kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
Delineation of constituencies for 2019 District Council Ordinary Election
12.12.2018

The Chief Executive in Council has accepted all the final recommendations in the report submitted by the Electoral Affairs Commission regarding the delineation of constituencies for the District Council Ordinary Election in 2019. A government spokesman said today (December 12) that the decision of the Chief Executive in Council would be effected by way of the Declaration of Constituencies (District Councils) Order 2018, which will be published in the Gazette on December 14 and tabled at the Legislative Council on January 9, 2019 for negative vetting. The report of the Commission, submitted to the Chief Executive on November 20, was tabled at the Legislative Council today as required by law. The report is divided into three volumes. Volume 1 is the report, setting out the Commission's recommendations and the reasons for its recommendations. Volume 2 contains the index map and 22 maps on the recommended constituency boundaries and the related boundary descriptions. Volume 3 records all the written representations. The report is available for public viewing at all Public Enquiry Service Centres of District Offices and the Registration and Electoral Office during ordinary business hours starting from today. The report may also be viewed at the Commission's website ( www.eac.gov.hk ). The spokesman said that the Commission had conducted public consultation on its provisional recommendations from July 23 to August 21. "The Commission had carefully considered all the public representations before making its final recommendations for submission to the Chief Executive. It endeavoured to strike a fair and proper balance between the expressed wishes of the public on the one hand, and the statutory criteria for delineation on the other hand." There will be 452 constituencies for the District Council Ordinary Election to be held in 2019. One District Council member will be elected for each constituency. "The making of the Order is an important step in the preparation for the next District Council Ordinary Election in late 2019. The Government and the Commission will put in place all necessary arrangements to facilitate the smooth conduct of the election," the spokesman said. Ends/Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Issued at HKT 12:00 NNNN
CE to go on duty visit to Beijing
11.12.2018

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will pay a duty visit to Beijing from December 15 to 18. The Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will join the visit. During the stay in Beijing, Mrs Lam will meet with state leaders and brief them on the latest economic, social and political situation in Hong Kong. She will also officiate at the opening ceremony of "The Oral Legacies: Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" Exhibition Month, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, at Prince Kung's Mansion Museum in the evening on December 15. During Mrs Lam's absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, will be the Acting Chief Executive. Ends/Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Issued at HKT 19:28 NNNN
CE expresses sorrow over passing of Father Alfred Deignan
11.12.2018

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (December 11) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of veteran educator Father Alfred Deignan. "Having dedicated a major part of his life to education in Hong Kong, Father Deignan had been a supervisor, principal and teacher of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong and Wah Yan College, Kowloon, as well as the warden at Ricci Hall of the University of Hong Kong. Upholding the principle of education for all, Father Deignan cared about each of his students, winning their trust, respect and love. Apart from education, he was also dedicated to religious and social services, making significant contributions to Hong Kong. "I visited Father Deignan to consult him about his views on education in Hong Kong when I was the Chief Executive-elect. "On behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I would like to express my condolences on the passing of Father Deignan," Mrs Lam said. Ends/Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Issued at HKT 18:10 NNNN
84 companies honoured at Hong Kong Awards for Industries
11.12.2018

Eighty-four companies were honoured today (December 11) at the 2018 Hong Kong Awards for Industries (HKAI) presentation ceremony, at which the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, officiated. The Grand Award winners were Roborn Dynamics Limited (equipment and machinery design), Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited - Retail Banking (customer service), Jing Mei Automotive Limited (smart productivity), Marvel Digital Limited (technological achievement), VPower Group International Holdings Limited (upgrading and transformation) and the Audio Session Company Limited (consumer product design). A total of 259 entries were received in the 2018 HKAI. The winners were decided by the final judging panels chaired by Professor Way Kuo. There is a record-breaking number of winners this year, which speaks for the determination and achievement of Hong Kong companies in pursuing excellence. The HKAI aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong enterprises in pursuit of advanced technology and high-value-added activities, and to commend excellence in enhancing competitiveness, service quality and various aspects of their performance. The 2018 HKAI covers seven categories, namely the equipment and machinery design category organised by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the customer service category organised by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, the innovation and creativity category organised by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the smart productivity category organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the technological achievement category organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, the upgrading and transformation category organised by the Hong Kong Young Industrialists Council, and the consumer product design category organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. Ends/Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Issued at HKT 16:15 NNNN
CE attends Passive and Low Energy Architecture Conference
10.12.2018

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, attended the opening ceremony of the 34th Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) Conference at the Chinese University of Hong Kong this morning (December 10). She welcomed the participation of more than 300 academics, researchers, professionals and students from over 50 countries and regions in the three-day conference to promote bioclimatic design and sustainable architecture. Addressing the opening ceremony , she said that Hong Kong is committed to improving the built environment through a series of measures covering areas such as the law, technology and planning to develop Hong Kong as a more liveable, competitive and sustainable city. Presenting the 2018 Annual Awards at the ceremony, Mrs Lam said she was encouraged by the recognition given to a government department and several current and former government officials. The Architectural Services Department was one of the awardees in the organisation category for many of its innovative passive and low-energy architecture projects. In the individual category, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, a keen advocate of green buildings as an architect for many years, received an award. In addition, former Deputy Director of Housing Ms Ada Fung and former Chief Architect of the Housing Department Mr John Ng jointly received an award for their contributions to provide and improve low-cost and low-energy public housing. The first PLEA conference was held in 1982 and an annual conference has been conducted in various places around the world over the years to promote the application of natural and innovative techniques for sustainable architecture and design. Hosted in Hong Kong for the first time, the conference was organised by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the PLEA Association among other institutions. Ends/Monday, December 10, 2018 Issued at HKT 18:42 NNNN
Thematic seminar on HKSAR&apos;s celebration of 40th anniversary of reform and opening up of the country concludes successfully
10.12.2018

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up of the country, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government held a thematic seminar to review the contributions of Hong Kong in the reform and opening up of the country and to explore the role of and opportunities for Hong Kong in the country's further reform and opening up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) today (December 10). The seminar, with the theme of Hong Kong jointly developing with the country and sharing the prosperity in the country's reform and opening up in the past four decades, drew an audience of about 900. During the seminar, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Wang Zhimin, both delivered speeches. The Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Mr Cai Fang, and the Chairman of the Fung Group, Dr Victor Fung, also gave keynote addresses. The seminar was concluded by the Chief Secretary for Administration cum Chairman of the Steering Committee for the HKSAR's Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening Up of the Country, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung. During the seminar, the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, Mr Bernard Chan, moderated a discussion session attended by Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr Zhou Qi; the President and Founding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong, Professor Tsui Lap-chee; the Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Dr Jonathan Choi; Member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Professor Han Dayuan; the Honorary Chairman of Beijing Air Catering Limited, Ms Annie Wu, and the Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital China, Mr Neil Shen. They exchanged views on Hong Kong's participation in the country’s reform and opening up, as well as the city's future role and positioning in the overall development of the country. The Steering Committee for the HKSAR's Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening Up of the Country chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration will continue to co-ordinate celebration activities organised by government bureaux and various sectors of the community. For the latest update of these activities, please visit the dedicated website at www.reformandopeningup40a.gov.hk . Ends/Monday, December 10, 2018 Issued at HKT 17:02 NNNN
CE to visit Zhuhai
9.12.2018

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will depart for Zhuhai tomorrow afternoon (December 10) to attend the exchange forum on business co-operation in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the PRD Council. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will join the visit. Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the evening on the same day. Ends/Sunday, December 9, 2018 Issued at HKT 14:00 NNNN
2018 Fight Crime Conference concludes successfully
8.12.2018

The Chairperson of the 2018 Fight Crime Conference, Ms Alexandra Lo, today (December 8) appealed to the community to remain vigilant against deception, work together for a drug-free society and support and cooperate with the Police in combating crime. The Conference is organised by the Fight Crime Committee (FCC) with "Beware of Scam, Support Drug-free Community" as this year's theme. The Conference serves as a forum for members of FCC and the 18 District Fight Crime Committees (DFCCs) to enhance communication and reinforce liaison with each other as well as to exchange views on topics relating to law and order and fight crime strategies in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, delivered an opening address at the Conference, and the Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairperson of FCC, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, gave a keynote speech. To herald this year's Conference, five pre-conference discussion group meetings were organised for members of the 18 DFCCs to deliberate on various law and order issues, namely "youth drug problem and youth crime", "technology crime and commercial crime", "quick cash crime", "burglary and home security" and "domestic violence". The five discussion groups presented the outcome of their discussions at the Conference. In addition, nearly 300 DFCC members attending the Conference participated in a plenary session interacting with the official members of FCC and heads of relevant policy bureaux and departments to discuss and share opinions on various crime issues concerned. Other officials attending the Conference included the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC; the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong; the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Stephen Lo and the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Woo Ying-ming. Ends/Saturday, December 8, 2018 Issued at HKT 13:10 NNNN
Re-appointment of Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee members
7.12.2018

The Government announced today (December 7) that the Chief Executive has re-appointed Dr Tik Chi-yuen and Mrs Ann Kung Yeung Yun-chi as members of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee for two years starting from January 1, 2019. "Dr Tik and Mrs Kung have been participating actively in the work of the Committee, drawing from their professional knowledge and experience and offering valuable advice. We look forward to their further contribution to the Committee," a Government spokesman said. The Disaster Relief Fund was established by a Legislative Council resolution on December 1, 1993 to provide a ready mechanism for Hong Kong to respond swiftly to international appeals for humanitarian aid in relief of disasters that occur outside Hong Kong. The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising on fund disbursement and monitoring the use of grants by the recipients. The membership of the Advisory Committee from January 1, 2019 is as follows: Chairman: Chief Secretary for Administration (ex-officio) Members: Mr Ip Kwok-him Dr Lam Ching-choi Dr Helena Wong Pik-wan Mr Kenneth Lau Ip-keung Dr Tik Chi-yuen Mrs Ann Kung Yeung Yun-chi Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury or representative (ex-officio) Secretary for Labour and Welfare or representative (ex-officio) Ends/Friday, December 7, 2018 Issued at HKT 11:00 NNNN
Appointments to Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions
7.12.2018

The Government announced today (December 7) the re-appointment of Ms Betty Chan Ka-wai as Deputy Chairman and Mr Johnny Lau Tze-ming as Member of the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions, made by the Chief Executive under Section 43(3) of the Public Order Ordinance (Cap 245). The above appointments will be effective from December 22 this year for a term of two years and were gazetted today. The Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions comprises a Chairman, two Deputy Chairmen and 13 Members, none of whom are public officers. The Appeal Board is responsible for considering appeals against the decision of the Commissioner of Police to prohibit a public meeting, object to a public procession or impose or amend conditions on a public meeting or public procession under Sections 9, 14, 11 or 15 of the Public Order Ordinance respectively. The Appeal Board is empowered to confirm, reverse or vary the decision being appealed against. Ends/Friday, December 7, 2018 Issued at HKT 10:00 NNNN
Re-appointment to Electoral Affairs Commission
7.12.2018

The Chief Executive has re-appointed Mr Arthur Luk Yee-shun, SC, as a member of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) for a term of five years with effect from January 7, 2019 to January 6, 2024. The appointment was gazetted today (December 7). "We are pleased that Mr Arthur Luk, SC, will continue to serve on the EAC. Mr Luk's experience in legal and electoral matters will be of great help to the Commission in accomplishing its future tasks," a Government spokesman said. The EAC is an independent statutory body established under the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance. Its responsibilities include making recommendations on geographical constituency boundaries, and making regulations, guidelines and arrangements for the registration of electors and the conduct of public elections. The main objective of the EAC is to ensure that public elections are conducted in an open, fair and honest manner. Ends/Friday, December 7, 2018 Issued at HKT 9:00 NNNN
CE meets Secretary of CPC Shandong Provincial Committee
4.12.2018

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met the Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, Mr Liu Jiayi, at Government House this evening (December 4). The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, was also present. Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Liu's first visit to Hong Kong with a delegation in his current capacity to attend the annual Hong Kong Shandong Week and she wished the event a great success. Mrs Lam pointed out that Hong Kong and Shandong enjoy close economic and trade ties and have frequent exchanges. She said that Hong Kong is the preferred location outside Shandong for financing and listing by Shandong enterprises and that since the listing of Tsingtao Brewery in 1993, which was among the first batch of Mainland enterprises listed in Hong Kong, more than 50 enterprises from Shandong have listed in Hong Kong. She welcomed Shandong enterprises to continue to leverage on Hong Kong's advantages in finance and other professional services and make use of Hong Kong as the platform to attract foreign investment and "go global", so as to jointly explore the international market and seize the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. Noting that Shandong has in recent years been keen to develop high-tech industries and create a favourable environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, she said that Hong Kong is developing into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre with the support of the Central People's Government and that she believes I&T industries in the two places may explore room for enhancing exchanges and co-operation in the future. She also thanked the Shandong Provincial Government for its staunch support for the work of the Shandong Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government all along, including providing facilitation for young Hong Kong people to participate in exchanges and internship programmes in Shandong, and expressed the hope that the Shandong Provincial Government would continue to implement various measures to assist Hong Kong people, especially young people, to live and develop careers in the Mainland. Ends/Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Issued at HKT 20:59 NNNN
Fourth meeting of Chief Executive&apos;s Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development held
4.12.2018

The Chief Executive's Council of Advisers on Innovation and Strategic Development held its fourth meeting today (December 4) to deliberate on talent and manpower development in Hong Kong. At the meeting, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, gave a presentation on talent and manpower development in Hong Kong. Members noted the work of the Human Resources Planning Commission which was established in April 2018 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. They were also briefed on the manpower challenges faced by Hong Kong including an ageing population, a low fertility rate, a dwindling workforce and a fast-changing and competitive global economic environment. Members provided constructive advice on the various talent admission schemes in Hong Kong and how education and training could be enhanced to improve the quality and quantity of talent in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, said, "Talent is the most important driver for Hong Kong's continued development, and education and training are the key to nurturing talent. In addition to enhancing the quality of local talent, various schemes are in place to attract talent outside Hong Kong and we will continue to review their effectiveness and seek ways to improve them as and when necessary." The Chief Executive also hosted a lunch today before the Council meeting for her advisers as well as chairmen and vice-chairmen of relevant advisory and statutory bodies to facilitate exchange of views on the future development of Hong Kong. The Council is a high-level body to advise the Chief Executive on Hong Kong's future development and strategies for driving innovation. It gives advice on Hong Kong's strategic positioning in the global and regional contexts and directions of economic development with an aim of enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness and growth potential, provides guidance on evidence-based research and studies on related issues with a view to enhancing policy formulation to meet changing development needs, and advises on stakeholder engagement and public participation in the policy formulation and consensus building process. Ends/Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Issued at HKT 18:02 NNNN
Transcript of remarks by CE at media session before ExCo meeting
4.12.2018

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (December 4): Reporter: Mrs Lam, you said the Government is going to have an internal discussion as to whether it’s necessary to amend laws to target such grey areas. What about guidelines that may not necessarily amend the Legislative amendments? And also do you think Mr Chu should be allowed to be a lawmaker anymore because some pro-government legislators are indeed looking at ways to maybe strip him of his seat? Chief Executive: Mr Eddie Chu at the moment is a Legislative Council member. It is not for me as the Chief Executive to say whether he is qualified as a Legislative Council member. In our daily dealings with Legislative Council members, we respect their status and we will continue to interact with them, responding to their questions, engaging them in panel discussions and so on. It will cause no difference to how we deal with individual members of the Legislative Council. As far as the internal review, I take the view that because of the events that have taken place in the last couple of years, there is a need, and by the way there is always a need to review existing legislation and arrangements to ensure that they can respond to the latest situations, so the internal discussion that I have referred to will be along those lines. I don’t see the immediate need to issue guidelines because when the authority, in this case the Returning Officer, exercises power under the legislation, one has to look at the evidence and the circumstances, so these are not the things that could be strictly and rigidly determined by guidelines. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) Ends/Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Issued at HKT 13:01 NNNN