Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Government announced today (December 31) the membership of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board (TIAB) in the new term for two years from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023.
      
     The new members appointed are Dr Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu, Mr Chan Chak-ming, Ms Jennifer Chan Pui-kwan, Mr Calvin Chau, Dr Allen Shi Lop-tak, Mr William Shum Wai-lam, Dr Kennedy Wong Ying-ho and Dr Yim Fung. Meanwhile, 19 incumbent members are re-appointed.
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (SCED), Mr Edward Yau, thanked the members for accepting the appointments. He said, “The TIAB serves an important function of advising the Government on promoting the development of Hong Kong’s trade and industry, in particular on matters concerning how Hong Kong can leverage the opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, and how to cope with the changes in the economic situation such as the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the experience and expertise of members in their respective sectors, I am confident that they will offer valuable advice on promoting our work.”
      
     He thanked the outgoing members, namely Mrs Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee; Mr Paul Lam Ting-kwok, SC; Mr Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong; Miss Nisa Bernice Leung Wing-yu; Mr Alan Lui Siu-lun; Dr Ma Jun; Dr Pang Yiu-kai; Dr Thomas So Shiu-tsung; Mr Wong Ting-kwong; and Dr Daniel Yip Chung-yin for their support and contributions to the work of the TIAB.
      
     The TIAB advises the SCED on matters affecting Hong Kong’s trade and industry, including trade in textiles and garments, trade relations with the Mainland, the Belt and Road Initiative, the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and related matters.
      
     The 2022-23 membership list of the TIAB is as follows:
 
Chairman
———-
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
 
Non-official members
———————–
Dr Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu
Mr Chan Chak-ming
Miss Mabel Chan Mei-bo
Ms Jennifer Chan Pui-kwan
Mr Calvin Chau
Mr Ivan Chu Kwok-leung
Mr Nicholas Ho Lik-chi
Ms Miranda Kwan Ching-yi
Dr Stephen Kwok Chun-pong
Mr Victor Lam Hoi-cheung
Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok
Mr Lau Chun-kong
Mr Steve Leung Chi-tien
Mr Frank Leung Yat-cheong
Mr Willy Lin Sun-mo
Mr Raymond Mak Ka-chun
Dr Dennis Ng Wang-pun
Dr Allen Shi Lop-tak
Mr Shiu Ka-fai
Mr William Shum Wai-lam    
Mr Sunny Tan
Mr Conrad Wong Tin-cheung
Mr Harold Wong Tsu-hing
Ms Connie Wong Wai-ching
Dr Kennedy Wong Ying-ho
Dr Yim Fung
Dr Eric Yip Chee-hang
 
Ex-officio members
———————
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (or representative)
Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) (or representative)
Director-General of Trade and Industry (or representative)
Director-General of Investment Promotion (or representative)
Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (or representative) read more

     The Government announced today (December 31) that the Chief Executive has re-appointed Mr Ma Ho-fai as the Chairperson of the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and its 25 incumbent members, and has appointed Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun and Mr Ricky Tse Kam-shan as its new members, for a period of two years with effect from January 1, 2022.
      
     On the appointments, the spokesman of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, “The Government welcomes the two new members joining the TIA, and appreciates the leadership of the Chairperson as well as the other members who draw on their professional knowledge and experience in different fields to take forward actively the TIA’s preparatory work in formulating the new regulatory regime of the travel industry. We would also like to express our gratitude to the outgoing members, Mr Jason Shum Jiu-sang, Mr Jason Wong Chun-tat and Professor Cathy Hsu Hui-chun, for their dedicated service and valuable advice rendered to the TIA during their tenure.”
      
     The TIA is a statutory regulatory body of the travel industry established under the Travel Industry Ordinance. It is primarily responsible for the licensing and regulation of travel agents, tourist guides and tour escorts.
      
     The membership of the TIA for the new term from January 1, 2022, is as follows:

Chairperson
————-
Mr Ma Ho-fai

Vice Chairperson
——————
Commissioner for Tourism

Ordinary Members
——————–
Trade members

Ms Lanny Leung Kong-lan
Mr Paul Leung Yiu-lam
Mr Martin Ma Yuk-man
Dr Priscilla Poon Chau-min
Ms Catherine So Ka-woon
Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun
Mrs Ann Tang Yu Li-hua
Mr Ricky Tse Kam-shan
Mr Tse Yun-sang
Mr Wong Ka-ngai
Ms Gianna Wong Mei-kiu
Mr Michael Wu Siu-ieng
Mr Yiu Pak-leung

Non-trade members

Ms Dilys Chau Suet-fung
Ms Kerry Ching Kim-wai
Mr Alex Fan Hoi-kit
Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung
Mr Victor Lam Hoi-cheung
Mr Kevin Lam Sze-cay
Mr Johnny Leung Ka-kui
Mr Fred Li Wah-ming
Ms Elaine Liu Yuk-ling
Dr Barry Mak Lui-ming
Mr James Tong Wai-pong
Mr Wilfred Wong Kam-pui
Mr Adrian Wong Koon-man
Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang read more

     The Government gazetted today (December 31) the proposed road works to facilitate the redevelopment at Queen’s Road West and In Ku Lane to be implemented by the Urban Renewal Authority. 

     Details of the proposal are set out in the Annex. The plan and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:

Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

District Lands Office, Hong Kong West and South,
20/F, Southorn Centre, 
130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

     The gazette notice, scheme, plan and location plan are available at www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.

     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau’s drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk. 

     A notice of objection should describe the objector’s interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than March 1, 2022.  read more

     The Government yesterday (December 30) 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 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Shek Kip Mei (i.e. Wing Chak House, Chak On Estate, 1 Chak On Road, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon, Hong Kong) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are 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. In addition, the Government had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the building for more than two hours from December 10 to December 30, 2021, to undergo compulsory testing on or before January 1, 2022 even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (December 31) 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 10am today.

     In this exercise, the Housing Department, Sham Shui Po District Office, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health mobilised around 200 staff to carry out for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.

     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including canned food, instant noodles and corn, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks was also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The Housing 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 tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am 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 or wore a wristband 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 10am. Test records of around 390 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Six persons were found to have not 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 expects that the 48 households who have not answered the door will contact the Government for arrangement of testing 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 $5,000. 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 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

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     The Government today (December 31) announced the approval of the extension of the service of Mr Yang Joe-tsi, as the Commandant of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (HKAPF) for two years and six months up to July 6, 202… read more