The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (December 27) visited the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had undergone a facelift and was reopened to the public at the end of last month. Mrs Lam reviewed the architectural features and new facilities.

     Having been closed since August 2015 for a major expansion and renovation, the HKMoA reopened on November 30. Adopting a modern architectural design, the Architectural Services Department has introduced a number of new features to the HKMoA. Together with the enhanced connection between the Art Square in Salisbury Garden and the outdoor Art Corridor, the museum is a prominent attraction on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. After expansion, the total exhibition area has increased by about 40 per cent and the number of galleries has increased from seven to 12, including a two-storey gallery allowing the display of large-sized artworks.

     Mrs Lam toured four of the 11 current exhibitions, namely "Ordinary to Extraordinary: Stories of the Museum", "From Dung Basket to Dining Cart: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Wu Guanzhong" and "A Pleasure Shared: Selected Works from the Chih Lo Lou Collection", which showcase the cultural legacy, and "Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint", displaying Hong Kong's art lineage.

     Mrs Lam said that she was particularly impressed by the exhibitions of the works of Mr Wu Guanzhong and the Chih Lo Lou collection, as the two donation ceremonies of the art treasures were hosted by her at Government House last year. She was very pleased to see the official establishment of a presence for these world-class art collections in the HKMoA in a long-term exhibition for appreciation by local and overseas visitors. Mrs Lam said she was also pleased to know that the donors of the art works, family members of Mr Wu and Mr Ho Iu-kwong, had visited the exhibitions and were satisfied with the arrangements.

     Looking forward to the commissioning of the M+ Museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District, Mrs Lam said that the two world-class museums and the HKMoA will stand as unique landmarks for culture, arts and tourism on the Victoria Harbour waterfront, thus raising the level of Hong Kong's art and culture to a higher level.

        

     A man who went missing in Western District has been located.

     Wong Ko, aged 69, went missing after he left an elderly home on Second Street, Western District on December 21 morning. Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

     Police located the man at a hospital in Chai Wan this afternoon (December 27).

     In response to media enquiries regarding an open letter from a group of members of the RTHK Programme Advisory Panel to the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, a spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) said the following today (December 27):

     As a government department, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) has been allocated resources through the Government's resource allocation mechanism to provide public service broadcasting. 

     The Government has pointed out on several occasions that the cumulative total amount of expenditure of RTHK in the past nine years has increased by more than two times (117 per cent), which is higher than the cumulative increase of the Government's recurrent expenditure of the same period. RTHK's civil service posts also recorded an increase of more than 40 per cent. RTHK should thus have sufficient resources to meet operational needs.

     As the Director of Broadcasting has pointed out at an earlier meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, RTHK has been allocated resources under the established mechanism and the CEDB has been supportive of RTHK's requests for resources.

     RTHK of course should make effective use of resources to ensure proper use of public money.

     In fact, amid the social unrest in Hong Kong over the past six months, all government departments and public servants in different grades must perform their roles dutifully and make extra efforts in order to maintain effective public services.

A man who went missing in Sau Mau Ping has been located.

Lee Man-kuen, aged 91, went missing after he left his residence in Kwun Tong Garden Estate on December 25 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.

Police located the man at a hospital in Yau Ma Tei this afternoon (December 27).

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     Details of the meetings of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Committees to be held in the LegCo Complex during the week from December 30, ‍2019 to ‍January 3, ‍2020 are available in the meeting schedule attached.
 
     The information in the meeting schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the "LegCo Calendar" on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) for the latest details of meetings.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to observe open meetings of LegCo ‍Committees. Interested individuals and groups are advised to make advance booking of seats by calling the LegCo Secretariat at 3919 3399 during office hours. Members of the public can also listen to or watch all open meetings via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.