet-wah
Mr Fan Hoi-kit
Dr Susan Fan Yun-sun
Mr Hui Yung-chung
Mr Simon Ip Shing-hing
Miss Anna-Mae Koo Mei-jong
Ms Lisa Lau Man-man
Dr Lee Tin-yan (appointed through the Self-recommendation Scheme)
Miss Li Ka-yan (appointed through the Self-recommendation Scheme)
Dr Annissa Lui Wai-ling
Mr Irons Sze
Mr Sunny Tan
Dr Tik Chi-yuen
Dr Tse Man-li
Ms Susan Yeung
Director, Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore
Secretary for Education or his representative
Commissioner of Police or his representative
Commissioner of Customs and Excise or his representative
Director of Health or his representative
Director of Social Welfare or his representative
Commissioner for Narcotics