â€‹The new term of the Public Libraries Advisory Committee (PLAC) has been appointed. The tenure lasts for a period of two years up to April 30, 2020.

     The PLAC advises the Government on the development of public libraries in Hong Kong, including the formulation of strategies and measures for the development of library facilities and services; the role, functions and management of the Hong Kong Central Library; and the encouragement of community support and partnership with different sectors in promoting reading, lifelong learning and literary arts.

     The membership list of the new term of the PLAC is as follows:

Chairman:            Mr Sunny Lee Wai-kwong *
Vice-chairperson:  Ms Shirley Marie Therese Loo *
Members:             Ms Diana Chan Lai-ha
                           Ms Spring Cheung Sze-wing*
                           Professor Alice Chong Ming-lin
                           Mr Chow Tsz-lit *
                           Ms Ho Lan-sang
                           Mr Hung Kam-in
                           Ms Karen Ip Kam-lin *
                           Mr Brian Kwok Sze-hang *
                           Mr Kwong Chun-yu
                           Ms Maria Lam Woon-sum
                           Ms Irisa Lam Yan-tung*
                           Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming *
                           Dr Poon Po-chiu
                           Ms Linda So Ka-pik
                           Professor Tam Kwok-kan
                           Miss Phoebe Wong Pui-lam
                           Ms Amarantha Yip Yun-wan*
                           Representative of the Education Bureau
                           Representative of the Home Affairs Bureau
                           Representative of the Government Records Service
                           Representative of the Leisure and Cultural Services
                           Department

* Newly appointed Chairman, Vice-chairperson and Members

     A spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau thanked the outgoing Chairman, Professor Leung Yuen-sang, and the five outgoing members (Ms Elizabeth Law, Professor Angel Lin Mei-yi, Professor Eva Man Kit-wah, Dr Sandra Tsang Kit-man and Dr Lornita Wong Yuen-fan) for their valued support and contributions to the work of the PLAC over the past years.

     Police yesterday (May 14) held the Regional Traffic Day on the Hong Kong Island to raise public awareness of road safety through stringent enforcement actions.

     A total of 319 officers from Traffic Hong Kong Island and District Traffic Teams of Eastern, Wan Chai, Central and Western Districts were deployed to take enforcement actions at traffic black spots on the Hong Kong Island.

     The operation resulted in the issue of 1,268 fixed penalty tickets and 70 summonses. Among the fixed penalty tickets and summonses issued, a total of 1,093 fixed penalty tickets were issued for illegal parking and the rest are for other traffic offences.

     Police figures revealed that a total of 983 traffic accidents involving casualties occurred on the Hong Kong Island in the first four months of 2018, of which 270 cases involved pedestrian injuries.

     Police will continue to take regular enforcement actions to ensure road safety.

     Hongkong Post today (May 15) announced the postal service arrangements for the Birthday of the Buddha on May 22. No mail delivery and no mail collection will be provided. All post offices will be closed except for the General Post Office and the Airport Post Office. The business hours of the two offices will be from noon to 5pm and 8am to 5pm respectively. General postal services will be provided. Details of services available will be advertised at the respective post offices.

     For more information, customers may visit the Hongkong Post website at www.hongkongpost.hk or call the Hongkong Post enquiry hotline at 2921 2222.

     President Xi Jinping has made an important instruction in response to a letter written to him by 24 Hong Kong academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, expressing concern about cross-border remittance of science and technology project funding to Hong Kong. The Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance have promulgated provisions on opening up science and technology funding of the Central Government for application by higher education institutions and research institutions in Hong Kong, which include the arrangements on cross-border remittance of approved project funding to Hong Kong, with a view to further enhancing the role of the local technology sector in promoting national technological advancement. The HKSAR Government welcomes the initiative.

     A Government spokesman said today (May 14), "We are very thankful to President Xi for personally making the instruction which affirms that Hong Kong has a solid technological foundation and a pool of quality scientific and technological talents, and recognises the significant contribution made by Hong Kong’s science and technology sector to the development of Hong Kong and the country. The instruction also mentions that the Central Government will promote collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland on the technology front and support Hong Kong to become an international innovation and technology hub. All these have been most encouraging to the science and technology sector in Hong Kong.

     "We welcome and much appreciate the Central Government's support to allow universities and research institutions in Hong Kong to apply for science and technology funding of the Central Government and use the funding here in Hong Kong. This is not only a significant breakthrough in Mainland-Hong Kong technological collaboration, but also a response to the calls of the local academia and research sector. The current-term Government is committed to promoting scientific research and the development of innovation and technology. We believe that the new policy on allowing cross-border remittance of research funding will inject further impetus into our research sector and encourage local technology talents to collaborate with the Mainland and participate in major technology missions of the country. Besides, it will help leverage Hong Kong’s advantages in scientific research and its internationalised position in pooling together innovation resources in the Bay Area and across the world, and jointly developing the Bay Area into an international innovation and technology high ground."

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Bangkok, Thailand, today (May 14). She attended the 74th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and also met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr Somkid Jatusripitak.
 
     In the morning, Mrs Lam delivered a keynote speech at the opening of the Ministerial Segment of the 74th session of ESCAP with “Inequality in the Era of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” as the theme. She shared with participants Hong Kong’s experience in promoting social inclusion and environmental protection to achieve sustainable development. 
 
     Mrs Lam said that the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland has laid the foundation for the city's continued prosperity and stability. She added that Hong Kong will seize the opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative and strive to promote economic development, which she stressed should be inclusive and beneficial to all.
 
     Noting that Hong Kong is one of the safest and most efficient cities in the world and has accumulated a lot of experience in city management, covering areas such as firefighting, flood prevention, slope stabilisation, aviation safety and railway operation, she said Hong Kong is pleased to help and share experience in capacity building with emerging economies, as part of the city’s contribution to the promotion of people-to-people bonds in the global environment. On environmental protection, Mrs Lam outlined Hong Kong’s targets and actions in combating climate change and reducing carbon emissions. She said that various countries should embrace greater co-operation across political, economic and social boundaries to achieve the common goals.

     At noon, Mrs Lam attended a lunch hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister to exchange views on strengthening co-operation between Hong Kong and Thailand. Mrs Lam said she was pleased to note that the Thai Government responded positively to her proposal in the Policy Address delivered last year to establish in Bangkok the third Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and that preparatory work is making good progress. It is hoped that the Office can commence operation early next year.

     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam met with the Head of the China delegation to the 74th session of ESCAP, Mr Zhang Jun. She expressed her gratitude to the Central Government for its support for the participation of Hong Kong as an associate member in the annual session of ESCAP and related work over the years. Also attending the meeting were the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr Lyu Jian, and the Permanent Representative of China to ESCAP, Mr Li Hong.
　　
     Mrs Lam departed Bangkok after the meeting and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.