The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) hosted two meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at its headquarters, namely the 34th Meeting of the Asia Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG/34) from December 11 to 13, and the 13th Meeting of Regional Aviation Safety Group – Asia Pacific Regions (RASG-APAC/13) on December 18 and 19.  

     The APANPIRG, a regional steering body to ensure the effective implementation of the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan in Asia Pacific (APAC) states and administrations, holds a high-level regional meeting annually. The APANPIRG meeting brings together APAC states and administrations and international organisations to discuss and collaborate on air navigation planning and implementation of air traffic management enhancement initiatives. Among the representatives are Directors-General of Civil Aviation and senior officials of APAC states and administrations. The meeting serves as an essential platform for enhancing air traffic management efficiency and addressing regional challenges.

     This year, about 160 representatives from 26 APAC states and administrations and seven international organisations attended the three-day meeting and were engaged in productive discussions and presentations on a wide range of topics, including airspace management, air traffic flow management, aviation safety, and emerging technologies with milestones achieved. The CAD also arranged technical visits to the Control Tower Simulator and Aviation Education Path of the CAD Headquarters.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation of Hong Kong, Mr Victor Liu, reaffirmed that the APANPIRG was a very important forum for APAC states and administrations to work hands in hands together to enhance air traffic management efficiency and address regional challenges.

     Meanwhile, the RASG-APAC is crucial for supporting a regional performance framework for the management of aviation safety. The RASG-APAC promotes states and industry safety initiatives in harmony with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan and Global Aviation Safety Roadmap. About 100 representatives from 20 APAC states and administrations and eight international organisations attended the RASG-APAC/13 to discuss key safety issues for the continuous improvement of aviation safety.

     Mr Liu has completed a three-year term as the Chairperson of the ICAO RASG-APAC this year. He was succeeded by Captain Norazman Mahmud, the Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, after the election. The meeting expressed their appreciation to Mr Liu, the outgoing Chairperson, for his leadership and dedication since 2020. The meeting also elected Ms Clara Wong, Assistant Director-General of Civil Aviation, of the Hong Kong CAD as the new Vice Chairperson of the RASG-APAC. She was elected for a three-year term.

     "The RASG-APAC plays an instrumental role in ensuring the continuous improvement of aviation safety in the Asia Pacific Regions. I am very honoured to be elected to this important position. I look forward to working with the ICAO APAC Office to further promote aviation safety with our regional partners," Ms Wong said.

     The Hong Kong CAD has been actively participating in the RASG-APAC since its establishment. The election of a senior official of the Hong Kong CAD as the Vice Chairperson is a recognition of Hong Kong's efforts and commitment to aviation safety through its continued collaboration with the ICAO, aviation regulators and industry partners in the international aviation community.   

     Hosting these important international meetings in Hong Kong manifests the Hong Kong CAD's commitment to maintaining a safe, resilient and sustainable aviation system conducive to the advancement of aviation development through collaboration with industry partners in the international aviation community.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority.

     The spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) made the following announcement today (December 19):
 
     A 89-year-old female patient in a medical and geriatric ward was confirmed to carry Candida auris on December 9 without signs of infection. The patient passed away due to her underlying illness. In accordance with prevailing guidelines, KWH commenced a contact tracing investigation and found two more female patients (aged 54 and 19) in the same ward carrying Candida auris without signs of infection. One patient was discharged earlier and the remaining patient was transferred to Kowloon Hospital for further treatment.
 
     The hospital has reported the cases to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted:
 
1.    Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2.    Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures; and
3.    Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation as well as follow up the cases with concerned departments and the CHP.

     The Government today (December 19) welcomed the publication of the annual report of the Process Review Panel (PRP) for the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), which covers the work of the PRP in 2022-23.
 
     A spokesman for the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said, "The PRP has conducted a comprehensive review of the internal processes and operational procedures of the SFC. Through reviewing selected cases concerning enforcement, licensing and supervision of intermediaries, etc, the PRP has made a number of observations and recommendations that are conducive to the fair and consistent exercise of the regulatory powers by the SFC. We would like to express our gratitude to the PRP Chairman, Mr Lawrence Lee, and the PRP members for their diligent efforts in enhancing the transparency and accountability of the SFC."
 
     The PRP is an independent panel established by the Chief Executive to review and advise the SFC on the adequacy of the SFC's internal procedures and operational guidelines, and to determine whether the SFC has followed its internal procedures for ensuring fairness and consistency.
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council Panel on Manpower visited the Construction Sector Imported Labour Quarters (the Quarters) in Tam Mi, Yuen Long, today (December 19) to better understand the Quarters' daily management and operating arrangements.
 
     Members first took a coach ride to observe the overall environment of the Quarters. They then received a briefing on the overview of the Quarters by the Executive Director of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), Mr Albert Cheng. Members noted that the Development Bureau had commissioned CIC to convert and operate the Quarters, which was formerly a community isolation facility. The Quarters commenced operation in October this year. There are a total of 1 800 units to accommodate up to 7 000 workers under the Labour Importation Scheme for the Construction Sector.
 
     Accompanied by the Acting Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, Members then visited the Quarters' dormitory unit, and toured facilities such as laundry rooms, pantries, toilets and bathrooms. Members also learnt that the imported workers travelled between the Quarters and construction sites point-to-point by shuttle buses arranged by their employers, and the travel would be completed before the morning rush hour started. Transportation on non-working days for imported labourers would also be arranged in batches at different time slots as necessary in order to minimise the impact on neighbouring communities.
 
     Before concluding the visit, Members exchanged views with some imported workers to gain a deeper understanding on their work and daily lives in Hong Kong and the support they required. Members suggested stepping up the promotion of information on occupational safety and health, as well as employees' rights to imported workers while strengthening the provision of support measures to them.
 
     Members who participated in the visit were the Chairman of the Panel, Mr Luk Chung-hung; the Deputy Chairman, Mr Lam Chun-sing; and Panel members Mr Kwok Wai-keung, Mr Chau Siu-chung, Mr Dennis Leung, Mr Kingsley Wong and Dr Ngan Man-yu.

        

     The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province (GDDIIT) today (December 19) convened the 10th meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Cleaner Production (JWGCP) via video conferencing.
 
     The 10th meeting of the JWGCP was co-chaired by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Director-General of the GDDIIT, Mr Tu Gaokun. The meeting reviewed the work progress in 2023 and approved the 2024 work plan, which focuses on continuously promoting the adoption of cleaner production technologies in relevant industries for saving energy, reducing pollutant emissions as well as minimising waste; supporting water-intensive industries to apply water-saving technologies and increase wastewater recycling and reuse, encouraging polluting industries to undertake cleaner production audits; and promoting enterprises to control and reduce volatile organic compound emissions at source. Both sides will also continue to support relevant trade and industry associations to carry out publicity activities to promote cleaner production among enterprises.
 
     The meeting was attended by representatives of the EEB, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the Trade and Industry Department, the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR Government. On the Guangdong side, representatives of the GDDIIT, the Department of Ecology and Environment and the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province attended the meeting.
 
     Moreover, the award presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners Recognition Scheme was held in Guangzhou in the afternoon. This year, a total of 201 enterprises were commended as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners in recognition of their efforts in pursuing cleaner production. Of these, 28 Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises were honoured as "Excellent Partners" of the Scheme, while 158 were recognised as "Partners". Other commended enterprises included three sourcing enterprises and 12 environmental technology service providers.
 
     The EPD of the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the GDDIIT, launched the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme (the Programme) in 2008. To date, the Programme has provided funding support for over 3 900 applications, aiming to promote and encourage the adoption of cleaner production technologies and practices by Hong Kong-owned factories in the region. In addition, Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly launched the Scheme in 2009 to commend enterprises for their dedicated efforts taken in adopting and promoting cleaner production by recognising them as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners.

     More details of the Programme and the Scheme are available on the dedicated website of cleaner production: www.cleanerproduction.hk.