The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (May 9) reviewed a grand parade in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (FSD) at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy.

     The parade featured seven contingents and a total of 18 fire services appliances. The seven contingents were formed by personnel representing the FSD Headquarters Command, the Hong Kong Command, the Fire Safety Command, the Kowloon Command, the Licensing and Certification Command, the New Territories Command and the Ambulance Command.
 
     Addressing the parade, Mrs Lam said, "From a brigade of some 100 personnel to today's elite force of more than 10 000 professionals is a compelling statement of the FSD and its unwavering vision – that has always been to serve Hong Kong, to make our city, our community, a safe place in which to live and work.
 
     "In the face of the rapid development of Hong Kong over the decades, members of the FSD have remained steadfast in carrying out their duties and striving for advancements in the fields of firefighting, special rescue, paramedic services, communications and fire prevention."

     To cope with major fires and various types of special incidents, the department has over the years established a number of specialist teams to enhance firefighting and rescue capabilities of front-line personnel while promoting operational safety, she added.
 
     The Chief Executive also commended the department for strengthening exchanges and collaboration with fire and ambulance professionals of other places in recent years. Officially opened in March 2016, the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy has organised over 24 training or exchange programmes for some 400 Mainland and overseas participants.
 
     Also attending the grand parade were representatives of various policy bureaux, disciplined forces and government departments of Hong Kong as well as representatives of fire and emergency departments from different countries and regions. 
 

            

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low-pathogenic H5 avian influenza in the Holstebro Municipality of Denmark, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 388 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 280 000 poultry eggs from Denmark in the first three months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Danish authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 9) announced the membership of the new term of Steering Committee on Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme.
 
     Mr Bernard Chan has been re-appointed as the Chairman of the Steering Committee, and all 12 members of the last term will continue to serve on the Steering Committee. In addition, four new members have been appointed to the Committee, namely Ms Jane Hui Chun-yu, Mr Leung Man-kit, Ms Sherry Tsai Hiu-wai and Ms Idy Wong Lai-yin. The Steering Committee comprises members from different fields and professions including accounting, finance, architecture, engineering, sports and social services, as well as representatives from District Councils where restored landfills are located. Representatives of relevant bureaux or departments also join the committee as ex-officio members. The new term of service of the Steering Committee lasts for two years until April 30, 2020.
 
     The full membership list is as follows:
 
Chairman:
     Mr Bernard Chan
 
Members:
     Professor Choy Kin-kuen
     Mr Kenneth Fok Kai-kong (Representative of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China)
     Dr John Fung Yat-chu
     Ms Fay Ho Kim-fai
     Ms Jane Hui Chun-yu
     Ms Elizabeth Law
     Dr Winnie Law Wai-yi
     Mr Leung Man-kit
     Ms Theresa Ng Choi-yuk  
     Mr Vincent Ng Wing-shun
     Ms Sherry Tsai Hiu-wai
     Ms Idy Wong Lai-yin 
     Mr Nelson Chan Wah-yu (Representative of Kwun Tong District Council)
     Mr Francis Chau Yin-ming (Representative of Sai Kung District Council)
     Mr Leung Fuk-yuen (Representative of Yuen Long District Council)
     Ms Lung Shui-hing (Representative of Tuen Mun District Council)
 
Representatives from the Government:
     Home Affairs Bureau
     Architectural Services Department
     Environmental Protection Department
     Home Affairs Department
     Leisure and Cultural Services Department
 
     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, expressed his gratitude to the Steering Committee for their contributions, and said he hoped that members of the Steering Committee would make use of their experience and expertise to assist the Government in implementing the scheme with a view to selecting suitable revitalisation project proposals that can turn restored landfills to gainful and beneficial uses.
 
     After detailed consideration of all applications for Batch 1 of the Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme in accordance with the established assessment procedures and criteria, the Steering Committee selected last year two non-profit-making organisations, namely Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Christian Family Service Centre, to develop detailed proposals to revitalise Tseung Kwan O Stage I Landfill in Sai Kung and Ma Yau Tong Central Landfill in Kwun Tong respectively. The EPD will seek capital works funding approval for each project from the Legislative Council after consulting the relevant District Councils.
 
     The Steering Committee was set up in 2014 to advise the Government on the operation of the Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme and assist in assessing the applications and monitoring the progress of approved projects. To expedite the development of suitable facilities at restored landfills, the Government has earmarked $1 billion to set up the Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme to provide funding for non-profit-making organisations and national sports associations to develop recreational facilities or other innovative proposals at seven restored landfills.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, visited the Marine Department today (May 9) and met with its management and frontline staff to learn more about the department's work and challenges.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Thomas Chow, Mr Law first met with the Director of Marine, Ms Maisie Cheng, and the directorate staff to get an update on the department's work concerning maritime and navigational safety.

     He then toured the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) located at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal to find out how the VTC, with the help of the newly upgraded third generation Vessel Traffic Services system, monitors vessels' movements in Hong Kong waters round the clock and facilitates the safe arrival and departure of the vessels.

     He also boarded a department patrol launch at Central Government Pier to learn more about how frontline officers support the VTC in co-ordinating actions to facilitate safe navigation and patrolling duties in places such as anchorages, fairways and cargo working areas.

     In addition, Mr Law visited the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) to learn more about its operation. The MRCC, equipped with advanced Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems, co-ordinates search and rescue operations during maritime distress situations in Hong Kong waters and within the Hong Kong Search and Rescue Region in the South China Sea.

     At a tea gathering with staff representatives of various grades, Mr Law exchanged views on matters of concern. He also encouraged them to continue to provide quality and professional marine services to the public.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued today (May 9) guidelines to banks on Credit Risk Management for Personal Lending Business. The guidelines allow banks to adopt innovative technology to manage credit risks related to personal lending business, in a bid to improve customer experience in the digital environment.
 
     Under the new guidelines, banks may carve out a portion of their personal lending portfolio as "New Personal-Lending Portfolio" (NPP), in respect of which adherence to conventional lending practices will not be required. Instead of collecting borrowers' income proof to assess their repayment ability, banks may adopt new credit risk management techniques and practices enabled by innovative technology, such as big data and consumer behavioural analytics, to approve and manage the related credit risks.
 
     To ensure proper management of the associated risks, banks should set a limit for the NPP, which should not exceed 10 per cent of their capital base. At the initial stage, the amount of credit extended to individual borrowers should generally be smaller than that of conventional credit products. In applying new credit risk management techniques and practices, banks should conduct the lending business in a responsible manner and provide customers with adequate information, including key product features and their repayment obligations under the loan product, to enable them to make informed borrowing decisions and avoid over-indebtedness.  The HKMA will review the effectiveness of the new risk management practices at a suitable juncture, and consider the future scope of application of the new arrangements.
 
     The Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Arthur Yuen, said, "The new guidelines will enable banks to be more innovative and adopt more financial technology in personal lending business in order to improve digital customer experience. This is also a major development in banking supervision."
 
     As part of the HKMA's seven initiatives to promote Smart Banking in Hong Kong in September, 2017, the Banking Made Easy initiative aims to streamline banking supervisory practices, thereby facilitating the application of financial technology, in a bid to improve digital customer experience. The new guidelines are developed after consultation with banks and tech firms undertaken by the HKMA's Banking Made Easy taskforce.