Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the “Our Music Talents Series: Cong Quartet” concert in June. The Hong Kong young chamber group Cong Quartet will showcase their artistry and passion for music by performing several string compositions for music lovers.
 
     Quartet members Francis Chik (violin), Chow Yip-wai (violin), Caleb Wong (viola) and Cheng Yan-ho (cello) will perform Mozart’s “String Quartet in C, K. 465, ‘Dissonance'”, Mendelssohn’s “String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13”, and the Hong Kong premiere of local composer Adrian Wong’s “Cracked”.
 
     Cong Quartet was formed at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in the United States in 2015. The name of the quartet, “Cong”, is a combination of the quartet founding members’ last names that allude to Hong “Kong”, where members come from.
 
     Being active around Asia and Europe, Cong Quartet has given outstanding performances in several international music competitions, winning the First Prize at the 2019 Salzburg-Mozart International Chamber Music Competition in Tokyo, Japan, and the Second Prize at the 2021 Kreutzer International Music Competition (Chamber Music Category) in Belgium. The group is currently a quartet at the Netherlands String Quartet Academy, as well as the Artist in Residence of the Department of Music of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
 
     “Our Music Talents Series: Cong Quartet” concert will be staged at 8pm on June 26 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $160 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. Package discounts will be available for the “City Hall Virtuosi Series” and “Our Music Talents Series” held from May to August. For discount schemes and programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1316.html.
 
     Other highlights of the “Our Music Talents Series” include the “Vocal Recital by Michael C T Lam” to be held on June 15 (Wednesday) and the “Piano Recital by Wong Sze-yuen” to be staged on August 10 (Wednesday). For details please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1317.html.
 
     In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, members of the public are required to scan the “LeaveHomeSafe” QR code before being allowed to enter the performing arts venues managed by the LCSD for necessary contact tracing if a confirmed case is found. In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, all persons entering indoor venues under the management of the LCSD must comply with the requirement of the Vaccine Pass. read more

     Mobile Library 12 will suspend services from tomorrow (May 21) to May 27 for urgent repair works, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 20).        The affected servi… read more

     The Transport Department (TD) announced today (May 20) that to enhance the security and fairness of the Repeater Early Test Appointment Booking Service (RETAS) System for driving tests, from May 30, candidates who access the RETAS system to make an online reservation for a repeater early test appointment must first authenticate their personal identity by using “iAM Smart” or a valid e-Cert (Personal).
      
     After successful reservation, candidates may visit the specified licensing office in person or send an authorised agent to make payment for the driving test form and confirm the appointment. If candidates have upgraded the account to “iAM Smart+” or possess a valid e-Cert (Personal), they may immediately pay the driving test form fee online and confirm the appointment after successful reservation.
      
     The new measure can better ensure that repeater candidates access the online booking system themselves and reserve the repeater early test in their real names. This will help prevent the use of a computer programme to access the RETAS system, which makes it more difficult for other applicants to make an online reservation at the same time.
      
     For information on registration for “iAM Smart”, please visit the “iAM Smart” website (www.iamsmart.gov.hk). For information on e-Cert (Personal), please visit the Hongkong Post webpage (www.hongkongpost.gov.hk/product/ecert/type/per/index.html).
      
     After implementation of the new measure, candidates may continue making reservation by telephone (2866 8148) via the Interactive Voice Response System of the RETAS.
      
     The TD will closely monitor the implementation of the new measure and make timely review. For reservation details of the repeater early test appointment, please refer to the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk). For enquiries, please contact the TD’s Driving Test Appointment Office on 2771 7723. read more

     The Government yesterday (May 19) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 6.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tsuen Wan (i.e. Yeung Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan, excluding the kindergarten on G/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. All persons in the “restricted area” who have tested positive in the past 14 days, including positive cases identified either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests that have been self-declared to the DH, were not required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.
     
     In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons, other than those specified above, who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from May 13 to May 19, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before May 21, 2022.

     The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 9am today (May 20) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 11.30am today.

     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central People’s Government or procured with the co-ordination of the Central People’s Government and rapid antigen test kits were also distributed to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus. The Buildings Department also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.

     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the efforts of the testing contractors throughout the night, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 9am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 11.30am. Test records of 626 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Twenty-six persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).

     The Government reminds the 59 households who have not answered the door to undergo a nucleic acid test as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more

     The Government yesterday (May 19) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 5.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Kowloon Bay (i.e. Block 5 and Block 6, Richland Gardens, Kowloon Bay) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
      
     Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from May 13 to May 19, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before May 21, 2022. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 9.30am today (May 20) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around noon today.
      
     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing, so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central People’s Government or procured with the co-ordination of the Central People’s Government and rapid test kits were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The Home Affairs Department also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
      
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the efforts of the testing contractors throughout the night, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 9.30am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around noon. Test records of around 680 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government reminds the 69 households who have not answered the door to undergo a nucleic acid test as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

　　The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

　　The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.