The Oil Street Art Space (Oi!) will launch two new "Oi! Spotlight" exhibitions from tomorrow (March 20), featuring a multimedia exhibition by British artist Gary Card entitled "People Mountain People Sea by Gary Card" and a sound art exhibition entitled "encounters: oi! oi! oi!" curated by local art group Toolbox Percussion respectively to bring visitors new visual and auditory experiences.
      
     "Oi! Spotlight" is the Oil Street Art Space's annual flagship project held in Art March every year. It aims to showcase the creativity of both local and international artists, encourage cross-cultural dialogues, foster exchanges between regions and embrace innovative ideas.
      
     British artist Gary Card, who was hailed as one of the most prominent young creators in London, held his first large-scale solo exhibition in Hong Kong. London-based Sylvia Zhan was invited as the exhibition's guest curator. Card has been highly sought after in the international art and fashion scenes and is often invited to collaborate with top artists and fashion designers worldwide. In the "People Mountain People Sea by Gary Card" exhibition, he transformed the century-old Oi! Warehouses into a contemporary multimedia art space, ingeniously using animation and sound to draw the audience into an immersive visual and sensory experience. A large-scale outdoor sculpture, "The Dream of Mr. Somebody" created by Card, will also be displayed at Oi! Lawn, allowing visitors to learn more about how Card responded to today's overstimulating lifestyle. The exhibition will be on display from tomorrow to July 28 at Oi! Warehouse and Oi! Lawn.
      
     Another exhibition, "encounters: oi! oi! oi!", was curated by local art group Toolbox Percussion, which invited renowned composer Fung Lam to be the lead artist. Lam collaborated with four participating artists, including Louis Siu, Chan Wai-lap, Cam Wong and Simo Tse, to explore more possibilities in shaping soundscapes. Drawing inspirations from often-overlooked sounds and objects, they combined disassembled parts of percussion instruments and mechanical devices to create sound art works that produce echoes, guiding visitors to rediscover the forgotten sounds from their daily lives and embark on a multisensory journey within the bustling city. The exhibition will be on display from tomorrow to August 11 at Oi! Glassie.
      
     The exhibitions are presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by the Oil Street Art Space. For programme details, please visit the website www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/oi_projects_and_programmes.html or call 2512 3000 for enquiries.

                    

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 19) that in view of a notification from the Swedish Board of Agriculture about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Municipality of Svedala of Skåne County in Sweden, and a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Hutchinson County of the State of South Dakota in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas, as well as the Municipalities of Staffanstorp and Lund of Skåne County in Sweden near the affected area, with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 70 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Sweden, and about 37 770 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 83.84 million poultry eggs from the US last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Swedish and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     Hong Kong Customs on March 11 seized about 20 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $9.4 million at Hong Kong International Airport. Two persons suspected to be connected with the case were arrested.

     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day selected a consignment, declared as river sand and arriving from Switzerland, for inspection. Upon examination, Customs officers found two bags of suspected ketamine which were disguised with river sand packaging. The total weight was about 20kg.

     Upon a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted controlled delivery operations and arrested a 28-year-old male consignee who claimed to be a car salesperson and a 29-year-old male companion who claimed to be unemployed, in Sai Wan Ho yesterday (March 18). 

     The two arrested men have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (March 20).

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     The Government announced today (March 19) that the Chief Executive has appointed Ms Linda Lam Mei-sau as the next Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (Cap 480). The three-year term commences on April 11, 2024, until April 10, 2027.

     Ms Lam has served in the Department of Justice for a total of 29 years, and was the Law Officer (International Law) before retirement. Ms Lam provided legal advice on the implementation of bilateral and multilateral international obligations, trade and investment law, and the management of consular corps and their privileges.   

     A Government spokesman said, "Ms Lam has a wealth of experience in public service. She is highly capable and possesses proven leadership skills. We believe she will lead the EOC to make new and further contributions in its work in promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)."
 
     The Government also expressed gratitude to Mr Ricky Chu Man-kin, the incumbent Chairperson, for his invaluable contributions made over his five-year leadership at the EOC and wish to extend to Mr Chu warmest wishes for the future. The spokesman said, "Mr Chu has made great contributions by leading the EOC to effectively implement the four anti-discrimination Ordinances, and proactively promoting the message of equal opportunities across society during his term of office."
 
     The Government conducted an open recruitment exercise for the post of Chairperson of the EOC earlier, and a selection board was appointed to make recommendations for the Chief Executive's consideration. The selection board was chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, with Legislative Council Member Mr Chan Kin-por, HKSAR Deputy to the National People's Congress Mr Frank Chan Fan, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs and the Director of Administration as members.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting tomorrow (March 20) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions and Two-tiered Standard Rates) Bill 2024 and the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2024 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debates on the Bills will be adjourned.
 
     Meanwhile, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a proposed resolution under the Public Finance Ordinance to seek the Council's approval to give for a sum not exceeding $167,543,569,000 to be charged on the general revenue for expenditure on the services of the Government in respect of the financial year commencing on April 1, 2024. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 1.
 
     On Members' motions, Mr Chu Kwok-keung will move a motion on comprehensively implementing positive education to foster well-being in schools. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Ms Lillian Kwok will move an amendment to Mr Chu's motion.
 
     Mr Chan Hok-fung will also move a motion on re-launching and enhancing the sales scheme for public rental housing units. The motion is set out in Appendix 3. Mr Dennis Leung, Ms Chan Yuet-ming and Mr Leung Man-kwong will move separate amendments to Mr Chan's motion.
 
     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.