The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will screen five films in relation to the current exhibition "Cinderella and Her Qipao" at the HKFA Cinema from January 14 to May 5 next year to offer audiences glimpses of the glamour and beauty of qipao costumes in films. Both the "Cinderella and Her Qipao" exhibition and screenings are programmes under the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2023.
 
     â€‹Costumes are a crucial element in films. It can help reflect different characters' social statuses and personalities, and help establish their images. In "Modern 'Red Chamber Dream'" (1952), the story of a love triangle from the literary classic is transposed to the 1950s. The diverse female cast including Li Lihua, who plays Lin Daiyu, and Luo Lan, who plays Wang Xifeng, wear qipaos that are meticulously tailored and bring out the persona of each character.
 
     In "Star of Hong Kong" (1963), Lucilla You Min, who is a Hong Kong medical student studying in Japan, falls in love with a Japanese man played by Akira Takarada. The various qipaos that You wears in the film exude her gracefulness and the character's elegant charm.
 
     In "The Deformed" (1960), the protagonist, played by Betty Loh Ti, joins a rich heir, played by King Hu, in a marriage in name only for the sake of her family. The protagonist's costumes reveal her changing emotions and thoughts, with the traditional qipaos projecting an image of a virtuous woman and the Western dresses symbolising the desire for freedom to love.
 
     During the 1980s and 1990s, retro-themed films were a trend in Hong Kong's film industry. Set in different eras and backgrounds, the qipao costumes of "Red Dust" (1990) and "Center Stage "(1992) were also in a different style. Brigitte Lin portrays a female writer in wartime northeast China in "Red Dust", which sees her attired in loose-fitting outer robes with dark colour tones to accentuate the gloominess of the time and place.The story of "Center Stage" happens in Shanghai in the 1930s. Portraying the film star Ruan Lingyu, Maggie Cheung wears high-necked, figure-hugging qipaos in geometric patterns that display the aesthetics of fashionable Shanghai women of the period.
 
     All screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks hosted by renowned fashion designer William Tang, image director Tina Liu, costume director and textile specialist Edith Cheung, Dr Brenda Li, Dr Haze Ng and director Yim Ho.
 
     "Modern 'Red Chamber Dream'" is with Chinese lyrics. "Star of Hong Kong" and "The Deformed" are with Chinese subtitles while "Red Dust" and "Center Stage" are with Chinese and English subtitles.
 
     Tickets priced at $45 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please visit the website of HKFA (www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/pe-event-2024-qp.html) or call 2739 2139.
 
     The "Cinderella and Her Qipao" exhibition is being held at the Exhibition Hall of the HKFA until May 5 next year, displaying 31 pieces of qipao costumes worn by iconic actresses in various films from the 1950s to the 1990s, including Li Lihua in "Red Rose" (1952), Luo Lan in "Modern 'Red Chamber Dream'", Hsia Moon in "Tales of the City" (1954), Betty Loh Ti in "Malayan Affair" (1960), Linda Lin Dai in "The Blue and the Black" (1966), Brigitte Lin in "Red Dust" and Maggie Cheung in "Center Stage".
 
     The LCSD launched the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival in April 2023, aiming to showcase Hong Kong's unique cultural creativity and vibrancy through exhibitions, film screenings and pop concerts. For more information on other fascinating programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.

      

     A spokesman for the Labour and Welfare Bureau today (December 13) said that an Incentive Scheme to Encourage Provision of Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities in New Private Developments (Incentive Scheme for RCHDs) will be introduced on December 20 to provide incentives for private developers to provide RCHDs in their new private developments to increase the supply of RCHDs.

     The spokesman said, "Despite the Government's ongoing efforts to increase the provision of subsidised residential care places through different measures, there is still a long-standing shortage of RCHDs. With the ageing population, the number of applicants on the waiting list and the waiting time for subsidised RCHD places are expected to continue to increase. On the other hand, with the ageing population of residents in RCHDs, their service needs become more uniform and more similar to those of residents in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), allowing possible economy of scale in operating RCHDs. In view of this, the Government has decided to model on the existing Incentive Scheme to Encourage Provision of RCHE Premises in New Private Developments for private RCHEs, and launch a similar scheme for RCHDs to incentivise private developers to provide RCHDs in new private developments, with a view to helping improve the waitlisting situation of subsidised RCHD places in the long run."

     Under the Incentive Scheme for RCHDs, there are standing parameters. Private developers, in the course of land transactions relating to lease modification, land exchange or private treaty grant for new private developments (excluding industrial developments), will be exempted from payment of land premium for one eligible RCHD premises in each development project, subject to a total maximum gross floor area (GFA) of the RCHD premises of 5 400 square metres.

     During the first three years of the Scheme, the Government will also pilot the enhanced parameters. There will be no limit on the number of RCHD premises eligible for land premium payment exemption in each development project, and the maximum total GFA of RCHDs will be relaxed from 5 400 sq m to 12 000 sq m or 10 per cent of the total permissible GFA under lease, whichever is the greater, and the total GFA of the eligible RCHD premises will be exempted under lease and will not be counted in the original total GFA of the entire project under lease, allowing the developers to use the original GFA for other purposes. The enhanced parameters will be reviewed after three years.

     Apart from introducing the Incentive Scheme for RCHDs, the Government will continue to make its best endeavours to increase the supply of subsidised RCHD places through different measures. Relevant measures include reserving premises equivalent to about 5 per cent of the total domestic GFA in future public housing development projects for different welfare uses, on the premise that the public housing supply and other ancillary facilities will not be affected; developing government buildings with different types of welfare facilities as well as stand-alone welfare blocks on suitable "Government, Institution or Community" sites; incorporating the population-based planning standard of residential care services for persons with disabilities in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines; and incorporating land sale conditions in suitable land sale sites to require private developers to construct RCHDs, and return such RCHDs to the Social Welfare Department (SWD) as Government Accommodation, etc.

     The Lands Department and the SWD will issue a Practice Note and a Guidance Note respectively later this month to help the industry understand the details of the Incentive Scheme for RCHDs.

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (December 13):

Question:

     There are views pointing out that for the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), one of the reasons for the occurrence of train incidents from time to time in recent years is manpower shortage, and it has been reported that the industry is currently short of manpower by at least 30 per cent which involves job types such as station operation, station service and train maintenance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Government is the majority shareholder of MTRCL and there are official representatives serving on the Board of Directors of MTRCL, whether the Government has motivated MTRCL to improve the working environment and remuneration packages of the relevant job types, so as to retain talents and attract more new blood to join the industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) given that the 2023 Policy Address has proposed to implement two new railway projects, and that a number of railways put forward by the Government in the Railway Development Strategy 2014 have yet to be implemented and constructed, whether the authorities have accurately assessed and projected the future demand for railway talents, as well as formulated corresponding education and training plans; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) given that railway operation involves different professional skills, whether the authorities will discuss with the industry the establishment of a professional training system, improvement of the qualifications framework and building up of a professional development ladder, so as to attract new blood to join the industry and continuously enrich the local railway talent pool; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     It is the top priority of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to provide safe, reliable and efficient railway services to the people of Hong Kong. With the expansion of the railway network and the increase in patronage, the Government has been motivating the MTRCL to put in resources to support railway operations, with a view to providing Hong Kong with high quality railway services.

     In consultation with the Education Bureau and the MTRCL, my reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Lo Wai-kwok is as follows.

     Employees are important assets of the MTRCL and the cornerstone of Hong Kong's safe and efficient railway system. The MTRCL has made proactive efforts in increasing the establishment of staff for railway services and maintenance to meet operational needs. Nevertheless, staff recruitment has indeed been challenging in recent years. The Government has been closely monitoring the manpower situation of the MTRCL, as well as its staff recruitment and retention measures. To trawl for talents, the MTRCL has been taking various actions, including holding recruitment days in different communities, offering half-time job positions, as well as launching the Employee Referral Programme and the Joining Bonus Programme. In respect of job positions with keen competition for talents, pay level surveys are conducted to make special salary adjustments as necessary to maintain market competitiveness. Other measures, such as family-friendly initiatives, continuous staff training and policy review on deferred retirement, are also taken to attract and retain talents.

     In addition to proactive recruitment of staff, the Government has been encouraging the MTRCL to adopt innovative technologies, such as real-time monitoring technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), data monitoring and early warning, etc, with a view to enhancing the operation and maintenance efficiency and railway safety, while achieving more effective deployment of manpower resources and facilitating the development of Hong Kong into a smart city. On railway projects, the Government has been promoting the adoption of advanced technologies, such as Building Information Modelling, digital site supervision, Design for Manufacturing and Assembling, Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing, and the adoption of robots and AI to more effectively utilise manpower resources and uplift productivity.

     On staff training, the MTRCL has been providing different types of training for staff to equip them with the relevant knowledge and skills for serving the public, and for maintaining a safe and smooth railway operation. All frontline staff supporting the railway services are provided with systematic induction and on-the-job training, while operating staff are arranged to take refresher courses regularly to acquire and reinforce knowledge of safety management and incident handling. The MTRCL also reviews and modifies its training materials on a regular basis.

     To nurture a new generation of talents to support the extension of railway network and continuous enhancement of railway assets, the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (predecessor of the MTRCL) has been implementing the Apprentice Training Scheme since 1978. The apprentices have to complete a systematic on-the-job training programme, including training on professional railway systems maintenance, workshop safety and practical training, virtual reality and mixed reality exercises, rotational on-the-job training, as well as in-depth maintenance training in designated departments, before joining the MTRCL's maintenance team. Apprentices who have completed all the training are issued a widely recognised Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship, which will facilitate their acquisition of professional qualifications and licences in future. The MTRCL also gives full sponsorship for apprentices to attend designated programmes provided by the Vocational Training Council to acquire recognised academic qualifications. In particular, craft apprentices are awarded the Diploma in Railway Maintenance recognised under the Qualifications Framework upon passing the associated assessment. The MTRCL has been actively increasing the annual quota for apprenticeship in recent years. Currently, there are about 330 apprentices and technician associates under training.

     In light of the growing demand for railway-related professionals, the MTRCL established the MTR Academy (MTRA) in 2016, leveraging its extensive expertise and experience from almost 45 years of railway operations to nurture more high-quality railway professionals. Currently, apart from offering advanced diploma and diploma programmes accredited by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and recognised under the Qualifications Framework, the MTRA also supports the Hong Kong College of Technology in providing an Applied Learning programme in Railway Studies. The programme is an elective of the senior secondary school curriculum. It aims to enhance students' awareness and interest in railway development by introducing to them the knowledge of railway safety, technology and operation, as well as the responsibilities, skill sets and qualifications required for various positions in the railway industry. The MTRA will continue to attract local young people into the railway industry through its promotional activities to showcase the diverse career opportunities and promotion prospects in the trade to secondary students, parents, school principals, career mentors and various student groups, such as non-Chinese speaking students and students with special educational needs.

     Railway is an important part of public transport in Hong Kong, and the Government attaches great importance to the development and operation of railways. As the major shareholder of the MTRCL, the Government has been ensuring through the Board of Directors that the governance and strategies of the MTRCL are up-to-date, including requesting the MTRCL to devote sufficient resources to maintain railway safety and reliability. The Government will continue to motivate the MTRCL to keep up its multi-pronged efforts mentioned above in expanding the local railway talent pool, and attracting and retaining talents with opportunities of professional development and career progression.

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Tan Yueheng and a written reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (December 13):

Question:

     The Government released the Youth Development Blueprint (Blueprint) in December last year, proposing the directions and pathways for implementing youth development policies in the future. However, it is reported that a survey has found that more than half of the young respondents with grassroots background are unaware of the Blueprint released by the Government, nearly 65 per cent of the respondents have never read the Blueprint and 80 per cent of them are even very or quite unfamiliar with the contents of the Blueprint. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the main ways in which the content of the relevant policies in the Blueprint are conveyed to the youth community; whether it has communicated and interacted with young people and other stakeholders in respect of the content of the Blueprint and listen to the views of the communities concerned on the Blueprint;

(2) of the issues on which the views and suggestions of young people and other stakeholders on the Blueprint are mainly focused; whether it will take on board these views and suggestions in order to review afresh and update the Blueprint as necessary; and

(3) whether it will publish regularly, bi-annually or annually, the implementation situation of the policy measures in the Blueprint?

Reply: 

President,

     The Government all along attaches great importance to youth development. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) released the Youth Development Blueprint (Blueprint) late last year to outline the overall vision and guiding principles for the Government’s long-term youth development work in future. More than 160 concrete actions and measures were put forward in the Blueprint with a vision to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for our country and Hong Kong, and equipped with global perspective and positive thinking. Relevant bureaux and departments are actively taking forward the measures to provide all-round support for youth development.

     The reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Tan Yueheng is as follows:

(1) Following the release of the Blueprint, the HYAB has promptly publicised and promoted it to young people and the community through diverse channels, such as broadcasting the promotional video on television and in cinemas, producing a television programme for the public to better understand the vision and measures of the Blueprint. In order to enable young people to better understand how the Blueprint would support their development, the HYAB also produced pamphlets and infographic booklets which are tailored for young people of different age groups, and distributed them through different channels, including various post-secondary institutions, primary and secondary schools, over 500 youth organisations and the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in all districts. Over the past year, the HYAB has also been disseminating content relating to the Blueprint and the relevant policy measures on social media platforms, so that young people can obtain latest information related to youth development.

     In addition, with a view to promoting the Blueprint to young people and relevant stakeholders in a more in-depth manner, the HYAB and members of the Youth Development Commission (YDC) have proactively visited various post-secondary institutions, around 110 secondary schools, several government advisory committees and other organisations, and set up street counters in different districts across Hong Kong to exchange views with young people and relevant stakeholders and listened to their feedback on the Blueprint. So far, we have introduced the key content of the Blueprint to over 40 000 people in person.

(2) Since the release of the Blueprint, we have received generally positive feedback from the community on the Blueprint. The HYAB has also been reaching out to young people and relevant stakeholders to listen to their comments on the Blueprint. Young people are relatively more concerned with areas relating to education and further studies, life planning, internship and exchange opportunities, mental wellness, housing needs, etc. The HYAB will continue to implement and enhance various youth development measures. We will also review and enrich the content of the Blueprint and formulate an updated edition as appropriate, so as to ensure that the Blueprint is a living document that can keep up with the times and respond to the needs of young people in a timely manner.

(3) The HYAB has been monitoring and assessing the implementation progress and performance indicators of the Blueprint, and has regularly reported the progress to the YDC chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration. We plan to report the latest implementation progress of the Blueprint to the Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports of the Legislative Council early next year.  

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (December 13) that open auctions for a total of 21 stalls in the Lai Wan Market and the Aberdeen Market will be held on December 20 (Wednesday).

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The Lai Wan Market and the Aberdeen Market are projects of the Market Modernisation Programme, with multiple modernised facilities and management arrangements introduced. We believe that these two Markets will offer diversified products and services to members of the public."

     The types of stalls of the Lai Wan Market to be auctioned cover fruits, food-related dry goods (including, inter alia, Southeast Asian food, and vermicelli and noodles(raw)) wet goods and non-food related dry goods etc. The types of stalls of the Aberdeen Market to be auctioned cover seawater fish, vegetables, food-related dry goods and wet goods, ready-to-eat food, service trades (including barber (haircutting only), manicures, beauty and Chinese medicine practitioners), etc.

     The tenancy agreement of Lai Wan Market and Aberdeen Market is a three-year fixed term from January 1, 2024, with no right of automatic renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. However, signing of a new tenancy agreement can be arranged upon mutual agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on the sizes and locations of the individual stalls. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.

     The Lai Wan Market is expected to reopen before Lunar New Year in 2024 at the earliest, and the FEHD will announce the exact date for opening the market for business in due course. The tenants of the Lai Wan Market can start decorating and making other preparations starting from January 1, 2024, and the rent will be adjusted according to the opening date of the market.

     Bidders for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, any person shall only be allowed to bid for one stall in the same market (Lai Wan Market or Aberdeen Market). Any person who is currently a stall tenant of the Aberdeen Market is allowed to bid on a stall in the Aberdeen Market in the auction, but shall deliver vacant possession of the current stall to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the tenancy agreement. The terms and conditions of the auctions have been uploaded on the FEHD website, with details of qualifications of the bidders listed.

     The date and venue of the auctions and the number of stalls are as follows:

Lai Wan Market
——————–
Auction date: December 20 (Wednesday) (am) 
Auction venue: Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon
Number of stalls: nine 

Aberdeen Market
———————
Auction date: December 20 (Wednesday) (pm) 
Auction venue: Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon
Number of stalls: 12

     Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The admission tickets will be issued 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the auction. Persons who want to attend the auctions must wait at the waiting area of the auction venue and produce their Hong Kong identity card or passport for registration. The registered person will then be provided with an admission ticket for the auctions. In addition, eligible bidders after verification will be issued with a bidding paddle for the auction. The FEHD has also invited representatives of the Police, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Competition Commission to monitor the auctions at the auction venue in order to ensure that the open auctions are conducted in an orderly and fair manner.

     Details of the open auctions as well as of the public market stalls concerned have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/open_auction_coming.html). Bidders interested in the auctions may visit the department's website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.