The Land Registry today (January 4) released its statistics for 2023.

Land registration
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*   The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration for 2023 was 58 035 (-2.7 per cent compared with 2022 and -39.6 per cent compared with 2021).

*   The total consideration for these agreements for 2023 was $477.90 billion (-13.8 per cent compared with 2022 and -47.9 per cent compared with 2021).

*   The number of assignments of building units for 2023 was 86 444 (+0.5 per cent compared with 2022 but -26.4 per cent compared with 2021).

*   The total consideration for these assignments for 2023 was $589.83 billion (-14.7 per cent compared with 2022 and -36.2 per cent compared with 2021).

Land search
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*   The number of searches of land registers made by the public for 2023 was 4 584 491 (-6.0 per cent compared with 2022 and -20.8 per cent compared with 2021).

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold the second public hearing on "Licensing of food premises" (Chapter 2) of the Director of Audit's Report No. 81 tomorrow (January 5) at 9am in Conference Room 1 of the LegCo Complex.

     Seven witnesses have been invited to appear before the above hearing to respond to points raised in the Report and answer questions asked by PAC members.

     The programme for the public hearing is as follows:

Subject: Licensing of food premises
(Chapter 2 of the Director of Audit's Report No. 81)
Date: January 5 (Friday)
Time: 9am
Venue: Conference Room 1

Witnesses:

Mr Tse Chin-wan
Secretary for Environment and Ecology

Ms Wendy Au
Acting Deputy Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food)1

Ms Irene Young
Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

Mr Arsene Yiu
Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene)

Mr Gabriel Tsang
Assistant Director (Operations)1
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Mr Wan Chi-shun
Senior Superintendent (Hygiene)
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Miss Winnie Chau
Senior Superintendent (Licensing)
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

     The PAC is chaired by Mr Shiu Ka-fai, and its Deputy Chairman is Mr Paul Tse.  Other members are Ms Yung Hoi-yan, Mr Luk Chung-hung, Mr Edmund Wong, Mr Louis Loong and Ms Carmen Kan.

     Police today (January 4) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Kwai Chung.

     Lai Hiu-yan, aged 23, went missing after she left her residence in Lai Yiu Estate on December 26, 2023 afternoon. Her friend made a report to Police on December 31, 2023.
         
     She is about 1.72 metres tall, 54 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion, long black hair. She has a tattoo on her neck. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket, black trousers, white shoes and carrying a pink crossbody bag and a yellow bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 6383 4337 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra (HKYCO) of the Music Office (MO) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will hold its annual concert, "United We Go", at 3pm on February 4 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall to present a wide variety of Chinese classics to the audience. The concert is under the "Carry the Music On" Concert Series, which is a commemorative programme in celebration of the MO transcending beyond its 45-year mark.

     The concert will be conducted by the Chief Music Officer of the MO, Tsui Ying-fai, and Senior Music Officer (Chinese) and alumnus of the MO Kwok Kin-ming. Former MO instructor Ho Man-chuen is the concert's guest conductor. The HKYCO will jointly perform with its Alumni Orchestra and seven notable MO alumni, including MO instructors Tse Yuen-yau, Chan Sze-tung and Ho Shun-yin, and local musicians Chin Kwok-wai, Chan Kai-him, Tung Tsz-ching and To Suet-hin to celebrate the distinguished accomplishments of the MO over 45 years by presenting breathtaking Chinese music pieces.

     The concert's exhilarating programme includes: "The Galloping Horses", selected from "Spring" Suite depicting herdsmen galloping on the grassland; "Dragon", which was commissioned by the MO and created by Law Wai-lun to portray different images of the mythical creature; "The Moon over Guanshan", a piece inspired by the namesake poem by Li Bai; "Spring", paying tribute to the season and expressing hope for the future; "A Bumper Harvest", with distinct Shandong wind and percussion musical style; "Moonlight on the Spring River", a famous Chinese music piece; and "United We Go", a piece written for a traditional Cantonese wujiatou ensemble to perform with orchestra.

     The concert's finale, "Joyful Encounter of North and South", a concerto grosso, was commissioned by the MO and created by Kuan Nai-chung. Concertmaster Li Hang-tsun (erhu) and seven members of the HKYCO: Tang Suet-ching (yangqin), Chan Ho-yan (pipa), Au Yeung Wing-fung (bangdi), Luk Tsun-ki (qudi), Suen Tsz-kit (sheng), Tsoi Wai-yin (suona) and Law Wang-sum (percussion) will form a solo concertino to take the lead and play with the HKYCO.

     Established in 1978, the HKYCO has around 80 members aged 25 and below. The Orchestra frequently performs at various major local events. It also plays the role of music ambassador for Hong Kong and has toured the Mainland and overseas for music exchange concerts and received high acclaim.

     Tickets priced at $60, $80 and $100 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2796 1003 or 3842 7784 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (January 4) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.