A total of 84 persons in custody at Lo Wu Correctional Institution (LWCI) of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) were presented with certificates at a ceremony today (March 6) in recognition of their academic achievements.

     In 2018, a total of 255 persons in custody at LWCI passed 355 papers in various courses and public examinations organised by the Open University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, the Employees Retraining Board, the Clothing Industry Training Authority and Christian Action. Subjects taken included languages, mathematics, liberal studies, economics, tourism and hospitality studies, bookkeeping and accounting, arts and social sciences, business administration, computer and digital media applications, catering and banquet services, pet sitter training, shop business, sewing skills, nail technician training, floriculture, makeup skills and vocational Putonghua. Today, 84 awardees were given certificates for passing 113 papers, with 35 distinctions and credits.

     Officiating at the ceremony, the President of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA), Dr Dennis Ng, said that the CMA, established in 1934, has grown significantly as one of the largest and most representative non-profit making industrial associations in Hong Kong, with the mission of promoting Hong Kong's industrial and commercial development to fulfil corporate social responsibility for social stability. The CMA has been supporting the rehabilitation work of the CSD by co-organising the Job Fair with the CSD several times to advocate the principle of fair employment opportunities. Dr Ng added that the CMA would strengthen its support for community education at the CSD this year by spending $850,000 to sponsor the large-scale music and dance drama under the CSD's Rehabilitation Pioneer Project. This year's drama is based on a real-life story. Through creative arts and input from various stakeholders, it seeks to enhance vigilance against crime and awareness of being law-abiding among secondary school students. It is expected that the number of student participants will reach more than 10 000.

     With guidance from volunteers, persons in custody of different nationalities staged a stick dance performance to show gratitude to their families, the volunteers and correctional staff. They also expressed their determination to achieve rehabilitation. The performance also reflected the ceremony's theme of "Let's dance along the joyous journey to LOVE and LEARN".

     At the ceremony, a representative of persons in custody spoke about her experience in her journey towards rehabilitation and expressed her gratitude to family members for their support. As a mother, she also expressed her love and expectations for her son. Having finished the Foundation Certificate in Nail Technician Training Course, she is looking for a relevant job after release.

     The CSD has long been providing a favourable environment to encourage persons in custody to pursue studies while in custody. To prepare rehabilitated offenders for their return to the community, the CSD provides courses for them to acquire work-related training and recognition. The department also helps them attain job-relevant accreditation by helping them to apply through the Recognition of Prior Learning Mechanism under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework in accordance with their working knowledge, skills and experience. Those with financial difficulties may apply for an education subsidy.

     Also attending the ceremony were the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Woo Ying-ming, representatives of non-governmental and community organisations, community leaders and family members of persons in custody.

     Lo Wu Correctional Institution, established in 2010, is a medium security institution. It accommodates 1 400 female adult persons in custody.

      

     Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the MOU Signing Ceremony between Tencent Finance Academy and the University of Hong Kong today (March 6):
 
Paul (Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Paul Tam), Jim (Vice President of Tencent; President of Tencent Financial Technology and Dean of Tencent Finance Academy, Mr Jim Lai ), Christopher (Dean of Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Christopher Chao),professors, students, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good evening.
      
     I am delighted to be here with you tonight to witness this welcome agreement – this cross-boundary partnership between Tencent, China’s leading tech company, and the University of Hong Kong, Asia’s preeminent university.
      
     More specifically, the agreement connects Tencent Finance Academy and the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Computer Science in the Faculty of Engineering, enabling them to join forces with each other as they march into a future in which fintech (financial technology) will clearly play a significant role.
      
     In transcending institutions and boundaries, this business-education partnership is a dynamic model of what Hong Kong needs if we are to ride the global wave of innovation and technology.
      
     The HKSAR Government is very determined to ride this wave and leverage it to reach new heights.  In my Budget Speech announced last week, I allocated a further $45 billion to building Hong Kong into an innovation and technology hub.  And fintech is among our priority areas for good reason.
      
     Hong Kong is blessed with a highly developed information and communications technology sector.  Our financial regulatory regime is transparent and mature, and we have long embraced the free flow of talent, capital and information.  Our robust intellectual property regime is buttressed by the rule of law, and our post-secondary educational sector is innovative on a global scale.
      
     Indeed, along with the University of Hong Kong, five other Hong Kong universities have also rolled out fintech undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
      
     The Government is committed to enabling their efforts. Our Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professionals, for example, now covers self-financing, fintech-related undergraduate programmes.  And to ensure that new graduates gain work experience and international exposure, the HKMA (Hong Kong Monetary Authority)’s Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme provides fintech-related internships.  Cyberport also sponsors top students to take fintech training camps in the Silicon Valley and Chicago.
      
     Moreover, we welcome fintech talent from the Mainland and from all over the world through our Talent List, which fast-tracks immigration requirements for a variety of in-demand expertise, including of course, experienced fintech professionals. 
      
     It’s the same with our Technology Talent Admission Scheme, which is open to tenants and incubatees of the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport engaged in fintech, and other areas. 
      
     I’m pleased to note that Tencent supported last year’s Hong Kong Fintech Week by hosting an informative visit to their headquarters in Shenzhen.  And through WeChat Pay HK, Tencent helped enable cross-boundary payments, making our Mainland travel more convenient.
      
     As for the University of Hong Kong, in co-operation with Cyberport and other industry players, it launched Asia’s first Fintech Massive Open Online Course last May.  I’m told that more than 22 000 people, from Hong Kong and from all over the world enrolled in the course.  And in the coming academic year, the multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Financial Technology programme will commence to nurture financial technologists and entrepreneurs with essential knowledge in both finance and technology.
      
     And now we have the partnership between Tencent and the University of Hong Kong, an alliance certain to expand fintech development in Hong Kong, in Shenzhen and, indeed, throughout the Greater Bay Area. 
      
     In connecting we create opportunity, whether between Tencent and the University of Hong Kong, or through the Greater Bay Area itself.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the clear catalyst for mutual success. Something I’m confident this partnership will bring about in the  fintech area and for all of us.
      
     Thank you.
     

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (March 6) announced that confirmation has been received from the Medical Council of Hong Kong on the approval of three new applications of non-locally trained doctors for practice with Limited Registration in public hospitals to help relieve the front-line workload. The three doctors will be serving in Radiology, Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine.
 
     "The HA will continue to exhaust every effort to attract fully registered local doctors and retain public doctors. The recruitment of non-locally trained doctors has been progressing well since last year with the extension of Limited Registration to a three-year term. At the moment, there are 16 non-locally trained doctors who have been assessed to be eligible for the recruitment exercise and considered suitable for appointment after interviews by user departments. All the applicants have fulfilled related qualification requirements recognised by the constituent Colleges of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and they all have licences to practise in their respective countries. The HA will submit Limited Registration applications for non-locally trained doctors in batches according to their intended date of reporting duty," the spokesperson remarked.
 
     Since 2011-12, a total of 39 applications were approved by the Medical Council of Hong Kong for practice with Limited Registration in public hospitals. As at January 2019, there are 10 non-locally trained doctors working in public hospitals to relieve the manpower pressure in the respective units in the specialties of Anaesthesia, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. Seven doctors passed the licensing examination for local practice, in which six of them continue to serve in public hospitals. A further four doctors are employed by the two universities and continue to serve citizens of Hong Kong.

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, visited Kwai Tsing District this afternoon (March 6).
 
     Mr Lau first visited a youth centre of the Federation of New Territories Youth Foundation in Tsing Yi, where he was briefed on the centre's facilities and services, including its annual Mainland summer internship programme. He had a chat with past participants and said he was glad to learn that they had made use of the job placement in Fujian to understand more about the latest developments and work culture in the Mainland, and had been actively equipping themselves for career planning.
 
     He then proceeded to the Women Service Association in Kwai Chung Estate to learn more about the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project provided there. Launched by the Social Welfare Department, the Project aims at providing flexible day care services for children to meet the needs of parents in the neighbourhood. Mr Lau had an exchange with the persons-in-charge and child carers, saying that in this year's Budget, the Government will allocate additional resources to increase professional and supporting manpower for the Project to strengthen training for home-based child carers so as to enhance the quality of services. In addition, incentive payments to these carers will be raised.  
 
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Lau exchanged views with the Chairman of the Kwai Tsing District Council, Mr Law King-shing, and other members on various issues of concern, including management fees of the Mandatory Provident Fund schemes, cross-border mobile payment and opening of bank accounts.
 

          

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, today (March 6) visited Sham Shui Po District, where he exchanged views with District Council (DC) members and visited an art and design college and a social services centre.

     Accompanied by the Chairman of the Sham Shui Po District Council, Mr Ambrose Cheung, and the District Officer (Sham Shui Po), Mr Damian Lee, Mr Law met with DC members and exchanged views on issues that concern them.

     Mr Law then toured the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Hong Kong and met with students from different grades to understand their learning experience and visions for the future. The SCAD Hong Kong was established in the revitalised former North Kowloon Magistracy and is the only college in Hong Kong that focuses on teaching arts and design.

     Mr Law later proceeded to the Windshield Charitable Foundation Sham Shui Po Social Services Centre, where he met with new arrival students and women to better understand their adaptation to the local community. He said he was pleased to learn that the centre is committed to providing a wide range of services to new arrivals including induction programmes and employment support services, so as to facilitate their integration into society.