Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Centre of Excellence for Major Project Leaders (CoE) under the Development Bureau launched today (August 28) the 2023/24 Major Projects Leadership Programme (MPLP).
 
     Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Secretary for Development and Chairman of the CoE, Ms Bernadette Linn, said that the Government is committed to continuing investing in infrastructure development to address economic and social needs, and enhancing the long-term competitiveness of Hong Kong. A number of far-reaching landmark developments including the Northern Metropolis, the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, etc, are in the pipeline. With Hong Kong’s annual construction volume projected to reach approximately $300 billion a year in the medium to long term, she stressed the need to expand the infrastructure talent pool to ensure capital works projects meet public expectations for project efficiency and delivery.
 
     As the flagship programme of the CoE, the MPLP is designed and delivered by the Oxford Saïd Business School, which offers a high-level project management and leadership development programme to major project leaders so as to uplift the overall performance and cost-effectiveness of public works projects. The 12-month MPLP includes international classes at Oxford and local classes, and is supported by personal coaching and professional assessment.
 
     The MPLP was extended to relevant partners of public works projects early this year and was well-received. Upon completion of the 2023/24 MPLP, there will be a total of about 140 major project leaders from government bureaux and departments, public organisations, major engineering consultants and contractors attending this top-notch programme.

    

     Following a notification from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on a cluster of carbon monoxide poisoning, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 28) appealed to members of the public to t… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following announcement today (August 28):        A 31-year-old male patient was treat… read more

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 28) that a sample of prepackaged dates was found to contain sulphur dioxide, a preservative which is allowed to be used in certain foods, but the functional class and the name of the additive were not declared on the food label. Members of the public should not consume the affected batch of the product. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: (Not available in English)
Brand: (Not available in English) 
Place of origin: China
Net weight: 300 grams
Best-before date: July 1, 2024
Distributor: (Not available in English)

     “The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from an online vendor for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained sulphur dioxide. Although the sulphur dioxide level is below the maximum permitted level under the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD), the functional class and the name of the additive were not declared on the food label of the sample,” a spokesman for the CFS said.

     “The CFS has informed the online vendor and distributor concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product. The distributor concerned has initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Members of the public may call its hotline at 6098 7030 during office hours for enquiries about the recall,” the spokesman added.

     Sulphur dioxide is a preservative which can be used in a variety of foods including dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products. Sulphur dioxide is water soluble, and most of it can be removed through washing and cooking. However, susceptible individuals who are allergic to this preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headache and nausea after consumption.

     The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD). Furthermore, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that for all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong containing sulphite in a concentration of 10 parts per million or more, the functional class of the sulphite and its name shall be specified in the list of ingredients. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing. read more

     The Civil Service College (CSC) today (August 28) held a talk of the series on the country’s foreign affairs jointly with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The talk, on the topic of “China’s Relations with Southeast Asian Countries”, was delivered by Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Mr Liang Jianjun. 
 
     Addressing the talk, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said that in addition to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, Hong Kong must leverage its distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world for the full implementation of “one country, two systems”. In recent years, Hong Kong has actively expanded co-operation and economic ties with Southeast Asian countries. In 2022, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries were Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partners only after the Mainland, with the trade value recording an average annual growth of about 5 per cent over the past five years. The Chief Executive recently led a delegation to visit Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to press ahead with Hong Kong’s early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and encouraged these countries to tap into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area market by making good use of Hong Kong’s professional services and financing platforms. The talk is squarely in support of the work of the HKSAR Government in this area. It deepens civil servants’ understanding of the diplomatic relations between China and Southeast Asian countries as well as the current regional landscape and its development directions so that they can better tie in with the country’s strategy in handling the relevant areas of work.
 
     About 110 senior officials and civil servants in the directorate and senior ranks attended the talk at the CSC today.
 
     The series of talks on the country’s foreign affairs which started at the end of 2021 were well-received by colleagues. The CSC and the OCMFA continue to run the series this year, including the earlier thematic briefing session on “International Landscape and China’s Foreign Relations in 2023”, and are planning to hold a number of talks on topics such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the latest development of China-United States relations, etc, to be held in the second half of this year. The talks will be delivered by relevant officials of the MFA.