The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Kowloon Central Cluster (KCC) today (April 1) announced the commencement of renovation works at the Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic to improve its environment and services. From April 8, 2024 (Monday) onwards, clinic services will be relocated to the Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic at 600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong (see Appendix). Clinic services are expected to resume at the original location upon completion of the renovation works, tentatively in the first quarter of 2025.
      
     Patients with chronic illnesses requiring regular follow-ups at the Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic have already been arranged to attend follow-up appointments at the Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic during the renovation period. For patients with episodic illnesses, they can make appointments at other clinics through the General Out-patient Clinic Telephone Appointment System or the "Book GOPC" function in the mobile application "HA Go" as usual.
      
     The spokesperson said, "The KCC has already informed residents in the district of the service arrangement through various channels, including posters and banners. Respective District Council has also been informed. Reminder messages are also added to the General Out-patient Clinic Telephone Appointment System and the 'Book GOPC' function in 'HA Go', so that the public and residents of the district can learn about the relevant service arrangements as early as possible."
 

     The Government announced today (April 1) that the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs had respectively appointed 1 937 persons, 536 persons and 526 persons as members of the Area Committees, the District Fight Crime Committees and the District Fire Safety Committees (collectively referred as "the three committees") for a new term of office of two years starting from April 1, 2024.

     The Government identifies suitable persons who aspire to serve the community via various channels to join "the three committees" on the basis of the merit of the individuals concerned, taking into account various factors, including a candidate's ability, expertise, experience, integrity, commitment to serving the community, as well as with due regard to the functions of "the three committees".

     Under the improved district governance system and the reformed District Councils, the co-operation between the District Councils and "the three committees" are much closer. In this regard, the Government appoints all incumbent members of the District Councils to be members of "the three committees" with a view to strengthening the connection and collaboration between "the three committees" and the District Councils.

     The membership lists of "the three committees" in 18 districts have been uploaded to the website of the Home Affairs Department (www.had.gov.hk/en/18_districts/my_map.htm).

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
 
     The new Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, has started his term today (April 1). The appointment for a term of five years was made by the Chief Executive of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under The Ombudsman Ordinance (Cap 397).
      
     Mr Chan said, "I am honoured to have been appointed by the Chief Executive as The Ombudsman. I pledge to contribute to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by doing my utmost in accordance with my statutory powers to serve the community, and to uphold fairness in and raise the quality and standard of public administration. During my term, I will lead my colleagues to collaborate closely with various government departments and public organisations to ensure that public complaints and concerns are properly handled and addressed."
      
     Mr Chan is a seasoned and experienced former senior government official who had served the Government for nearly 40 years. He served as a directorate officer in various bureaux and departments. Mr Chan was appointed as Under Secretary for Home Affairs in the fifth term of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and was appointed as Acting Secretary for Home Affairs from January 24 to June 30, 2022.

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) reminds members of the public today (April 1) not to enter the Sham Wan Restricted Area, Lamma Island, from today to October 31 to protect nesting green turtles.

     The Sham Wan Restricted Area includes a beach of about 0.5 hectare and a sea inlet of about 98.2 hectares adjoining the beach at Sham Wan (see Annex). The restricted period is seven months, from April 1 to October 31.

     An AFCD spokesman said, "The green turtle is an endangered species protected by the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170) in Hong Kong. It is also the only sea turtle species that nests in Hong Kong. The sandy beach at Sham Wan on Lamma Island is the only site in Hong Kong and one of the few sites in the South China Sea at which green turtles nest from time to time. Green turtles are known to stay in waters adjacent to their natal beaches before and in between their nesting. During the period, breeding green turtles are particularly sensitive to human disturbance, which may frighten them and cause them to abandon nesting. Designating the Sham Wan Restricted Area helps protect endangered green turtles and their breeding ground. It can bring about a positive impact on the survival and breeding of green turtles in the long run."

     The spokesman pointed out that AFCD staff will conduct patrols to prevent unauthorised entry to the area and monitor the occurrence and nesting activities of green turtles. Unauthorised entry to the restricted area is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 upon conviction.

     Hong Kong Customs today (April 1) extended the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) to cover transshipment cargoes from the Mainland to Singapore via Hong Kong.

     The scope of service of the FTA Scheme originally covers cargoes of 67 economies under 19 trade agreements signed between the Mainland and its trading partners that will be transshipped northbound via Hong Kong to the Mainland, and the Mainland transshipment cargoes heading southbound for Taiwan, Korea and Australia under five trade agreements signed. Upon the extension, local traders starting from today can apply to Hong Kong Customs for a Certificate of Non-manipulation for the purpose of claiming preferential tariff under the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between the Association of South East Asian Nations and the People's Republic of China, the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement for cargoes from the Mainland transshipped to Singapore via Hong Kong.

     Hong Kong Customs will make continued efforts in extending the coverage of the FTA Scheme to enable more goods passing through Hong Kong to enjoy tariff concessions provided under relevant trade agreements, with a view to reinforcing Hong Kong's status as a logistics hub.

     Hong Kong Customs has implemented the FTA Scheme since December 20, 2015, to provide traders with Customs supervision service and issue the Certificate of Non-manipulation to certify transshipment cargoes that have not undergone any further processing during their stay in Hong Kong. For applications, please visit
www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/trade-facilitation/fta/procedure/index.html.