The Government today (March 27) announced the membership of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (HKCPEC) for the new term of two years from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022.
 
     Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on has been reappointed as the Chairman of the HKCPEC, and Professor Chan Wai-sum, Dr Buston Chu, Mr Geoffrey Kao, Professor Syaru Shirley Lin and Professor Emily Nason have been reappointed as members. Mr Kelvin Lau and Ms Edith Law have been appointed as new members of the HKCPEC.
 
     "I thank the members for accepting the appointments. Their experience and expertise in respective sectors will facilitate the HKCPEC's work in promoting regional economic development initiatives. I would also like to express our gratitude to the three outgoing members, namely Mr Guy Chambers, Mr Nicholas Kwan and Mr Kevin Lam, for their contributions to the HKCPEC's work in the past," the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said.
 
     The HKCPEC is a tripartite forum, comprising members from the academic, business and government sectors, to co-ordinate Hong Kong's participation in the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), a non-profit, policy-oriented regional organisation with 23 member economies dedicated to the promotion of regional economic development. Over the years, apart from contributing actively to the discussion on the PECC front, the HKCPEC has also been promoting locally the importance of regional trade and economic issues through a series of internship and youth programmes.
 
     The new membership list of the HKCPEC is as follows:
 
Chairman
Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on
 
Vice Chairman
Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry
 
Members
Professor Chan Wai-sum
Dr Buston Chu
Mr Geoffrey Kao
Mr Kelvin Lau
Ms Edith Law
Professor Syaru Shirley Lin
Professor Emily Nason
Government Economist or his/her representative
Director of Research of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council or his/her representative

     In view of the latest developments of COVID-19 and in response to the Government's announcement on the latest special work arrangements, the Legal Aid Department (LAD) announced today (March 27) that the LAD offices will provide basic necessary and limited civil and criminal legal aid application and litigation services from March 30 to April 3.
 
     The Information and Application Services Unit of the Kowloon Branch Office will continue to be closed until further notice. The opening hours of other offices are as follows:  
 

 
     For enquiries, please contact the following offices during the above office hours:
 

• Information and Application Services Unit, Headquarters: 2537 7717 (for civil legal aid services)
• Information and Application Services Unit, Kowloon Branch Office: 2380 0117
• Crime Section: 2867 3139
• Civil Litigation Section 1: 2867 3123
• Civil Litigation Section 2: 2594 7884
• Costing Unit and Enforcement Unit: 2867 3152

  
     Members of the public may also contact the LAD for other enquiries through its 24-hour hotline (2537 7677), via email (ladinfo@lad.gov.hk) or by fax (2537 5948).
 

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, March 27, 2020 is 108.6 (down 0.7 against yesterday's index).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 27) released the latest grading of water quality for eight gazetted beaches (see Note).     

     Eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:           

 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.

     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note: To tie in with the response level under the "Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance" having been raised to the Emergency Response Level and to encourage people to avoid gathering, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that all beaches will continue to be temporarily closed until further notice.

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (March 27) announced the re-appointment of 18 incumbent members and the appointment of three new members to the Human Resources Planning Commission (HRPC) with effect from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairman of the HRPC, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said, "The Government has been attaching great importance to enhancing and optimising Hong Kong's human capital. In the past two years, the HRPC has discussed various issues pertaining to Hong Kong's human resources and launched a one-stop manpower information portal comprising information on different industries. I am very grateful to members for their support and contribution towards the work of the HRPC. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in developing Hong Kong further into a more diversified economy."

     The HRPC was established on April 1, 2018, to consolidate resources and efforts of the Government and various sectors to examine, review and co-ordinate policies and measures on human resources in a holistic manner. The HRPC launched a new one-stop online manpower information portal (www.talent.gov.hk) on December 1, 2019. The portal consolidates human resources information and data from different sources with a view to providing more comprehensive information to the local labour force, the younger generation in particular, to assist them to make informed choices in respect of career, training and development pathways.

     Below is the membership list of the HRPC with effect from April 1, 2020:
 
Chairman
———–
Chief Secretary for Administration
 
Non-official Members
————————
Professor Edward Chen Kwan-yiu
Miss Vicky Cheung Wai-kar
Professor Gillian Ann Choa
Mr Chow Chung-kong
Ms Cordelia Chung
Ms Sylvia Chung Wai-man
Dr Theresa Cunanan
Mr Gao Yingxin
Mr Ho Wing-cheong
Mr Jack Hsu Chi-kao
Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung
Mr Law Wai-hung
Mr David Li Chi-ming
Professor Lui Yu-hon
Dr Ng Chau-pei
Mr Siu King-wai
Mr Carlson Tong
Ms Winnie Wong Chi-shun
Dr Yang Yusi
Mrs Betty Yuen So Siu-mai
Dr Allan Zeman
 
Ex-officio Members
———————-
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Secretary for Education
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Secretary for Security
Commissioner for Census and Statistics
Government Economist
Chairman, Employees Retraining Board
Chairman, Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
Chairman, Vocational Training Council