Author Archives: hksar gov

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, at a media session after attending a radio programme this morning (October 19):
 
Reporter: Mr Law, talking about the actual schedule, I know the college is supposed to be completed in 2026. What’s going to happen in between? When will the consultation start? When is the redevelopment going to start?

Secretary for the Civil Service: Let me say a few words about the plan. We have selected a site quite close to the MTR station of Kwun Tong for an integrated development. This development will include both community facilities as well a civil service college. It will also include various connectivity like a green platform or a green deck-top connection between the MTR station and other parts of Kwun Tong. We will be going to consult the local community, especially the District Council. This will happen very soon. We will share with them our preliminary plans and see what ideas they have about community needs for that location. Eventually we have to take the project to Legislative Council’s Finance Committee for approval, and then the construction (works) will take a few years. In total, we expect that the whole integrated development will be completed in around 2026.

Reporter: And the cost?

Secretary for the Civil Service: The overall cost for the whole integrated development is about $6 to $7 billion.

Reporter: There is a special needs school at the Kwun Tong site right now. What is going to happen to that school?

Secretary for the Civil Service: The relevant policy bureau has got a plan for relocating some of the existing social facilities. As regards that school (the Skills Centre), the plan is that there will be a new training centre to be developed in another place in the urban area and it will commence operation in September 2021. That will be the time we expect the present school to be closed. So there won’t be any gap in terms of the provision of training services. In future students receiving vocational training can go to the new place for training.

Reporter: How will the courses offered in the new civil service college be different from the ones currently being offered at the Civil Service Training and Development Institute?

Secretary for the Civil Service: There will be more courses, and will be more in-depth, focusing on technology, smart city, future direction of the community, and also to deepen the understanding of the nation’s policies as far as they are connected with our future development. We are also looking at various options in intensifying our collaboration with local and overseas training institutes and universities, so that our trainees can continue (their study) if we have certain certification of credit system for our courses. Then they can embark on another course at their own time if they like.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Depar… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:        The Office of The Ombudsman announced today (October 19) the appointment of Ms Belinda Kwan as an Assistant Ombudsman with immediate effect.     … read more

     A sick 60-year-old male person in custody at Stanley Prison died in a public hospital today (October 19).

     The person in custody suffered from diabetes mellitus, heart disease and renal failure. He required continuous medical care and follow-up at the institution hospital and public hospitals. On October 7, he was sent to a public hospital for treatment due to physical discomfort. During hospitalisation, his condition deteriorated and he was certified dead at 8.13am today.

     The case has been reported to the Police. A death inquest will be held by the Coroner’s Court.

     The person in custody was convicted for the offence of trafficking in a dangerous drug in August 2018. read more

     The Government published in the Gazette today (October 19) the Air Pollution Control (Non-road Mobile Machinery) (Emission) (Amendment) Regulation 2018, which aims at further tightening in phases the statutory emission standards for non-road vehicles to improve air quality.

     The Amendment Regulation will be tabled at the Legislative Council (LegCo) next Wednesday (October 24). If approved by the LegCo, the Amendment Regulation will take effect on January 1, 2019.

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said, “To prevent the transfer of old road vehicles, which are no longer roadworthy, into use for non-road applications, it is the Government’s standing policy to adopt the same emission standards for non-road vehicles as those for road vehicles. Pursuant to the Government’s tightening of the emission standards for newly registered road vehicles to Euro VI in phases since July 1, 2017, the Amendment Regulation seeks to tighten the emission standards of the same class of non-road vehicles in line with the latest emission standards for road vehicles.”

    The spokesman added that the non-road vehicle classes affected by the Amendment Regulation include buses with design weight of more than 9 tonnes, light buses with design weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes, goods vehicles and petrol private cars. Their emission standards will be tightened from the current Euro V to Euro VI. The emission standards for non-road diesel private cars will be tightened from California LEV II to California LEV III. For other non-road vehicle classes, including buses with design weight not exceeding 9 tonnes and light buses with design weight of more than 3.5 tonnes and special purpose vehicles, the prevailing emission standards will remain the same.

     Compared with their Euro V counterparts, Euro VI heavy duty diesel vehicles emit about 80 per cent less nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 50 per cent less respirable suspended particulates, while Euro VI light duty diesel vehicles emit about 55 per cent less NOx. read more