The Government announced today (July 5) the appointment of Mr Victor Lam Wai-kiu as Government Chief Information Officer following an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise. Mr Lam will take up the appointment on July 6, 2018 to succeed Mr Allen Yeung Tak-bun, who has departed upon completion of agreement.

     Concerning Mr Lam's appointment, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "Mr Lam possesses sound professional skills, broad experience and proven management abilities. I have every confidence that Mr Lam will take a proactive role in championing the development of information and communications technology, smart city and e-government in Hong Kong. I also trust that colleagues of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) will continue to give of their best under Mr Lam's leadership to meet the challenges ahead."

     Mr Law thanked Mr Yeung for his dedicated service to the OGCIO in the past three years, particularly for his contributions to the formulation of the Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint.

     Brief biographical notes on Mr Yeung and Mr Lam are set out below:

Mr Allen Yeung Tak-bun
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     Mr Yeung was appointed as the Government Chief Information Officer from July 2, 2015 to July 1, 2018. He was the Chief Corporate Development Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation prior to joining the Government.

Mr Victor Lam Wai-kiu
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     Mr Lam joined the Government as an Analyst/Programmer II in August 1985. He rose to the ranks of Chief Systems Manager in April 2004, Assistant Director of Information Technology Services in October 2007 and Deputy Director of Information Technology Services in October 2011.

  

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 500 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.3 million and a duty potential of about $1 million at Man Kam To Control Point on July 3.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming truck declared as carrying vegetables at Man Kam To Control Point in the evening on July 3. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes in 44 foam boxes mix-loaded with 251 boxes of vegetables onboard the truck.

     The 49-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 dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, July 5, 2018 is 102.4 (up 0.3 against yesterday's index).

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 4) seized a batch of suspected smuggled goods, including 407 smartphones, 12 metal plates, 144 bags of polyester resin and 1 200 pieces of electronic parts, with an estimated market value of about $900,000 at Lok Ma Chau Control Point.

     Customs officers intercepted an outgoing lorry at Lok Ma Chau Control Point for inspection yesterday afternoon and seized the batch of suspected smuggled goods inside a false compartment in the tailgate and the cargo compartment of the lorry. The 55-year-old male driver was arrested. 

     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 smuggling activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

    

     The Land Registry today (July 5) released its statistics for the first half of 2018. 
                                                                                                     
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration for the first half of 2018 was 46,875 (+14.5 per cent compared with the second half of 2017 and +9.4 per cent compared with the first half of 2017).
 
* The total consideration for these agreements for the first half of 2018 was $403.68 billion (+14.3 per cent compared with the second half of 2017 and +8.2 per cent compared with the first half of 2017).
 
* The number of assignments of building units for the first half of 2018 was 52,793 (+7.9 per cent compared with the second half of 2017 but -3.6 per cent compared with the first half of 2017).
 
* The total consideration for these assignments for the first half of 2018 was $410.09 billion (+31.1 per cent compared with the second half of 2017 and +10.7 per cent compared with the first half of 2017).

Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public for the first half of 2018 was 2,680,329 (+2.3 per cent compared with the second half of 2017 and +4.6 per cent compared with the first half of 2017).