The Development Bureau (DEVB) launched today (January 22) a market sounding exercise (MSE) to obtain market feedback on the viability of developing the Urban Park site at the Hung Hom harbourfront under a partnership approach between the public and private sectors, as well as optimal uses for the site. The MSE is supported by the Harbourfront Commission (HC).

     A spokesman for the DEVB said, "We have been adopting the partnership approach in harbourfront enhancement wherever appropriate. One hugely successful example is the Central Harbourfront Event Space. In support of the HC's vision for a more vibrant and attractive harbourfront, subject to the MSE feedback, we are keen to try out the partnership approach involving tripartite collaboration among the Government, the private sector and the community for the Urban Park site, as an alternative to the conventional design-build-operate approach by the Government."

     The spokesman pointed out that as illustrated by overseas examples, the partnership approach, if appropriately engaged, can deliver highly desirable results for harbourfront development. The approach allows both the public and private sectors to do their best. The Government would define service requirements and monitor compliance with reference to stakeholders' views, thereby ensuring that the key social objective of public enjoyment of the harbourfront would continue to be achieved. The private sector, known for its creativity, would meanwhile provide innovative designs and responsive solutions, as well as flexible management modes, making the harbourfront more fun and enjoyable for all.

     Located next to the Hung Hom Ferry Pier, featuring magnificent harbour views and surrounded by residential, office, hotel and retail developments, the Urban Park site is a prime harbourfront location planned for a wide range of active and/or passive leisure and recreational uses. With a total area of 2.2 hectares, it is sufficiently large to be developed into a destination space with diverse and innovative activities for all to play, relax and enjoy. A location plan of the site is in the Annex.

     The spokesman said, "The Urban Park site is integrated with the 4-kilometre-long waterfront promenade that allows visitors to stroll along the harbourfront from Hung Hom to Tsim Sha Tsui with harbourfront facilities and attractions including the Avenue of Stars, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on the way. The site is also well served by public transport facilities, and water transportation will be further improved with the re-opening of the Hung Hom-Central ferry route and provision of water taxi services in the near future."

     The objectives of the MSE are three-fold: to collect innovative ideas on possible uses of the site including how income received through certain activities would strike a balance between public enjoyment and financial viability; to ascertain the level of market interest towards developing the site under the partnership approach; and to obtain suggestions on key features of the partnership approach in terms of contract duration, the financing and revenue sharing arrangement and more.

     "To stimulate as many ideas as possible in the exercise, different private sector bodies including commercial entities, community groups, social enterprises, community-based trusts, special purpose companies and other different kinds of non-governmental organisations are welcome to submit their proposals," the spokesman added.

     The responses received will help the DEVB decide on the overall development concept for the Urban Park and the viability of the partnership approach, as well as the key contractual terms and conditions required for a publicly acceptable and financially viable model.

     The spokesman said, "We are aiming to derive a partnership approach that can provide highly anticipated facilities that can draw people to the harbourfront and enhance their experience while delivering a reasonable financial return to induce and sustain private sector participation."

     At the moment, the DEVB has the following initial ideas for the project:

(a) The project should adopt a place-making approach to create a sense of place and a quality harbourfront for public enjoyment, bringing people to the harbourfront and catering for their diverse interests. Proposed attractions should complement rather than overlap with uses already available in the neighbourhood;

(b) The project should minimise visual and noise impacts and other adverse impacts on the surrounding residential development;

(c) While retaining ownership of the site, the Government may grant a right to use the site for a reasonably long period that can render the project financially viable;

(d) The operator will be responsible for designing, developing, managing and maintaining the site;

(e) The project is expected to be self-sustainable on an ongoing basis with the possibility of sharing revenue with the Government based on a predetermined arrangement;

(f) It is Government's intention to set up a continual monitoring system with some form of public participation to ensure that the site is developed and managed in the public interest; and
 
(g) Key performance indicators for monitoring and maintaining high performance could be introduced.

     The DEVB will hold a briefing for interested parties on February 14. Interested parties should submit written responses to the DEVB on or before March 21. The MSE is not a pre-qualification exercise for the subsequent competitive bidding for the project. The ideas and suggestions received through the MSE may be used by the Government, in the original form or in a modified form as may be considered appropriate by the Government, in formulating the way forward for the subsequent tender exercise.

     Details of the briefing and the MSE are available on the websites of the DEVB (www.devb.gov.hk/en/issues_in_focus/mse_hung_hom_urban_park_development/index.html) and the HC (www.hfc.org.hk). For enquiries, please contact the DEVB's Harbour Office through email at harbouroffice@devb.gov.hk.

     While inviting market feedback through the MSE, the DEVB also welcomes views from the general public on the potential uses of the site submitted through the aforementioned DEVB website and the HC website on or before March 21. The views will be taken into account in finalising the overall development concept of the site.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, today (January 22) presented certificates to students of the Shine Skills Centre of the Vocational Training Council who participated in a government internship scheme in recognition of their performance and efforts. Mr Law also encouraged them to unleash their potential at workplaces after graduation.

     Meeting with students of the Shine Skills Centre who have completed the internship, Mr Law said, "The students' attendance, conduct and performance have been very satisfactory during the internship period. The positive work attitude and dedication in learning of student interns have been highly praised by colleagues and mentors of participating departments.

     "It was the third year that the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) arranged placements in government departments for students of the Shine Skills Centre. The Shine Skills Centre (Kwun Tong) and the Civil Service College will become neighbours after the completion of the Kwun Tong comprehensive development project. This goes further to show how closely knit we have become."

     The CSB launched the internship scheme for students with disabilities in 2016 and doubled the number of placements from an average of 50 a year in the past two years to 100, so as to allow more young persons with disabilities to gain work experience in the Government, thereby strengthening their competitiveness before entering the workforce.

     With the expansion of the internship scheme, students of the Shine Skills Centre were also given opportunities to take up more diversified jobs, including event co-ordination and support, simple auditing tasks and topical searches.

     A total of 33 students, who were assigned to 21 government bureaux and departments for an eight-week internship in late 2018, received certificates today.

     Miss Helen Tang was an intern who assisted in checking and inputting traffic data at the Police. She said that with the guidance of her mentor and colleagues, she was soon able to discharge her duties independently, which has boosted her confidence. She added that the department's barrier-free access facilities helped her adapt to the working environment within a short period of time. She said she was grateful that the internship better equipped her to join the labour market in the future, and gave her an opportunity to learn to communicate and get along with others.

     Another intern, Mr Ken Poon, was attached to the CSB where he assisted in clerical work. Being a student of a design and desktop publishing programme at the Shine Skills Centre, he was also given an opportunity to design a Christmas card, on which he could apply what he had learnt in the Shine Skills Centre. He said that this precious internship experience enabled him to better understand his interest and career path.

     Many mentors praised the interns for their positive and responsible work attitude, as well as their initiative to learn new knowledge from their daily work.

          

     Police today (January 22) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Mong Kok.
         
     Yeung Chun-wai, aged 24, went missing after he was last seen at MTR Mong Kok Station on January 19 afternoon. His family made a report to Police yesterday (January 21).
         
     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 77 kilograms in weight and of fat build. He has a round face with yellow complexion, short black hair. He was last seen wearing a pink long-sleeved T-shirt, black trousers, dark-coloured sports shoes and carrying a black rucksack.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0316 or 9020 2746 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.
     

  

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 21) seized about 1.6 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $4.4 million and a duty potential of about $3.1 million at Man Kam To Control Point.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming truck declared as carrying vegetables at Man Kam To Control Point yesterday. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes in 179 foam boxes mix-loaded with 321 boxes of vegetables onboard the truck.

     The 61-year-old male driver was arrested and the truck was detained. Investigation is ongoing.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) launched the Green Burial Central Register today (January 22) to enable members of the public to register early their wish for green burial.
      
     An FEHD spokesman said, "The Government spares no efforts to promote green burial. Whether for scattering cremated ashes of the deceased in Gardens of Remembrance or at sea, green burial can conserve the environment and help save land resources." 
      
     "In view of the growing number of users of green burial services in recent years, the FEHD has set up the central register to encourage members of the public to plan in advance their after-death arrangements and register their wish for green burial. The FEHD will follow up appropriately if a deceased person with his or her wish registered is identified on the register upon cremation booking by the family members."
      
     The spokesman appealed to the public to support green burial, share with family members their wish for returning to nature and sign up in the central register to make life easier for their loved ones and leave the next generation a beautiful environment.
      
     He added that the central register lets members of the public express early their wish for green burial and facilitates fulfilment of the wish by their descendants. Even if there is no prior registration, descendants can still choose green burial for the deceased.
      
     Moreover, to sustain the efforts in expanding and enhancing the green burial facilities, in addition to the 11 Gardens of Remembrance managed by the FEHD, a new Garden of Remembrance located in front of the old Kwai Chung Crematorium will commence service tomorrow (January 23). The new Garden of Remembrance, situated in a scenic and tranquil environment, is easily accessible. Members of the public can scatter the cremated ashes of their loved ones themselves or with the help of FEHD staff, which is free of charge. Four electronic kiosks are also set up beside the new Garden of Remembrance for paying tribute to the deceased.
      
     The FEHD also arranges free ferry services for the public to scatter cremated ashes at designated areas in Hong Kong waters every Saturday. Since the Ching Ming Festival in 2014, the department has also invited previous users of the service of scattering cremated ashes at sea to free ferry rides to the designated areas around the grave-sweeping seasons to pay tribute to the deceased.
      
     Details on the Green Burial Central Register are available on the thematic website www.greenburial.gov.hk. Members of the public can register online or return the registration form to the FEHD by post, fax or email. For enquiries, please call 2562 7130.