The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (December 9) that 159 market stalls in 31 public markets that were not taken at open auctions held earlier will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices from December 16 to 18 on a trial first-come, first-served basis.

     The rent of the 159 stalls will be set at the upset price of the most recent open auction. In open auctions, the upset prices for the stalls will be initially fixed at 80 per cent of the open market rent (OMR) if the stalls have been vacant for over six months, and at 60 per cent of the OMR if the vacancy has been over eight months.

     The retail commodities allowed for sale in these stalls cover frozen meat, fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, ready-to-eat food, food-related dry goods and wet goods, non-food related dry goods and wet goods. The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term starting from February 1, 2025, with no right of renewal upon expiry. The monthly rent of the stalls varies depending on their sizes, locations, vacancy periods and the reduced upset prices from the last open auction of the individual stalls. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.

     Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm during the abovementioned renting period:

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to select stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls that can be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is allowed to select one stall in the same market. The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to select a stall in the same market, but must vacate and return the current stall to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement. The terms and conditions of renting market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis have been uploaded to the FEHD website, detailing qualifications of the applicants."

     Details of renting public market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested applicants may visit the department website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.

     â€‹Hongkong Post announced today (December 9) that, as advised by the postal administration of Italy, mail delivery services previously impacted by a local strike have returned to normal. However, due to the impact of a cyber incident, mail delivery services are still subject to delay.

     A boy who went missing in Tsing Yi has been located.

     Kwok Cheuk-hin, aged 15, went missing after he left his residence in Tsing Yi Estate on December 2 afternoon. His family then made a report to Police.

     The boy returned to his residence on December 7 evening. He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation achieved remarkable results at the Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Alliance (APICTA) Awards 2024, held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from December 4 to 7. The HKSAR delegation once again ranked first among the 15 participating economies, bagging a total of eight Winner Awards, four First Runner-up Awards, three Second Runner-up Awards and three Merit Awards.
 
     This annual awards programme serves as a platform for information and communications technology (ICT) talents from the 15 participating economies across the Asia-Pacific region to exchange innovative ideas and forge partnership. Led by the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, the HKSAR delegation comprising 25 teams showcased their innovative products and applications in the event this year.
 
     The following projects from the HKSAR shone at the competition and won awards among over 260 entries:
 
Winner Awards

• Public transport ridership simulation – MTR to Keep Cities Moving –  The Unprecedented Strategy and Intelligence in Railway Planning by MTR Corporation Limited / the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Business Data Analytics category)
• Try.Eat! – Influencer Matching Platform by InnoLab Limited (Consumer category – Digital Marketing / Advertising)
• CityGeni – Smart City App Specializing in Barrier-Free Navigation by Maphive Technology Limited (Consumer category – Tourism & Hospitality)
• AI-Driven Sorting System by Green AI Technology Limited (Inclusions & Community Services category – Sustainability and Environment)
• HKeToll by Transport Department, the Government of the HKSAR / Autotoll Limited / Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited (Public Sector and Government category – Government & Citizen Services)
• A-EYE AI visual impaired shopping assistant by ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School (Senior Student category: Application)
• From Romanised Nepali to Pure Nepali: AI Transliteration Using Transformer Architecure for Low-Resourced Languages by Hong Kong Baptist University (Tertiary Student category: Application)
• SAFERIN by Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology at IVE (Tuen Mun) (Tertiary Student category: Application)

First Runner-up Awards

• "ChillStream®" AI chiller optimizer by Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Government of the HKSAR (Artificial Intelligence category)
• Housing Authority Project Information Management and Analytics Platform by Hong Kong Housing Authority / Geosys Hong Kong Limited (Business Data Analytics category)
• PhysioPlay gamified physical training & monitoring system by Medmind Technology Limited (Inclusions & Community Services category – Health & Wellbeing)
• Housing Authority Project Information Management and Analytics Platform by Hong Kong Housing Authority / Geosys Hong Kong Limited (Public Sector and Government category – Digital Government)

Second Runner-up Awards

• Public transport ridership simulation – MTR to Keep Cities Moving – The Unprecedented Strategy and Intelligence in Railway Planning by MTR Corporation Limited / the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Industry category – Transport)
• Medisafe by St. Paul's Co-educational College (Junior Student category)
• Ball Type Rolling Robot for inspection and rescue by Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Government of the HKSAR (Public Sector and Government category – Government & Citizen Services)

Merit Awards

• Occupational safety guard by Pui Ching Middle School (Junior Student category)
• UMeta – Educational Metaverse by Diocesan Girls' School (Senior Student category: Application)
• Green Recycling by Good Hope School (Senior Student category: Solution)

     â€‹Mr Wong congratulated all winning teams. He said, "The outstanding performance of the HKSAR delegation highlights Hong Kong's innovative ideas and cutting-edge technology in the ICT field, enhancing Hong Kong's leadership position as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. We will continue our efforts in fostering a more flourishing and vibrant I&T ecosystem, further promoting the I&T development in Hong Kong."
 
     During the competition, the "Hong Kong Night" was also held in Bandar Seri Begawan on December 6. Mr Wong extended his sincere gratitude to Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Brunei, Mr Shi Rongke, for attending the event and cheering for the delegation from the Mainland and the HKSAR. Mr Wong also thanked the organisers – the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Computer Society, for providing this valuable opportunity that enabled the HKSAR delegation to share and exchange their innovative ideas and technology solutions with representatives from other participating economies.
 
     The Digital Policy Office also sponsored 24 non-governmental organisations representatives and students to participate in the event this year to compete and interact with leading ICT talents from the Asia Pacific region, with a view to helping them extend their reach and move beyond local boundary.
 
     The annual APICTA Awards is hosted in rotation by member economies, with the goal of identifying and recognising ICT innovations, promoting the development of ICT talents, products and solutions, as well as technology and knowledge sharing among the member economies. This prestigious annual event also provides valuable business matching and pitching opportunities, facilitates the in-depth collaboration between business and research and development, as well as promotes the joint development of the industry as a whole. Through the concerted support of the member economies, the APICTA Awards is highly regarded by the ICT industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

          

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident happened in Tin Sum tonight (December 8) in which a man died.
           
     At about 7.08pm, a light goods vehicle (LGV) driven by a 48-year-old man was travelling along Shing Mun Tunnel Road towards Tsuen Wan. When approaching the entrance of Shing Mun Tunnel, the LGV driver reportedly collapsed. The LGV went out of control then rammed into a kerb and a traffic sign.

     Sustaining no superficial injury, the driver was rushed to Yan Chai Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 8.12pm.
           
     Investigations will be taken over by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South.
      
     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1346.