The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson announced the following senior appointment today (September 20).
 
     Dr Christina Maw, will be appointed as Hospital Chief Executive (Grantham Hospital and Tung Wah Hospital), succeeding Dr Pang Fei-chau who will take up the post of Head of Human Resources at HA Head Office, both with effect from October 1, 2018.
 
     Dr Maw is a specialist in Public Health Medicine. She joined the HA in 2011 as Senior Manager (Elderly and Community Care) and is currently the Chief Manager (Primary and Community Services) at HA Head Office, a position she has held since 2014.
 
     In her current position, Dr Maw led the development, implementation and review of services to improve care for the elderly and palliative care, as well as rehabilitation services in the HA, such as strengthening medical-social collaboration projects, the Community Geriatric Assessment Team and End of Life care services in old age homes as well as infirmary services. She has also contributed significantly to the formulation of HA Strategic Service Frameworks for Elderly Patients, Rehabilitation Services and Palliative Care and oversaw the development of primary care services to improve service accessibility, care quality and co-ordination.
 
     The HA Chairman, Professor John Leong, and the HA Chief Executive, Dr Leung Pak-yin, congratulated Dr Maw on her new appointment and wish her every success in her new role.

  

     The ventilation system of Lucky Star Bread Shop, located at 37 Ma Tau Kok Road in To Kwa Wan, generated excessive noise at night which caused nuisance to nearby residents. The responsible person of the bakery was fined $5,000 at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 20) for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO).
      ã€€ã€€
     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that the department received a complaint from a nearby resident at the end of last year about the excessive noise generated from a bakery located on Ma Tau Kok Road. EPD enforcement officers conducted investigation and assessment and confirmed that the noise generated by the bakery's ventilation system at night exceeded the statutory limit. A noise abatement notice was issued to request for improvement. EPD staff then made a follow-up inspection in February and found that the noise generated from the bakery's ventilation system at night reached 62 decibels (dB) and still exceeded the statutory limit by 7dB. The department then initiated prosecution against the responsible person of the bakery.
      ã€€ã€€
     The spokesman reminded all operators of food premises to carry out regular inspection and maintenance of ventilation systems installed at their premises. They should hire a professional contractor to replace the parts and install noise control equipment for their ventilation systems to ensure their normal operation and avoid generating excessive noise and causing noise nuisance to nearby residents.
      ã€€ã€€
     According to the NCO, anyone who violates the requirements of a noise abatement notice commits an offence. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. A maximum fine of $200,000 may be imposed on second or subsequent conviction.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, and the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Wang Zhigang, witnessed today (September 20) the signing of the "Arrangement on Enhancing Innovation and Technology (I&T) Cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong" and the "Agreement on Commencing Jointly Funded Projects between the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Innovation and Technology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government".
 
     The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, and the Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Zhang Jianguo, represented Hong Kong and the Mainland respectively to sign the Arrangement, whereas the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, and the Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of MOST, Mr Ye Dongbai, represented the two places respectively to sign the Agreement. The Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Ms Annie Choi, was also present at the signing ceremony.
 
     This was followed by a plaque presentation ceremony by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Wang Zhigang. From today onwards, the 16 Partner State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong will be renamed as State Key Laboratories, which allows them more flexibility to collaborate with different research and development institutions.
 
     At the ceremony, MOST announced that it would entrust SenseTime Group Limited to establish the "National Open Innovation Platform for Next Generation Artificial Intelligence on Intelligent Vision".
 
     In her speech, Mrs Lam expressed her heartfelt thanks to MOST for its unfailing support for I&T development in Hong Kong. She said, "The Arrangement and the Agreement signed today mark a new page of scientific and technological collaboration between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The presentation of plaques to State Key Laboratories is also of great significance, as this would provide more flexibility for the collaboration between the State Key Laboratories of Hong Kong and the research institutes in the Mainland. It also means solid support and recognition.
 
     "Moreover, the recognition given to our home-grown unicorn by MOST in moving forward the national development and planning for the next generation artificial intelligence is also a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's strengths in I&T."
 
     The Arrangement and its annex "Joint Action Plan on Mainland and Hong Kong I&T Collaboration" will serve as an action guide and framework for the two parties to take forward the various I&T co-operation initiatives in the coming few years. The two sides will enhance co-operation in essentially six areas, namely scientific research, development of platforms, nurturing of talents, transfer of results and incubation of I&T industry, integration into national development strategies, and cultivation of an I&T atmosphere.
 
     With a view to encouraging collaboration between Hong Kong and provinces of the Mainland in the area of scientific research, the Government has been exploring with MOST the feasibility of setting up the Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme to support such collaboration. The Agreement sets out the framework of the funding and the modus operandi of the Scheme, details of which will be announced in due course.
 
     Founded in 2014 by a number of local scholars, the home-grown SenseTime Group Limited has emerged as China's biggest artificial intelligence unicorn in just a few years' time. Recognising the leading position of SenseTime Group Limited in artificial intelligence, especially intelligent vision, MOST entrusted SenseTime Group Limited to establish the "National Open Innovation Platform for Next Generation Artificial Intelligence on Intelligent Vision" and participate in the nation's development of the next generation of artificial intelligence.
 
     State Key Laboratories are a vital component of the national I&T system. High-quality research teams and advanced research equipment are prerequisites for the establishment of State Key Laboratories. MOST approved earlier the establishment of 16 Partner State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong, which had to partner and enter into co-operation agreements with State Key Laboratories in similar scientific research areas in the Mainland. After adjustment, these 16 Partner State Key Laboratories will be officially renamed as State Key Laboratories.
 
     The Chief Executive, accompanied by Mr Yang; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip; and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, met with Mr Wang at Government House before the ceremony. After the ceremony, the Chief Executive hosted a lunch at Government House for guests attending the signing and plaque presentation ceremony, including Vice-chancellors of Universities, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and representatives of local research and development institutions.

     The Transport Department today (September 20) announced that the auction of traditional vehicle registration marks will be held on October 14 (Sunday), in Meeting Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

     "A total of 300 vehicle registration marks will be put up for public auction. The list of marks has been posted at the department's website, www.td.gov.hk," a department spokesman said.

     Applicants who have paid a deposit of $1,000 to reserve a mark for auction should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price of $1,000). Otherwise, the mark may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(a) Successful bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:
(1) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(2) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(3) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(4) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". (For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed.) Successful bidders can also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS). Payment by post-dated cheques, cash or other methods will not be accepted.

(b) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted.

(c) A vehicle registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(d) Special registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special registration mark shall be cancelled.

(e) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the mark will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of Vehicle Registration Marks, which can be downloaded from the department's website, www.td.gov.hk.

     The Hong Kong Public Libraries of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is inviting library patrons to take part in a series of Reader Liaison Group tea gatherings to express their views on library services and make suggestions for the improvement of library facilities and services.

     The tea gatherings will be held from October 6 to 21 at the following public libraries with details as below:
 

  
     Online registration at www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/about-us/services/rlg-reg-form.html is available. Interested patrons may also reserve a seat by completing the reservation form available at all public libraries or downloaded from www.hkpl.gov.hk/enrlgform. Completed forms should be returned by fax to 2415 8211 or email to hotline-lib@lcsd.gov.hk.  In addition, patrons may also provide comments and suggestions through the online feedback form www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/about-us/services/rlg-feedback-form.html.
      
     Details and schedule of the tea gatherings have been posted in all public libraries and uploaded on www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/about-us/services/tea-gathering.html. For enquiries, please call 2921 0208 during office hours.