Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr Peter O’Neill, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, this morning (November 19).

     Mrs Lam congratulated Papua New Guinea on the successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2018 Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the related meetings, noting that it will boost the country’s development. She said that Hong Kong is willing to strengthen exchanges and collaboration with Papua New Guinea and that Hong Kong can provide quality professional services and share its rich experience in city management with the country.

     While attending the APEC meetings, Mrs Lam held bilateral meetings with the leaders of a number of countries including Australia, Malaysia and Vietnam to explore opportunities for further co-operation. During a media interview, she reaffirmed the support of Hong Kong, a founding member of the World Trade Organization, for free trade and the multilateral trading system. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will also proactively formulate appropriate social policy initiatives to ensure inclusive development.

     Mrs Lam will depart for Hong Kong this afternoon.

      

     The Correctional Services Department (CSD) officially launched Life Gym, Hong Kong’s first positive living centre for male persons in custody, at Stanley Prison today (November 19). During its trial run, Life Gym will offer holistic psychological treatment programmes and male-responsive treatment strategies to help participating persons in custody desist from crime, with the aim of cultivating a mentality of positive living.

     The Chief Superintendent of Stanley Prison, Mr Wu Man-wai, said, “November 19 is International Men’s Day. Similar to other international organisations, the CSD attends to the psychological and physical health of male persons in custody. I am pleased to witness the opening of Life Gym. I envision that participants will turn towards a positive life after their release, and better develop their potential after receiving treatment programmes.”  

     The CSD’s Senior Clinical Psychologist, Dr Judy Hui, said, “Male persons in custody have their unique offending pathway, reflecting different rehabilitation needs and responses to treatment programmes. They are sometimes found to have distorted criminal thinking, violent tendencies, poor anger management or impulsive character, and can be susceptible to undesirable peer influence. The new centre makes use of diverse treatment approaches to help participants to change effectively.”

     The treatment programme delivered at Life Gym will last from eight to 10 months during the trial run. Treatment is given in the form of group therapy and incorporates male-responsive innovative elements, including the first application of a virtual reality programme developed by the department for psychological treatment. With a view to increasing participants’ motivation for change, the programmes include problem-solving tasks, communication skills, alternative thinking and tasks to enhance self-confidence and resilience, as well as a host of fun activities such as inspiring video games, board games and sport activities. It is hoped that Life Gym will cultivate a therapeutic environment that encourages mutual support among participants, and that participants will put the newly learned psychological skills into practice in daily life to achieve the ultimate goal of positive change. Through drawings and a variety of activities, a Clinical Psychologist can help persons in custody to set different life goals and use prosocial means to achieve these goals in order to stay away from crime and develop positive living. read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible: Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 19) that due to bi… read more

     The Civil Aid Service (CAS) today (November 18) held the Civil Aid Service Band Review-cum-Motor Cycle Demonstration Team (MCDT) 55th Anniversary Show at its headquarters. The Permanent Secretary for Security, Mrs Marion Lai, o… read more

      The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, had in-depth discussions with the leaders of other economies at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2018 Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea today (November 18) on how to ensure inclusive development in the face of new economic situation and digital future.

     In the morning, Mrs Lam and the leaders of the other economies were briefed by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Ms Christine Lagarde, on the current global and regional economic situation. At the AELM that followed, Mrs Lam said that amid an increasingly digital economic environment, governments should ensure that people from all walks of life can share the benefits of economic development through good governance and proactive policies and that to this end, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has invested heavily in education in recent years to ensure the adaptability of the next generation to social changes and enhanced medical and social welfare services to take care of the people in need.

     Noting that Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under “One Country, Two Systems”, she said that the city will continue to leverage its advantages to promote international free trade, including expanding the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) network. Hong Kong will also contribute to the national Belt and Road Initiative, including sharing with the emerging countries along the Belt and Road Hong Kong’s rich experience in city management to help their capacity building.

     At the AELM Working Lunch, Mrs Lam pointed out that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the work on youth development and women empowerment to enhance social inclusiveness. On youths, the HKSAR Government is keen to enhance the creativity and problem-solving ability of young people through improvement to education as well as provide more career choices for them and broaden their global horizons. On the aspect of women, the HKSAR Government’s priority is to retain women in the workforce. She expressed the hope to create a favourable environment so that youths and women have more room for development and participation in policy making.

     During a break at the meetings, Mrs Lam met separately the leaders of Australia and Vietnam.

     At her meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Scott Morrison, Mrs Lam said that with the close ties of the people and enterprises between Hong Kong and Australia, she was pleased that negotiations on a FTA and an Investment Agreement were successfully concluded a few days earlier and that she believes that the business and economic relations between the two places will be taken to a new level.

     At her meeting with the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Mrs Lam thanked him for his support to enhance collaboration between the two places and said that bilateral relations can be further boosted in tourism and student exchanges.

     At the margins of the meetings, Mrs Lam also expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe, for the support and hospitality extended to her by the Japanese government during her official visit to the country last month. She said that the trip is fruitful and that she is confident that collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in various areas can be further enhanced.

     In addition, Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, for the huge amount of work he has done in the past year for the establishment of Hong Kong’s new Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok, Thailand and said she plans to officiate at the opening of the Office in person early next year.

     Mrs Lam will meet with the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr Peter O’Neill, tomorrow morning (November 19) and then depart for Hong Kong.