Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, began her visit to Singapore yesterday (August 22). She met with local government officials to exchange views in areas such as housing policies, innovative construction technologies and green building. Members of the Hong Kong Housing Authority Strategic Planning Committee, as well as representatives of the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), the Housing Bureau and the Housing Department also joined the visit.
 
     Upon arriving in Singapore yesterday afternoon, Ms Ho first had a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing & Development Board (HDB) of Singapore, Mr Tan Meng Dui, to learn about local housing policies and public housing projects. She then met with the Minister for National Development of Singapore, Mr Desmond Lee, and was briefed on overall land use planning as well as development strategies and direction of Singapore.  
 
     Ms Ho continued her visit to Singapore today (August 23). She first visited the Tiong Bahru Market in the morning to learn more about the management and operation models of public markets and cooked food centres that cater for daily needs of the residents. She then visited a public housing project, SkyVille@Dawson, of which the design of the project emphasises community connection and sustainability. The delegation then attended a luncheon with representatives from the construction sector of Singapore to share views and experiences on innovative construction technologies.
 
     In the afternoon the delegation visited Kampung Admiralty, a multi-agency project developed by the HDB in partnership with a number of government departments and organisations. It is a first-of-its-kind development in Singapore, integrating housing, healthcare, commercial, retail, social and communal facilities to cope with the needs of an aging population. The delegation visited the Punggol Eco-Town afterwards to get an understanding of sustainable urban planning in Singapore. Punggol is the country’s first eco-friendly public housing precinct which supports sustainable town development through effective energy, water and waste management.
 
     Ms Ho will continue her visit to Singapore tomorrow (August 24).

              

     The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) today (August 23) published the investigation reports (7/2023 and 8/2023) on the investigations into two incidents on January 26 and February 21, 2019, in which the captains were incapacitated from performing pilot monitoring duties during flights.

     The occurrence involved a Boeing 777-367 passenger aircraft flying from Sapporo, Japan, to Hong Kong and an Airbus A350-941 aircraft flying from Perth, Australia, to Hong Kong. Both were Cathay Pacific flights. Noting loss of visual acuity, the two captains subsequently declared incapacitation in flight and relinquished the control of the aircraft to their first officers. Single pilot operation was carried out by the first officers for approach and landing. At last, both aircraft landed safely at Hong Kong International Airport and the captains were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

     The investigation reports concluded that the captain in the first incident had experienced a sudden loss of visual acuity while the one in the other incident had experienced difficulty in breathing, a loss of visual acuity, dizziness, headache, and chest pain. Their conditions deteriorated further to the extent that they were unable to perform their duties. After analysing the operations of these flights and reviewing the operator’s standard operating procedures, guidelines and training in pilot incapacitation as well as the crew’s contingency responses, the investigation team deemed it unnecessary to propose any safety recommendation.

     The investigations were conducted by a team of professional investigators in strict adherence to international standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “The objective of the investigations was to identify the circumstances and causes of the incidents with a view to preventing a recurrence,” an AAIA spokesperson said.

     Throughout the investigations, all parties concerned were properly consulted on the reports. The reports are available for download on the AAIA webpage (www.tlb.gov.hk/aaia/eng/investigation_reports/index.html). 
 
     The AAIA is an independent investigation authority responsible for the investigation of civil aircraft accidents and incidents in accordance with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations (Cap. 448B) and with reference to the ICAO’s standards. read more

     The Film Programmes Office (FPO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the programme “!NSPIRE Series: Multiverse in Film Arts” from September 16 to October 15 at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) to showcase the works of six Hong Kong Film Award-winning film production and costume designers and their handpicked works from world cinema. The designers will also attend the post-screening talks after the screening of their works to guide audiences through the multiverse of film arts constructed by sets, props and costumes.

     In “The Silent War” (2012), production designer Man Lim-chung created the smooth and slick persona of the versatile special agent played by Zhou Xun, and portrayed metropolitan Shanghai in the 1950s through sets and costumes in a retro and elegant style. “The Color of Pomegranates” (1969), selected by Man, tells the life story of the 18th century poet Sayat Nova. With costume design showing distinct seasons and social classes, a wealth of tactile props and artefacts, as well as the ritualistic performances, the production design preserved the dazzling aesthetics in the Armenian tradition throughout the film.

     “The Grandmaster” (2013) interweaves stories of Wing Chun master Ip Man and various northern and southern Chinese martial artists. Alfred Yau, one of the production designers, showcased the distinct characteristics of the north and the south in the aesthetic details of the architecture, scenes and costumes of the film. The film’s main set was very complex and its construction took over two years to complete. The location shots of renowned film director Akira Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” (1957), selected for screening by Yau, were filmed at the periphery of Mount Fuji, Japan, where the foggy landscape aligns with the murderous atmosphere of the plot.

     Cheung Siu-hong, production designer of “Mad World” (2017), constructed and decorated the set to highly resemble a subdivided flat in real life. Through well-planned camera work, the crampedness of the flat and the stress between a father and son were fully demonstrated. In “Songs from the Second Floor” (2000), selected for screening by Cheung, director Roy Andersson employed a palette of muted colours and sets in a hyperfocal distance to depict an unemotional city where absurdity rules every day.

     “Green Snake” (1993) is based on the folklore of a poignant love story between a scholar and Lady White Snake. Art director Bill Lui, following instructions to stay focused and keep to a minimum imposed by director Tsui Hark, created an aura of etherealness and bewitching allure with chiffon-like gauze and lights. Selected by Lui, “High Heels” (1991) portrays the entanglement of an estranged mother and daughter with the director Pedro Almodóvar’s signature dazzling colours and idiosyncratic compositions.

     The range of casual outfits in pastel colours matched by costume designer Dora Ng for the main character of romantic drama “And I Hate You So” (2000) helped build the impression of an approachable romantic story writer, adding visual tints of romance to the film. Ng’s choice of the musical masterpiece “Grease” (1978) is full of youthful energy. The colourful and dazzling clothes of the girls and the rebellious leather jacket-clad boys in the film reflected the style popular at the time.

     To portray the childhood innocence of the two lead characters in “The Pye-Dog” (2007), art director Eric Lam creatively decorated the stage at a Christmas party, where the lead characters bonded, with a collection of used objects. “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), selected by Lam, presents an explosive vision of an apocalypse in which creatively engineered giant vehicles mirror the power of their drivers. 
 
     To enable audiences to have a better understanding of the production design, two reference films will be screened at the Cinema of the HKFA, including action thriller “Raging Fire” (2021) and “Where the Wind Blows” (2023), set against a backdrop of Hong Kong in the 1940s to 1970s. The two screenings of the reference films will be accompanied by post-screening seminars, hosted by curator Cecilia Wong. Art director Chou Tak-fu and visual effects supervisors Alex Lim and Yee Kwok-leung will be the speakers at the former seminar with theme “Hand in Hand – Film Arts and Visual Effects”, while Bill Lui, Dora Ng and director Philip Yung will be the speakers at the latter seminar with theme “How to Construct the Cinematic World – A Conversation Among Director, Production Designer and Costume Designer”. Admission to the seminars is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Audiences are welcome to queue up at the 1/F Foyer of the HKFA 15 minutes before the seminars begin.

     All films have Chinese and English subtitles. Tickets priced at $60 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For details, please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=51.

     In addition, the FPO and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) will jointly present free screenings of “The Lovers” (1994) and “The Love Eterne” (1963) at 2pm on August 26 (Saturday) and September 2 (Saturday) respectively at the theatre on the 1/F of the HKHM.

     A post-screening seminar will be held at 4.15pm on September 2 hosted by Cecilia Wong with costume designer and textile specialist Edith Cheung as speaker to explore the evolution and development of period costumes in films across generations. For details, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/eventsactivities/programmes/films_art.html. Audience members will be admitted 15 minutes before the programme commences. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Members of the public are also welcome to visit the HKHM’s thematic exhibition “Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts and Costumes”, as well as a series of exhibitions about Hong Kong’s pop culture. For details of the exhibitions, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/highlights.html.

     The LCSD launched the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival in April 2023, aiming to showcase Hong Kong’s unique cultural creativity and vibrancy through exhibitions, film screenings and pop concerts. For more information on other fascinating programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.

            

     â€‹As the Heat Stress at Work Warning is now in effect, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and employees to take appropriate measures during the effective period of the warning to prevent heat stroke when working in hot weather or hot environments.
      
     Employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor environments face high levels of heat stress and are at a relatively higher risk of heat stroke. Employers should assess the risk factors of heat stress for employees at work and, based on the identified risk factors, take necessary preventive and control measures, including rescheduling work periods, setting up shading covers, providing ventilation and heat dissipation equipment, and reminding employees to replenish water and rest in a timely manner.
      
     The Heat Stress at Work Warning is formulated by the LD based on the Hong Kong Heat Index. There are three levels of the warning: Amber, Red and Black, which help employers and employees better understand the level of heat stress while working outdoors or indoors without air-conditioning systems.
      
     A spokesman for the LD said that when the department issues the Heat Stress at Work Warning, employers must refer to the criteria and recommendations provided in the “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work” to conduct risk assessments, according to the workloads and other relevant heat stress risk factors, for employees who work outdoors or in non-air-conditioned indoor workplaces. Appropriate rest breaks should be arranged every hour, as far as reasonably practicable, based on various levels of the Heat Stress at Work Warning, to reduce employees’ risk of heat stroke.
      
     Employees must also follow instructions to rest on time. Whenever there are any symptoms of heat-related illnesses, such as headache, dizziness, thirst, and nausea, they should rest in a cool and shady place, drink water, and inform employers/supervisors to take appropriate action immediately.
      
     The LD issued the “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work”, detailing the various risk factors that should be considered when conducting heat stress risk assessments and recommending corresponding control measures for identified risk factors for employers’ and employees’ reference. For the Heat Stress at Work Warning and related guidelines, please refer to the department’s thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm. read more

     A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) today (August 23) said that the Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel (Working Group) led by the EEB has given agreement-in-principle to another application of a trial project on hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) double-deck buses on August 20. To date, the Working Group has examined in stages a total of seven applications that have been determined to be valid, and has given agreement-in-principle to all of them.
 
     The said project concerns an application submitted by Citybus Limited (Citybus). The trial project includes the setting up of a hydrogen refuelling facility at its bus depot in Chai Wan and the operation of five HFC double-decker buses. Citybus plans to arrange the operation of battery electric and conventional double-deck buses on the same route as the HFC double-deck buses, with a view to comparing their operational performances.
 
     The spokesperson of the EEB stated, “Upon receipt of the application for the trial project in January 2023, the Working Group promptly initiated the examination process. Following the applicant’s enhancement of the designs and technical details of its proposal to ensure that the trial project can be carried out smoothly and safely, the Working Group gave agreement-in-principle to the application on August 20. According to the plan of the applicant, the trial project is expected to commence in the second half of 2024.”
 
     Since March 24 this year, the Working Group has given agreement-in-principle to a total of seven valid applications of hydrogen energy trial projects. Thus far, all applications that have provided sufficient information to make such applications valid have been examined and processed by the Working Group. The Working Group will closely monitor the progress of the projects and maintain communication with the applicants so that they could optimise the trial projects based on the Working Group’s comments. The Working Group will also examine any new applications received in future, with a view to collecting more data and local operational experience from the hydrogen fuel trial projects as soon as possible, for the purpose of facilitating the formulation of relevant regulations, codes, standards, and technical guidelines for the local application of hydrogen fuel, as well as the planning for the necessary supporting facilities. 
 
     The Working Group is formed by the EEB, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Marine Department, the Planning Department, the Lands Department, the Buildings Department and the Architectural Services Department. read more