Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Government announced today (May 26) that the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury has appointed members to the Statistics Advisory Board (SAB) for a new term of two years from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2024.

     The SAB of the new term includes 13 non-official members, 10 of whom are serving members and three newly appointed members. The new members are Ms Alice Lau Oi-sze, Ms Janet Li Tze-yan and Mr Michael Ngai To-nam.

     The Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Ms Marion Chan, said, “Members of the SAB are professionals from different disciplines. Their diverse background and expertise will provide the Census and Statistics Department with invaluable insights and help ensure that its statistical work will continue to meet the evolving needs of our community.”

     Ms Chan added, “We are grateful to the three outgoing members, Mrs Cheung Ang Siew-mei, Ms Nicole Yuen Shuk-kam and Mr Edward Ho Man-tat for their unfailing support and wise counsel to the SAB that has helped foster the development of the Government’s statistical work.”

     The SAB is an advisory body established in 1972 to advise the Commissioner for Census and Statistics on matters pertaining to official statistical work. Its membership consists of professionals from the business sector, the academia and the community, providing a wide representation to assist the Commissioner in integrating views of data users, data suppliers and statisticians.

     Following is the membership of the SAB for the new term from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2024:

Chairperson (Ex officio)
Commissioner for Census and Statistics

Official members
Director of Planning (or representative)
Government Economist (or representative)
Representative from the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau

Non-official members
Mr Samuel Lau Kin-pui
Ms Alice Lau Oi-sze 
Mr Patrick Leung Chin-pak
Ms Michelle Leung Oi-pui
Ms Janet Li Tze-yan 
Professor Vivian Lou Wei-qun
Mr Michael Ngai To-nam 
Mr Gavin Poon Ka-ming
Professor Isabella Poon Wai-yin
Professor Shen Haipeng
Mr Stan Tang Yiu-sing
Mr Ivan Ting Tien-li
Mr Daniel Wong Wai-hung read more

     The results of the 2022 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination will be released on July 20. To assist Secondary Six students to prepare for the release of the HKDSE Examination results, the Education Bureau (EDB) has specially produced the “Three useful tools for the release of the HKDSE Examination results”, namely e-Navigator, Further Studies and Career Map and Compass@HKDSE. These tools, uploaded to the EDB website today (May 26), allow Secondary Six students, parents and schools to obtain the latest information of multiple pathways in a timely manner.
      
     Students, parents and schools can use the e-Navigator to search for programme information across different levels, including degrees, sub-degrees and the Diploma Yi Jin. Further Studies and Career Map provides a checklist of multiple pathways and key dates for course registration. Compass@HKDSE provides students with essential information to make better preparation for the release of the HKDSE Examination results. It includes useful information on further studies, multiple pathways and various supporting services.
      
     A spokesman for the EDB said, “The broad and balanced senior secondary curriculum provides diversified choices to cater for students’ diverse learning needs. It promotes students’ whole-person development, stretches students’ potential fully and equips them with lifelong learning capabilities by the time of graduation. We hope that all Secondary Six students will make good use of the three useful tools, through the flexible and diversified study and career pathways with multiple entry and exit points, to choose their right directions according to their interests, needs and aptitudes, so as to develop their full potential and realise their aspirations.”
      
     The spokesman added that despite the severity of the fifth wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong, the HKDSE written examinations were smoothly completed thanks to the co-operation of all sectors of the community, schools, parents, and students in Hong Kong. The EDB will continue to maintain close communication and collaboration with schools and other stakeholders to help students plan for their future. For the arrangements of the HKDSE Examination results release, schools are advised to refer to the latest announcements on the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority website (www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en).
      
     The three useful tools are available on the “Designated Webpage for Secondary 6 Students” (www.edb.gov.hk/s6/en), which also provides other latest information about multiple pathways. read more

     Regarding a report released by the Ombudsman today (May 26) on its direct investigation into “Civil Aviation Department’s regulation of paragliding activities”, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD)’s response is as follows:

     The CAD would like to express its gratitude for the work of the Ombudsman in the direct investigation. Eight recommendations have been made in the investigation report. Regarding four of them (i.e. recommendations 5 to 8 in the report), including the provision of detailed case analysis to the Hong Kong Police Force on complaints related to paragliding activities, and enhancement on inspections, law enforcement and publicity, the CAD expresses its appreciation and has already implemented or plans to implement the measures. The CAD will continue to work closely with the relevant government departments, including the Hong Kong Police Force, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, to step up patrols and law enforcement. The CAD will also continue to maintain close liaison with local paragliding organisations to enhance the safety awareness on paragliding and safeguard aviation safety through education and publicity.
 
     The current civil aviation legislation aims at regulating civil aircraft, rather than paragliding activities. Therefore, for the other four recommendations involving policy and legislative amendments (i.e. recommendations 1 to 4 in the report), which include exploring the feasibility of enacting new legislation or implementing administrative measures to implement real-name registration for paraglider pilots, requiring paraglider pilots to register their paragliding equipment and authorising or engaging suitable paragliding organisations to systemically administer and develop paragliding activities, as well as for accident and incident investigation, the CAD will review with its policy bureau as well as other bureaux concerned on relevant issues and the feasibility of the recommendations. The discussion will include how to facilitate more effective management of paragliding activities through relevant government departments and paragliding organisations, so as to promote the development of paragliding activities on the one hand and to ensure public safety on the other.

     Paragliding is not a widely practised sport in Hong Kong and entails a certain level of safety risk that may affect other local airspace users. Improper operation of paragliders may cause casualties. In view of this, to ensure the safety of airspace users and reduce the potential risks caused by paragliding activities to airspace users and members of the public, since the 1990s the CAD has listed out site boundaries, operating altitudes and relevant guidance for paragliding activities in the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Publication.

     In view of the growing popularity of paragliding activities in Hong Kong in recent years and its potential impact on aviation safety, in 2018 the CAD took the initiative to review the regulatory regime of paragliding activities. After consulting local stakeholders and taking reference from experiences of other places where paragliding activities are popular, the CAD published the Safety Guidance on Paragliding Activities to further enhance the safety of paragliding activities in Hong Kong. The Guidance also reminds members of the public that any offer of air service performed by paragliders for hire or reward requires a permit granted by the Director-General of Civil Aviation.
 
     There are currently two paragliding organisations in Hong Kong, namely the Hong Kong Paragliding Association and the Hong Kong Paragliding Federation, with the former being a national sports association under the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China. The CAD has been maintaining close liaison with the two organisations, including inviting them to join meetings of the Flight Safety Committee, which is composed of local airspace users. These meetings, arranged and hosted by the CAD, serve to co-ordinate aviation safety measures on the use of Hong Kong airspace, including regular reviews on the site boundaries and operational arrangements for paragliding activities. read more

     A woman who went missing in Tai Po has been located.      Cheng Ngan-lai, aged 50, went missing after she was last seen on Sha Lan Road on May 24 morning. Her family made a report to Police on t… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
 
     The Ombudsman, Ms Winnie Chiu, today (May 26) announced at a press conference the completion of a direct investigation into the regulation of paragliding activities by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), and made eight recommendations for improvement to the CAD.
 
     Paragliding activities first appeared in Hong Kong in the 1990s and have become more popular in recent years. Nevertheless, related accidents have happened from time to time. Over the past four years, there have been two fatal accidents involving paraglider pilots in Hong Kong and one serious incident in which a paraglider collided with a vehicle when it mistakenly landed on a carriageway. The safety risk involved in paragliding activities is just too obvious to ignore. At present, while there is no specific legislation for regulating paragliding activities in Hong Kong, the CAD regulates paragliding activities under those provisions of the civil aviation laws that also cover paragliding.
 
     Investigation by the Office of The Ombudsman revealed that the CAD only conducted a review on the regulation of local paragliding activities as late as 2018, before which the department had not proactively reviewed and modified its regulatory work. The CAD’s enforcement and monitoring have not been adequate either, even after the establishment of a permit application mechanism for local paragliding air service providers in 2019. In addition, the effectiveness of regulatory efforts has also been dampened by the CAD’s reliance on a non-governmental organisation for the management of paragliding activities and accident/incident investigation.
 
     Ms Chiu said, “The CAD, as the department responsible for promoting and managing aviation safety, and for enforcing the legislation relevant to paragliding activities, has the duty to ensure that the paragliding activities would not jeopardise public or airspace safety. The Office recommends that the CAD take reference from overseas experience and discuss with local paragliding associations and stakeholders with a view to introducing a new system for managing paragliding activities. It should also participate in investigations and enforcement proactively in order to boost the effectiveness of regulation. Furthermore, for the sake of safety, we encourage members of the public interested in paragliding activities to choose services offered by eligible persons approved by the CAD.”
 
     The Office has made eight recommendations for improvement to the CAD, which include:
 

• explore legislative or administrative measures, as suited for the local paragliding sector, to introduce a real-name registration scheme for paraglider pilots, a registration system for paragliding equipment, and an authorisation regime for local paragliding organisations;

 

• consider authorising or appointing officially the organisation(s) that the department deems appropriate to conduct investigations into paragliding accidents and incidents, and furnish the organisation(s) with specific guidelines such that the organisation(s) can uncover substantive information for the government authority to decide the necessary investigation and enforcement action;

 

• before referring complaint cases about allegedly illegal paragliding activities or services to the Hong Kong Police Force, the CAD should collate and analyse case information of those cases from the professional perspective of civil aviation safety for the Police’s reference;

 

• strengthen enforcement efforts under the permit system for providing air services by paragliders and step up publicity about the system; and

 

• consider granting renewed permits with a validity period longer than six months.

     The CAD has in general accepted all of the improvement recommendations.
 
     The full investigation report has been uploaded to the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information. read more