â€‹The Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) co-operated with the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), the Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, the Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, the SideBySide, and the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong to form the "City Companion" Community Alliance on Promoting Mental Health today (April 29), working together to draw public attention to the importance of mental health through training instructors and supporting mental-health services.
      
     As the demand for mental-health services increases in society, the AMS will, through collaborating with members of the Alliance, train up some of its adult members and volunteer members as "Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructors" equipped with the skills to identify early signs of mental illnesses. The AMS members, after becoming instructors, will then be responsible for providing training for other members and assisting in organising mental-health promotional activities to raise students' and public awareness of the importance of mental health.
      
     The Launch Ceremony of the Alliance was held at the HKMU Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare this morning and the Chief Staff Officer of the AMS, Mr Wong Ying-keung, attended. In the initial stage, the Alliance will focus on the community in Kowloon City District.
      
     In addition, targeting mental health of young people, some AMS cadets will attend a tailor-made mental-health training programme to learn more about the importance of mental health and maintain positive thinking. Upon completion of the training, cadets will become "LMK (Let Me Know) buddies" in the team who will listen to their emotionally distressed peers and accompany them to seek support. The programme is expected to be launched in July.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (April 29) announced the appointment of Ms Grace Chow Chiu-man as a District Judge. The appointment will take effect on April 30, 2024.

     The appointment is made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

     Further judicial appointments will be announced in due course.

     The biographical note of Ms Chow is as follows:

     Ms Chow was born in Hong Kong in 1978. She obtained an LL.B. and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1999 and 2000 respectively. She obtained an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom in 2001. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2000. She has been in private practice since 2002. She was appointed as Temporary Deputy Registrar, High Court and Deputy District Judge for periods in 2023 and 2024.

     â€‹The technological development of electric vehicles is rapid. To focus the New Energy Transport Fund (the Fund) on subsidising trials on new energy technologies that are more suited or better placed in meeting the needs of the transport sector, thereby expediting their green transformation, the Environment and Ecology Bureau has timely reviewed the subsidy framework, approach and levels under "Applications for Trial" of the Fund. The Steering Committee of the Fund has supported the use of a revised subsidy arrangement with the adoption of a merit-based approach in assessing all applications that are being processed.
      
      The revised subsidy arrangement shall enable the Government to make the best use of the Fund for promoting the green transformation of the transport sector. For details of the revision, please visit the website of the Fund (www.eeb.gov.hk/en/new-energy-transport-fund.html) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022.
      
     The Government has put in place the Fund since March 2011 to subsidise the testing and encourage wider use of green innovative transport technologies for a variety of commercial transport tools including goods vehicles (including special purpose vehicles), taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles, or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients. The technologies to be subsidised include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel saving devices applicable to vehicles or vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green technology products subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total subsidy of $12 million for each applicant. The Fund completed its review in September 2020 to expand the subsidy scope and refine the subsidy level and ceiling.
      
     As of March 2024, the Fund has approved 319 trials involving a total subsidy of $272 million. A total of 180 approved trials under the Fund have been completed. Trial reports have been uploaded to the Fund's website.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, April 29, 2024 is 106.3 (down 0.1 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, April 27, 2024 was 106.4 (up 0.2 against last Friday's index).

     The Hong Kong Energy Statistics 2023 Annual Report is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (April 29).

     The report describes the situation of energy supply and demand in Hong Kong. It contains comprehensive statistical information relating to different forms of energy, including oil products, coal products, electricity, and gas. It also includes an overall energy balance which summarises the origins and uses of different forms of energy, and depicts their relationship in the energy transformation processes.

     Major statistics presented in the report include:
(i) imports and unit values of imports as well as other relevant statistics (storage capacity, tank stock, and quantity of sales by type of users) for oil products;
(ii) imports and unit values of imports for coal products; and
(iii) generating capacity, production, and local consumption by type of users for electricity and gas.

     Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1100002&scode=90).

     Enquiries about the contents of the report can be directed to the Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: energy@censtatd.gov.hk).