The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 is 105.9 (up 0.2 against yesterday's index).

     The Government announced today (November 7) the following senior appointments:
 
(a) Ms Alpha Lau Hai-suen will take up the appointment as the Director-General of Investment Promotion tomorrow (November 8), following an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise; and

(b) Mrs Millie Ng Kiang Mei-nei, Deputy Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment), will take up the post of Director of Administration on December 4, 2023. She will succeed Mr Brian Lo Sai-hung, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave.
 
     Concerning Ms Lau's appointment, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, "Ms Lau possesses outstanding management abilities and extensive leadership experience in corporate and institutional banking, as well as fintech, in Hong Kong and the Mainland. I have confidence that she will take a proactive role in attracting and retaining inward investment by promoting Hong Kong's unique advantages and premier business environment of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world under 'one country, two systems', where potential investors will be able to leverage setting up and expanding in Hong Kong. I also trust that Invest Hong Kong colleagues will continue to give their best under Ms Lau's leadership to meet the challenges ahead."
 
     Commenting on the appointment of Mrs Ng, Mrs Yeung said, "Mrs Ng is a seasoned Administrative Officer with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that she will continue to serve the community with professionalism in her new capacity."
 
     On the retirement of Mr Lo, who has proceeded with pre-retirement leave, Mrs Yeung said, "Mr Lo has rendered 34 years of loyal and dedicated service. During his tenure as the Director of Administration, Mr Lo rendered staunch support to the Chief Secretary for Administration. He played an instrumental role in co-ordinating the Government's business with the Legislative Council. He also made earnest efforts in fostering closer communication between the Protocol Division and the Consular Corps, as well as enhancing the efficiency in preserving and managing government records. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."
                  
     Brief biographical notes of the three officers are set out below:
 
Ms Alpha Lau Hai-suen
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     Ms Lau has served in senior positions in a number of banking and financial institutions, covering areas such as corporate and institutional banking, fintech, credit risk management, business development, as well as merger and acquisition project management. She has been a Managing Partner in Lobb Consulting Limited since July 2021. She has rich experience in bringing direct investment into Hong Kong and dealing with the relevant authorities and multinational enterprises for business expansion in Asia Pacific.
 
Mr Brian Lo Sai-hung
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     Mr Lo joined the Administrative Service in August 1989 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2021. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the former University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (later renamed as the University Grants Committee), the former Trade Department, the former Transport Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the former Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau (later reorganised as the Development Bureau), the Civil Service Bureau, the Trade and Industry Department and the Education Bureau. He served as Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service from July 2018 to August 2020, Director-General of Trade and Industry from August 2020 to May 2022, and the Director of Administration from May 2022 to October 2023.

Mrs Millie Ng Kiang Mei-nei
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     Mrs Ng joined the Administrative Service in August 1995 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2022. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Trade and Industry Branch, the Home Affairs Department, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC, the former Financial Services Bureau (later renamed as Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau), the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, the former Transport and Housing Bureau and the Security Bureau. She served as Deputy Secretary in the former Innovation and Technology Bureau from November 2015 to May 2020, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection from May 2020 to May 2021, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for the Environment (later renamed as Deputy Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Environment)) since May 2021.

      

     The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, will depart for a visit to Beijing tomorrow (November 8).
      
     During her stay in Beijing, Ms Linn will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, and several ministries with policy portfolios relating to the work of the Development Bureau, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Water Resources and the National Cultural Heritage Administration. She will also visit a science park.
      
     The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, and the Director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, Mr Vic Yau, will also join the visit.
      
     Ms Linn will return to Hong Kong on November 10. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, will be the Acting Secretary for Development.

       In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
       For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
       As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
       From noon on November 6 to noon today (November 7), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 130 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
       In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
       The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
       From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 12 770 samples of food imported from Japan (including 8 475 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 3 708 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     â€‹Hongkong Post announced today (November 7) that, as advised by the postal administration of Spain, mail delivery services previously impacted by technical issues stemming from the implementation of system development have returned to normal.