The Lands Department announced today (May 29) that demand notes for Government rent in excess of $100 per annum for the half year ending June 24 in respect of properties subject to the Government Leases Ordinance (Chapter 40) and certain other properties have been issued.

     Payers can settle Government rent through various electronic means including autopay, bank automated teller machines (ATMs), e-Cheque/e-Cashier's Order, payment by phone service (PPS), and bill payment services provided by banks and PPS on the Internet. Payment may also be made in person and in cash at designated convenience stores. For details, please visit the Treasury's website at www.try.gov.hk.

     Payment may be made by sending a crossed cheque to PO Box No. 28000, Gloucester Road Post Office, Hong Kong, or in person to any post office. Please ensure sufficient mailing time and postage to make the delivery in order. Underpaid mail will be rejected. For locations of post offices and their opening hours, please call Hongkong Post's enquiry hotline at 2921 2222 or visit its website at www.hongkongpost.hk.

     Government rent payers who have not received their demand notes should enquire at the Government Rent and Premium Unit of the Lands Department at 1/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, or call 2231 3033.

     Purchasers of properties are strongly advised to instruct their solicitors to ensure that Government rent has been paid to date at the time of purchase. Enquiries on outstanding accounts can be made at 2231 3033 or email to landsd@landsd.gov.hk. An enquiry fee is payable for each property if a written confirmation of an accounts position is needed.

     The Government today (May 29) announced the appointment of the Chairperson and four new members, as well as the re-appointment of five members, to the Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals (COTAP). 
 
     Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming has been appointed as the Chairperson of COTAP and the four new members are Ms Chan Yuk-yin, Dr Cheung Kwok-wah, Mr Joseph Kung Kwong-pui and Mr Franky Poon Kai-cheung.
 
     In addition, five serving members, namely Mr Eugene Fong Yick-jin, Ms Hui Ha-mei, Mr George Leung Wing-hung, Mr Liu Ah-chuen and Mr Leo Sung Po-wa, have been re-appointed. 
 
     The appointments will take effect on June 1, 2020, for a term of two years.
 
     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, "We are pleased to have Professor Leung, a renowned scholar, as the Chairperson of COTAP. Professor Leung is the Dean of Education of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and is currently a member of the Education Commission and the Family Council. With his expert knowledge and profound experience in professional development of teachers and principals, we are confident that Professor Leung will lead COTAP in advising the Government on matters related to professional development of teachers and principals with a view to enhancing the quality of education in Hong Kong."
 
     Mr Yeung took the opportunity to thank the outgoing Chairperson of COTAP, Dr Carrie Willis. "She has been the Chairperson of COTAP for seven years since its establishment in 2013. Under her remarkable leadership, COTAP has launched the overarching project of T-excel@hk and its various new initiatives, and advised on the implementation of the series of recommendations by the Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers."
 
     He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing members, Professor Hau Kit-tai, Dr Kam Pok-man and Dr Kan Kar-yin, for their valuable contributions to COTAP in the past years.
 
     COTAP is an advisory body which advises the Government on policies, practices and measures relating to the professional development of the teaching profession at different stages of professional growth. It may, where necessary, conduct educational research and professional development programmes for the teaching profession.
 
     The new COTAP membership list, effective from June 1, 2020, is as follows:
 
Chairperson
————–
Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming
 
Members
———–
Ms Carmen Chan Ka-mun
Ms Sylvia Chan May-kuen
Ms Chan Yuk-yin
Dr Cheung Kwok-wah
Ms Hui Ha-mei
Professor Horace Ip Ho-shing
Mr Joseph Kung Kwong-pui
Ms Leung Kin-yi
Mr George Leung Wing-hung
Mr Liu Ah-chuen
Mr Franky Poon Kai-cheung
Mr Leo Sung Po-wa
Mr Teddy Tang Chun-keung
Mr Herbert Chia Pun-kok
Mr Tony Choi Siu-chow
Mr Benny Ding Pak-hei
Mr Eugene Fong Yick-jin
 
Ex-officio member
———————
Deputy Secretary for Education (3)

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 29) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 11 400 food samples tested were satisfactory except for 13 samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
 
     A CFS spokesman said about 1 000 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 2 800 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 7 600 (including about 7 200 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.
 
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.
 
     The samples comprised about 2 800 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; 600 samples of cereals, grains and their products; 600 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 800 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 1 200 samples of aquatic and related products; and 5 400 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
 
     The 13 unsatisfactory samples comprised five frozen confection samples detected with excessive counts of hygiene indicator organisms, two samples of bottled fruit juice drinks contaminated with patulin, a sweet potato sample detected with excessive lead, a frozen swordfish fillet sample found to contain excessive methylmercury, a vegetable sample detected with excessive pesticide residue, a grass carp sample found to contain traces of malachite green, a prepackaged cut fruit sample found to contain Salmonella and a turnip pudding sample found to contain excessive Bacillus cereus.

     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

     The Government announced today (May 29) the appointments to two industry advisory committees (IACs) to advise the Insurance Authority (IA) on industry-related issues. 
 
     The two IACs focus on long-term business and general business respectively. The Financial Secretary has re-appointed or appointed 11 non-official members to the IAC on Long Term Business and 10 non-official members to the IAC on General Business for a term of two years from June 1, 2020, to May 31, 2022.
 
     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, "Members of the two IACs have expertise in different lines of insurance business and some come from related fields such as accounting, insurance law, academia, banking, management and medical. Their wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds will provide the IA with valuable advice on various matters pertaining to the development of the insurance industry."
 
     Mr Hui added, "I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the eight outgoing members for their contribution to the IACs during their term."
 
     The IACs are statutory committees established under the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41) on June 1, 2016. The Ordinance stipulates that other than the chairperson, the chief executive officer and not more than two other executive directors of the IA, members of an IAC should include not less than eight but not more than 12 other persons with knowledge of or experience in the insurance industry, the conduct of regulated activities and consumer affairs. They are appointed by the Financial Secretary after consultation with the IA.
 
     The IA is an independent regulator established under the Ordinance in December 2015. It took over the responsibility of supervising insurance companies from the former Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in June 2017 and assumed direct regulation of insurance intermediaries in September 2019.

     Following is the list of non-official members of the IACs with effect from June 1, 2020:
 
Non-official Members of the IAC on Long Term Business
————————————————————–
Mr Chan Yim-kwong
Mrs Estella Chiu Sheun-fun
Mr Gilbert Ho Chi-hang
Mr Garth Brian Jones
Mr Mike Lee Siu-chuen
Ms Orchis Li Tzy-lan
Mr Jeremy Robert Porter
Mr Martin Tam Chi-wai
Mr Wilson Tang Chee-ping
Mr Harold Wong Tsu-hing
Mr Jonathan Zhao Xiaojing
 
Non-official Members of the IAC on General Business
——————————————————————
Dr Kevin Lau Chung-hang
Ms Angela Leung Wai-tuen
Mr Andrew Mak Kin-ting
Ms Rebecca Poon Chui-ngor
Mr Jimmy Poon Wing-fai
Ms Penny Randall Seach
Ms Sally Wan Yuen-wai
Mr Peter Anthony Whalley
Mr Harry Wong Kwok-tim
Professor Jason Yeh Jia-hsing

     A new round of the Sports Training Programme for Persons with Disabilities, from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will start in July, covering a wide variety of sports activities specially designed for persons with disabilities. The programme will be open for enrolment from June 1.

     A spokesman for the LCSD said, "The programme includes different types of sports training courses, which are open for participation free of charge for persons with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment, visual impairment, autism and chronic illnesses as well as ex-mentally ill persons. The courses have been devised with professional advice provided by relevant national sports associations to suit the needs of various types of disabilities."

     The types of sports training cover body-mind stretching, badminton, bocce, table tennis, fitness exercises, hydro fitness, wheelchair tennis, swimming, modern dance and the newly-included seated group aerobics. Through systematic and professional sports training, these courses will help arouse interest among persons with disabilities to participate in sports activities while enhancing physical and mental health. Each participant can be accompanied by one carer for assistance during the courses. 

     The courses in July will be open for enrolment from June 1. Prospectuses and enrolment forms can be downloaded from the webpage of the Sports Training Programme for Persons with Disabilities under the LCSD's dedicated website for persons with disabilities (Recreation and Sports Programmes/Facilities). They are also available from the District Leisure Services Offices or sports centres of the LCSD. Video highlights of the training programme can be viewed at the website. For enquiries, please call 2414 5555.