â€‹The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (January 17) that the 5 500 places for the about-3km run and the 10km run of the 9th Hong Kong Games' Jockey Club Vitality Run to be held on the morning of March 3 (Sunday) have been filled.

     A spokesman for the LCSD said that the event has received enthusiastic responses from the public since it was first held in 2015. The enrolment started on the morning of January 10 and the quota is now full. The spokesman thanked the public for their support, and reminded the enrolled participants to collect their number bibs from the specific locations between February 25 and March 1. Please refer to the designated webpage of the Jockey Club Vitality Run (www.hongkonggames.hk/hkg2024/en/content/eventsAct/vitality-run.html) for details.

     The spokesman also called on members of the public to cheer for the participants along the race route on the event day. Details about the 9th Hong Kong Games are available at the dedicated website (www.hongkonggames.hk).

     The Transport Department (TD) today (January 17) announced that two auctions of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on February 3 (Saturday) and 4 (Sunday) in Meeting Room N101, L1, New Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 350 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public sale at each auction. The lists of marks have been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:
     
(1) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(4) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(5) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Traditional Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html.

     â€‹The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland yesterday (January 16, Davos time).

     Mr Chan, accompanied by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, attended the WEF Annual Meeting, at which Premier Li Qiang delivered a special address. Mr Chan said Premier Li's speech comprehensively elaborated that the overall trend of China's long-term growth will not change, and China stays committed to opening up and continues to provide a strong impetus to the development of the world economy. Premier Li put forward concrete and vigorous suggestions on how to rebuild trust, enhance co-operation and promote world economic recovery and continuous growth under the current complex and volatile international political and economic environment.

     In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with the President of the World Bank Group, Mr Ajay Banga, and exchanged views on enhancing investment and financing for green and sustainable projects, promoting digitalisation in the region, enhancing collaboration among countries in the South, and promoting a more inclusive development of the regional as well as the global economy.

     Mr Chan also attended a business breakfast and a roundtable meeting organised by a multinational bank respectively. Participants included representatives from international financial institutions, investment funds, air cargo and logistics industry, insurance groups, professional services organisations and fintech enterprises. At the two sessions, Mr Chan introduced the latest economic and social conditions of Hong Kong. He also talked about the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's efforts in consolidating and enhancing the city's competitiveness as an international financial centre, developing a diversified economy, attracting enterprises and talent, and had in-depth exchanges with the participants.

     Speaking at a keynote seminar organised by a Mainland financial media agency, Mr Chan shared Hong Kong's new strengths and developments. He pointed out that four major global trends are reshaping the world economic order. They include unilateralism and geopolitical situation; the rise of China, developing Asia and the Middle East; global green transformation; as well as technological changes and the development of digital economy. Under the new global trend, Hong Kong, with its unique advantages under "one country, two systems", has bright prospects and will play an even more pivotal role as a bridge and platform connecting the Mainland and international markets and investors. The HKSAR Government is pressing ahead with the development of the "eight centres" as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. In particular, the Government is promoting the development of financial services and innovation and technology as the dual engines of Hong Kong's future growth, so as to drive economic development towards a high-quality direction, and to bring more diversified and quality employment opportunities to the public.

     In the evening, Mr Chan attended a dinner hosted by the founder and executive chairman of the WEF, Professor Klaus Schwab, for the guests of the Annual Meeting.

     Mr Chan will continue his visit to Davos today (January 17, Davos time).

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     â€‹The spokesperson for Pok Oi Hospital (POH) made the following appeal today (January 16) regarding a patient leaving the hospital without prior notification:

     A 71-year-old male in-patient left the hospital without notifying staff at around 6.30pm this evening.

     While discovered missing of the patient, ward staff reported the incident to security guards immediately and conducted the search in hospital areas and at the vicinity but in vain. POH is very concerned about the incident. The hospital contacted the patient's relative and reported the incident to the police. The hospital will continue to co-operate with police for the search.

     The patient is about 1.6 metres tall with a thin body build, black complexion with short grey and white hair. He was wearing an orange down jacket, dark-coloured trousers and slippers when leaving POH.

     The hospital appeals to the public to contact Yuen Long Police Station at 3661 1680 or call 999 if they know the whereabouts of the patient.

     â€‹The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Sze Chun-fai, today (January 16) visited Yaumati Kaifong Association School to view information boards on municipal solid waste (MSW) charging and participate in a quiz game together with 80 students from the Yaumati Kaifong Association School and the TKDS Fong Shu Chuen School, so as to encourage them to understand the details of MSW Charging and bring the information back home to share with their families.
      
     Mr Tse said, "MSW charging will be implemented on April 1. Our implementation strategy is firstly, through education as nurturing the public to develop the habit of clean recycling is particularly important. Therefore, we attach great importance to the promotion and educational work at the school level. To encourage students to actively bring relevant information home and share it with their families after obtaining the information at school, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is going to distribute a 15-litre pre-paid designated bag (DB) to each primary school student in Hong Kong progressively, so that they can bring the MSW charging information from school to home, which will help the publicity work of MSW charging reach every family more effectively."
      
     The EPD will also arrange for publicity materials on MSW charging, including posters, banners, electronic leaflets, etc, to be displayed in all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and distribute the materials to students, staff members and parent groups of all primary and secondary schools by email.
      
     In addition to strengthening educational promotion, related complementary arrangements on MSW charging will be progressively introduced. In particular, the EPD has been setting up a territory-wide retail network, covering approximately 3 000 retail points including supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and online platforms. The EPD has signed contracts with major chain retailers. Starting from the second half of January to February, designated bags and labels of different sizes will be available for sale at retail locations and online platforms. Details of the retail points have been uploaded to the dedicated website on MSW charging (www.mswcharging.gov.hk/en/) yesterday and will be updated as appropriate.
      
     Moreover, to facilitate residential residents' organisations, owners' corporations, property management companies or cleaning companies, as well as other industrial and commercial organisations to purchase designated bags and designated labels in bulk order, the EPD has been accepting bulk purchase applications from late 2023. Organisations interested in applying to open a bulk order account can download the application form from the MSW charging dedicated website (www.mswcharging.gov.hk/en/). The EPD will process its application as soon as possible to get it prepared for the implementation of MSW charging. As the number of bulk order accounts is expected to increase gradually, organisations with bulk order accounts are advised to place orders of designated bags and labels as soon as possible.