The Government announced today (July 31) the reappointment of eight incumbent members and the reappointment of Mr Adrian Yip Chun-to as the Chairman of the Betting and Lotteries Commission. The appointment of Ms Cheung Lai-chu and Ms Vivian Tsui Sau-yin as new members was also announced. The appointment of these 11 members will take effect from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2025.
      
     The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, welcomed the appointments and said she was pleased to see the appointment of members coming from different sectors and professions who would give valuable advice to the work of the Commission. She expressed her appreciation to the outgoing members for their efforts and contributions to the work of the Commission during their term of service.
      
     The membership list of the Commission, with effect from August 1, 2023, is as follows:
 
Chairman
——–
Mr Adrian Yip Chun-to

Members
——–
Mr Henry Chan Chi-chiu
Ms Cheung Lai-chu
Reverend Canon Peter Douglas Koon Ho-ming
Mr Lai Tat-shing
Ms Anthea Lee Shuk-wai
Mr Howard Ling Ho-wan
Ms Vivian Tsui Sau-yin
Miss Iris Wan Lai-sze
Mr Wong Hin-wing
Ms Annie Wong Pak-yan

     The Commission is a statutory body established in accordance with the provisions of the Betting Duty Ordinance. Its function is to advise the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs on the regulation of the conduct of horse race betting, football betting and lotteries.  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 31) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 4 500 food samples tested were found to be satisfactory except for four unsatisfactory samples which were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
      
     A CFS spokesman said about 1 600 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 2 900 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
      
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation level tests included testing for radioactive caesium and iodine in samples collected from imported food from different regions.
      
     The samples comprised about 1 100 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 400 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 500 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 700 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 800 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 1 000 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
      
     The four unsatisfactory samples comprised a pickled vegetable sample and a prepackaged sweet radish sample detected with preservatives exceeding the legal limit; a prepackaged preserved mustard greens sample in breach of the food labelling regulations; and an imported chilled chicken sample detected with a veterinary drug residue exceeding the legal limit.
      
     The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
      
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
      
     Separately, to fully prepare in response to Japan's plan of discharging wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the CFS has gradually stepped up radiological tests on imported Japanese food products. For details of the test results, the public can visit the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/monthly_japan_nuclear_incidents.html).

     The Hong Kong House at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2023, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and organised by the Art Promotion Office (APO), in collaboration with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee, is now being showcased in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Hong Kong art group Toolbox Percussion has joined hands with various sound artists and composers to stage the sound-based art exhibition "A DOUBLE LISTEN: Yama no Oto", featuring a series of sound art installations made from daily necessities to create a novel sonic experience for the audiences.
      
     Taking wooden pedals as the starting point of the work, Toolbox Percussion created a playful living room with an interactive installation of mahjong and digital visual and audio installations. Audiences will be able to construct a sound after-image and a unique listening experience by traversing and crisscrossing the room where different objects are haphazardly laid out.
      
     The exhibition "A DOUBLE LISTEN: Yama no Oto" of the Hong Kong House is open until November 5 at 29-4 Miyanohara, Kamigo, Tsunan-machi, Nakauonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. In addition to the exhibition, the Hong Kong House project has invited the Department of Art History of the University of Hong Kong as the internship programme collaborator to launch an internship programme, in which their students would serve an internship and interact with the participating art group of the Hong Kong House.
      
     The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is one of the largest international outdoor art festivals in the world. With the support of the Tsunan Town Government and in collaboration with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee and the NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organization, the Art Promotion Office (APO) of the LCSD launched the Hong Kong House in Kamigo Sakasamaki, Tsunan Town, Japan, in 2018. This year, the participating art group is Toolbox Percussion, which was selected through an open call for proposals by the joint adjudication panel of Hong Kong and Japan in 2020.
      
     The APO is now calling for artwork proposals for the next Triennale. Interested Hong Kong artists and artists' teams are invited to submit their proposals before 8pm on August 11 (Friday). The selected three artists or artists' teams will reside in Tsunan to feature their artworks and carry out relevant fringe activities in 2024, 2025 or 2026 respectively.
      
     For details of the exhibition and the call for artwork proposals, please visit the APO's website at www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/there_projects_and_programmes.html, the Facebook of the Hong Kong House at www.facebook.com/apo.hkhouse, the Instagram at www.instagram.com/hongkonghouse, or call 2512 3018/ 2512 3019/ 2512 3020.

              

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department today (July 31) announced that the Sam Mun Tsai waterfront cycle track in Tai Po has been opened.

     The 900-metre long cycle track, running along Sam Mun Tsai Road from the junction with Ting Kok Road, is an extension of the Sheung Shui to University Station section of the New Territories Cycle Track Network.

     The cycle track is surrounded by the stunning natural scenery of Pat Sin Leng, Plover Cove and Tolo Harbour. Cyclists can enjoy panoramic views of the entire Shuen Wan Typhoon Shelter along the route. A resting station at the end of the cycle track provides ancillary facilities, including a toilet, water dispensers, sheltered benches and cycle parking spaces.

     For details, please visit the thematic website of the New Territories Cycle Track Network (www.ntctn.hk). The route of the Sam Mun Tsai waterfront cycle track is also available in the all-in-one mobile application "HKeMobility".

    

     The Government today (July 31) announced appointments to the Cantonese Opera Development Fund Advisory Committee (CODFAC) and Mr Maurice Lee Wai-man as Chairman of the CODFAC for the period from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2025.

     The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau thanked the outgoing Chairman, Professor Lui Yu-hon, for leading the CODFAC during the past six years, as well as outgoing members Ms Wan Fai-yin and Professor Yau Chi-on, and the late Mr Yeung Chi-sum for their valuable contributions to the Committee and to the promotion of Cantonese opera development in Hong Kong.

     The full membership of the Committee with effect from August 1, 2023, is as follows:
     
Mr Maurice Lee Wai-man (Chairman) *
Mr Ip Sai-hung (Vice-Chairman)
Dr Benjamin Chan Tak-yuen *
Mr Sammond Cheng Kwok-fai
Ms Cheng Nga-ki
Ms Susanna Cheng Wing-mui
Mr Andrew Fung Hau-chung
Mr Lai Yiu-wai
Ms Lam Yan-yin (Lam Kwan-ling)
Dr Lee Siu-yan
Mr Liang Xiaoming (Leung Siu-ming)
Mr Wilfred Ng Sau-kei
Mr Jonathan Ng Yee *
Ms Yip Siu-ming (Yip Chung-man)
Professor Lui Yu-hon (Chairman of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee)
Representative of the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism
Representative of the Secretary for Education
Representative of the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services

* New appointees