The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, officiated at the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance Presentation Ceremony today (June 26) to present an award certificate to the Task Force on Basic Law Article 23 Legislation comprising the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Security Bureau (SB), and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF).

     The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was unanimously passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) on March 19 this year and took effect on March 23. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) completed the legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law, fulfilling the constitutional responsibility and historic mission that Hong Kong had been waiting for 26 years, eight months and 19 days. The Task Force had completed its legislative work in a highly efficient and expeditious manner, from launching a consultation, drafting legislative proposals, explaining the contents of the bill and rebutting untruthful remarks, to assisting the LegCo in scrutinising the bill. The bill was finally passed unanimously. With the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Hong Kong has established solid fortifications and consolidated its "defence wall" in the transition from chaos to order. This achievement, together with the effective implementation of major initiatives such as the implementation of the National Security Law and the reform of Hong Kong's electoral system, mark a milestone in the implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.

     Addressing the ceremony, Mr Lee said that the cross-departmental Task Force was highly efficient and professional, holding a strong belief in the necessity and urgency of enacting local legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, and that the sooner the enactment of the legislation the better. The Task Force had worked at full steam and with whole-hearted commitment, demonstrating the team's resolute determination in safeguarding national security and implementing the "one country, two systems" principle for the HKSAR to make glorious history. 

     Mr Lee said, "The civil service is an integral part of the HKSAR’s governance system and the key for a capable government that can deliver results. As the expectations and demands of the community towards the Government have continuously grown, the entire civil service is facing more new challenges. They have to execute policies effectively and provide quality service, and shoulder the grave responsibilities of safeguarding national security and ensure social stability at the same time. The award-winning team, the Task Force on Basic Law Article 23 Legislation, stood out from a crowd of nominations and is the role model for civil servants."

     In her acceptance speech at the ceremony, the representative of the Task Force and the then Deputy Secretary for Security, Mrs Apollonia Liu, said that it was an honour for the Task Force to have the opportunity to take part in the legislative work, which is of historical significance. She expressed gratitude to the Chief Executive for awarding this honour to the Task Force as an affirmation of the efforts they made, and thanked all officers who had taken part in this legislative work directly or indirectly, adding that the smooth completion of the legislation was definitely an outcome of the united and concerted efforts of the entire HKSAR Government, the LegCo and the whole community.

     Other guests attending the ceremony included the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung; and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee.

     The nomination exercise for the new round of the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance commenced in April this year. The Civil Service Bureau invited bureaux to nominate outstanding teams or colleagues for the honour. The response was very positive and bureaux had actively nominated outstanding teams in recognition of their outstanding performance in different areas. After being made by the respective Directors of Bureaux, each nomination was considered by a selection committee chaired by the Secretary for the Civil Service. The committee carefully considered each nomination and put forward its recommendations to the Chief Executive. After considering the committee's recommendations, the Chief Executive made his decision on the teams or individuals to be awarded.

      

     The Government announced today (June 26) that the Chief Executive has appointed Mr Ivan Ho Man-yiu as the new Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission (HC), and has appointed five new members and reappointed three existing members to the HC, for a term of two years with effect from July 1, 2024. The appointments will be gazetted on June 28, 2024.
      
     Mr Ho will succeed Mr Vincent Ng Wing-shun as the new Chairman. Mr Ho has been serving on the HC since 2013 and has chaired the Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island under the HC since 2018.
      
     The newly appointed individual members are Mr Yiu Pak-leung, Mr Leung Chun, Mr Jason Shum Jiu-sang, Mr Bondy Wen Tsz-kit and Mr Eric Yeung Chuen-sing. The reappointed individual members are Ms Sunnie Lau Sing-yeung, Dr Lawrence Li Kwok-chang and Dr Frankie Yeung Wai-shing.
      
     Welcoming the above appointments, the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said, "Mr Ho has rich experience in the work of harbourfront enhancement and has demonstrated superb leadership as the Chairman of the Task Force on Harbourfront Developments on Hong Kong Island. The Government looks forward to an ongoing close partnership with the HC to promote initiatives on harbourfront enhancement to build an attractive, vibrant, accessible and sustainable harbourfront."
 
     She continued, "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing Chairman, Mr Vincent Ng, for his tremendous contributions made over the years in his involvement with harbourfront matters. Under his chairmanship since 2018, the HC has implemented various harbourfront projects and initiatives, and has taken forward experiments at harbourfront sites that carry far-reaching impact, including the concepts of an incremental approach and harbourfront shared space. The significant achievements are well recognised."
 
     Ms Linn also expressed gratitude to the outgoing members, Ms Janice Lai Wai-man and Ms Christina Maisenne Lee, for their contributions to promoting harbourfront development in the past six years.
      
     Established in 2010, the HC advises the Government on harbourfront planning, design, management and other related matters with the objective of fostering and facilitating the development of Victoria Harbour's harbourfront.
      
     Following is the full membership of the HC commencing on July 1, 2024, including serving members whose term of service straddles July 1:
 
Chairman
———————————————
Mr Ivan Ho Man-yiu
 
Vice-Chairman
———————————————
Secretary for Development
 
Non-official Members (Organisation Members nominated by the following organisations)
———————————————
Business Environment Council Limited
Friends of the Earth (HK) Charity Limited
Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design
Society for Protection of the Harbour
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong
The Conservancy Association
The Hong Kong Institute of Architects
The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects
The Hong Kong Institute of Planners
The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong
           
Non-official Members (Individuals)
———————————————
Mr Mac Chan Ho-ting
Mr Francis Lam Ka-fai
Ms Sunnie Lau Sing-yeung
Mr Leung Chun
Dr Lawrence Li Kwok-chang
Professor Becky Loo Pui-ying
Mr Wilson Or Chong-shing
Mr Jason Shum Jiu-sang
Ms Angela So Wing-kwan
Mr Bondy Wen Tsz-kit
Mr Eric Yeung Chuen-sing
Dr Frankie Yeung Wai-shing
Mr Yiu Pak-leung
 
Official Members
———————-
Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands) or representative
Commissioner for Tourism or representative
Commissioner for Transport or representative
Director of Civil Engineering and Development or representative
Director of Leisure and Cultural Services or representative
Director of Marine or representative
Director of Planning or representative
 
Secretary
————
Commissioner for Harbourfront 

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Lam and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (June 26):

Question:

     The Government set up the Kwai Tsing District Health Centre (DHC), the first DHC in Hong Kong, in 2019, and subsequently set up DHCs or District Health Centre Expresses (DHCEs) in various districts across the territory. These facilities have been serving the public for nearly five years. However, some members of the public have relayed that apart from health promotion programmes and the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme, they do not know much about other services provided by DHCs and DHCEs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has reviewed in a timely manner the roles and functions of DHCs in primary healthcare services, such as medication management, vaccination and rehabilitation treatment, as well as the effectiveness of their services provided in collaboration with various private healthcare service providers in the community; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it has upheld the role of DHCs as case managers and service providers for patients discharged from public hospitals for rehabilitation in the community; and

(3) whether it has plans to effectively link up healthcare service providers in the community and members of the public through DHCs, so as to introduce diversified healthcare services for members of the public; if so, of the details of the newly introduced service items; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Many thanks for the questions raised by Dr the Hon David Lam. Although the first District Health Centre (DHC) was established in Kwai Tsing District in September 2019, the development of the Kwai Tsing DHC was hugely affected as a result of its active effort in combatting the COVID-19 epidemic during the global outbreak that lasted for nearly three years since 2020.

     However, with the improved epidemic situation, the Government released the Primary Healthcare Blueprint in December 2022, setting out a series of initiatives, including to further develop a community-based and family-centric community primary healthcare system based on the DHC model.

     The Government successfully set up DHCs and interim DHC Expresses of a smaller scale in all districts across the city by the end of 2022, thereby attaining the interim goal of DHCs and DHC Expresses covering all 18 districts. We are continuing to take forward the plan of establishing DHCs in all districts across the city, including the preparation of upgrading the three DHC Expresses in Central and Western District, Yau Tsim Mong District and Eastern District into DHCs by 2025. By then, more than half of the 18 Districts in Hong Kong, in other words 10 Districts, will have DHCs in place to serve members of the public. Each DHC will set up several satellite centres/service points to expand public reach.

     The DHCs mainly provide health promotion, health risk factors assessment, disease screening, chronic disease management and community rehabilitation services, etc. Following the resumption of normalcy after the epidemic, we launched the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) in November 2023 to provide targeted subsidies to citizens for screening and management of chronic diseases in the private healthcare service sector under a co-payment model. After its launch, 45 000 citizens have participated in the Scheme as at June this year and nearly 40 per cent of those who have completed screening were diagnosed with hypertension, prediabetes (Note) or diabetes mellitus. The Scheme also establishes a network with family doctors in the community and supports participants in receiving long-term follow-up.

     The DHCs foster the promotion of the "Family Doctor for All" concept, and such a role has been further enhanced after the implementation of the CDCC Pilot Scheme. We noticed that the number of DHC members has significantly increased following the launch of the Scheme. The number of new DHC members per year increased for about 36 times, from only about 2 900 in 2019/20 to about 106 400 in 2023/24. To date, the number of DHC members has reached 263 400. From the commencement of operation of the first DHC in September 2019, the service attendance has accumulated to 1 550 000 as at the end of March 2024. Detailed figures are set out in Annex. The Government commissioned the Chinese University of Hong Kong to conduct a monitoring and evaluation study on the DHCs, and the report showed that DHC members were content with the services of the DHCs and were also of the view that the services have helped enhance their health awareness. All of these reflect that DHCs have been gradually building a primary healthcare service network which begins to take shape in the community, thanks to the support from the Legislative Council Members, healthcare professionals and the community who are dedicated to primary healthcare services all along.

     Serving as the community primary healthcare resource hub, DHCs act as co-ordinators of primary healthcare services in the community and case managers. In this regard, the DHCs will enhance its services in three aspects.

     First is the establishment of a network of multi-disciplinary service providers. DHCs will co-operate with a wider range of healthcare professions to provide the public with more diversified services. For example, firstly, DHCs, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, kick-started the community pharmacy project in mid-June this year, allowing members of the public to opt for drug consultation and dispensing services in the community. Secondly, as regards mental health, three DHCs will launch a pilot programme this year to provide members of the public with mental health assessments for early follow-up and referral for high-risk cases in collaboration with community organisations. Thirdly, as regards Chinese medicine (CM), DHCs will continue to establish a service network with CM practitioners and provide personalised CM services under a co-payment model. Fourthly, as regards community rehabilitation, DHCs have established referral mechanisms with various clusters of the Hospital Authority, and DHCs will provide rehabilitation and follow-up services for referred patients with stroke, hip fracture or post-acute myocardial infarction. The accumulative service attendance of the community rehabilitation programme was around 34 000 as at March 31 this year. In 2023/24, DHCs have arranged more than 210 vaccination sessions, and will persist in their efforts in promoting influenza vaccination. In addition, the Strategic Purchasing Office will also procure nursing and allied health services from the private healthcare sector to support DHCs' function of serving as a community primary healthcare hub in various service areas.

     Besides, strengthening community ties is also a highlight of DHCs. DHCs in various districts have established regular co-operation with nearly 1 000 community organisations. The Government also held briefing sessions in April this year to introduce primary healthcare services to about 200 District Council members and will work with community service partners and organisations, including District Services and Community Care Teams, to jointly promote primary healthcare. Furthermore, DHCs have started collaborating with the operators of transitional housing and will visit 35 transitional housing projects this year to provide residents with health risk assessments and health education activities, etc.

     The third aspect is about promoting the concept of people-centered disease prevention. DHCs provide whole-person primary healthcare services and attend to individuals' health needs at different stages of lives, as well as to provide comprehensive guidance on disease prevention and health advice having regard to ones' needs at their different stages of lives based on the Hong Kong Reference Framework for Life Course Preventive Care in Primary Healthcare. DHCs will further enhance the depth and breadth of services. To tackle the pattern that male adults are less likely to take the initiative to participate in preventive primary healthcare services, such as the CDCC Pilot Scheme, DHCs will proactively reach out to more male groups by actively co-operating with different sectors to promote related services. We will also gradually integrate the primary healthcare services under the Department of Health, including Woman Health Centres and Elderly Health Centres, into DHCs.

     We will continue to review and respond to the needs of the community and strengthen the services of DHCs, so as to optimise the community healthcare system. 

     Thank you, President.
     
Note: Prediabetes with glycated haemoglobin level of 6.0 to 6.4 per cent or fasting plasma glucose level of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L

     Police today (June 26) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

     Cheung Man-kit Noctis, aged 24, went missing after he was last seen outside Sau Yuen House, Chuk Yuen South Estate, on June 1 afternoon. His family made a report to Police yesterday (June 25).

     He is about 1.6 metres tall and of thin build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black short-sleeved T-shirt and black shorts.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0331 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) launched the Energy Saving and Decarbonisation for All 2024 Campaign today (June 26) at the EMSD Headquarters Building to encourage the community to save energy, reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the low-carbon transformation of Hong Kong. Rewards were presented to winners of the Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2023 in recognition of their outstanding performance in the competitions.
 
     Delivering a welcoming speech by video, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, said, "The Government strives to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and implement multiple energy-saving policies. There are more than 50 000 buildings in Hong Kong, and the electricity consumption of buildings accounts for about 90 per cent of Hong Kong's total electricity consumption. Promoting 'Energy Saving and Green Buildings' can reduce electricity consumption and power generation demand. However, active actions by all citizens are essential in successfully combating climate change. Therefore, I appealed to all sectors of society to actively participate in the Energy Saving and Decarbonisation for All 2024 Campaign."
 
     Jointly organised by the EEB and the EMSD, the Energy Saving and Decarbonisation for All 2024 Campaign comprises the Energy Saving Charter 2024 and the 4T Charter. The Energy Saving Charter is promoted in conjunction with the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme to encourage all sectors in practising energy saving when using appliances in their daily lives. This year, over 3 300 premises have signed up for the Energy Saving Charter 2024. They pledged to maintain the average indoor temperature at their premises between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius during the high summer months from June to September, switch off appliances when not in use, procure energy-efficient appliances, promote energy data transparency, share energy-saving measures and achievements, and facilitate retrofitting in existing buildings. As for the 4T Charter, over 780 premises have joined by setting an energy-saving Target with an action Timeline, ensuring the Transparency of building energy data and the reporting of energy-saving results, as well as encouraging stakeholders to work Together to achieve the target of energy saving.
 
     At the ceremony, Legislative Council Member Dr Lo Wai-kwok; the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying; and Deputy Secretary for Environment and Ecology Ms Polly Kwok presented awards to winners of the Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2023. The Competition for Household aims to promote public participation in the Energy Saving and Decarbonisation for All 2023 Campaign, and encourage them to practise energy conservation and carbon reduction in their daily lives through creativity and the application of innovative technology. The Competition for Students seeks to inspire the creativity and imagination of youth towards achieving carbon neutrality before 2050 through energy saving and the wider adoption of renewable energy. The winners' energy-saving initiatives will be uploaded to the Energy Saving for All website www.energysaving.gov.hk. Members of the public may browse the website for more details of the Energy Saving and Decarbonisation for All 2024 Campaign.