The Town Planning Board announced today (December 27) that the Chief Executive in Council has referred the approved Tung Chung Town Centre Area Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) and the approved Tseung Kwan O OZP to the Board for amendment to reflect the latest land use proposals.

     Each OZP incorporating the respective amendments will be exhibited for public inspection under the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance.

     The Tung Chung Town Centre Area and Tseung Kwan O OZPs were last approved by the Chief Executive in Council in February 2017 and October 2018 respectively.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 27) announced the test results of a recently completed seasonal food surveillance project on Lunar New Year (LNY) food (first phase). The test results on 420 samples collected were all satisfactory.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "LNY is coming soon and the CFS is conducting this seasonal food surveillance project in two phases. During the first phase of the project, different types of LNY food including steamed puddings (e.g. turnip puddings and festive cakes), fried dumplings (e.g. sesame balls and crispy triangles), candies, glutinous rice balls, melon seeds and dried aquatic products were collected from different retailers (including online retailers) for chemical and microbiological tests as well as nutrition content analysis."
 
     Chemical tests targeted preservatives (e.g. sulphur dioxide, benzoic acid and sorbic acid), colouring matters (e.g. Sudan dyes) and metallic contaminants (e.g. cadmium, mercury and arsenic). Microbiological tests covered different food poisoning pathogens, such as salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus and coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms. For nutrition content analysis, the contents of total fat, sodium and sugars of the samples were tested to see if the test results were consistent with the declared values on the nutrition labels.
 
     The spokesman urged the food trade to observe the relevant laws and regulations in the preparation of food, follow Good Manufacturing Practice and use permitted food additives only in an appropriate manner. Retailers should source food from reliable suppliers, and conduct quality checks of incoming materials and end products to ensure that ingredients used are within legal standards. In addition, the food trade should maintain proper records in accordance with the requirements of the Food Safety Ordinance to allow source tracing if needed.
 
     The spokesman also advised consumers to buy LNY food from reliable retailers with good hygiene conditions; make sure the packaging of prepackaged cakes and snacks is intact and the products have not expired; refer to the nutrition labels on the sugar, salt (sodium) and fat content and more for healthy choices; and pay attention to the hygiene conditions of food containers and the personal hygiene of staff when buying loose-packed food (e.g. candied lotus seeds, nuts and melon seeds).
 
     "Consumers should choose food products with natural colours. Bright white pistachios may have been bleached and melon seeds with an unnatural gloss may have had mineral oil added. Consumption of these food products can cause gastrointestinal discomfort," the spokesman said.
 
    "Festive cakes that are not for immediate consumption should be kept refrigerated or stored according to the instructions on the package, and should be eaten before they expire. Reheat hot-served festive cakes thoroughly before consumption, consume it as soon as possible, and avoid keeping it at room temperature for a long time. Foods like nuts and melon seeds should not be kept for a long time. Those with mould or an abnormal smell or taste should not be eaten," he added.
 
     The spokesman reminded the public to maintain a balanced diet and avoid foods that are high in energy, sugar, salt or fat during LNY.
 
     The CFS will continue to conduct surveillance on LNY food and the second phase results will be released in a timely manner to ensure food safety.

     The Government today (December 27) announced the appointment of two members to the Education Commission (EC).
      
     The newly appointed members are the Chairman of the Hong Kong Special Schools Council, Dr Leung Wing-hung, and the Chairman of the Subsidised Primary Schools Council, Ms Vu Im-fan.
      
     The two members have been appointed in their personal capacity for a two-year term, which will take effect on January 1, 2020.
     
     An Education Bureau spokesman said, "Given their rich experience in the education sector, we are confident that these two members will provide valuable advice and contribute to the work of the EC."
      
     The spokesman also thanked the outgoing member, Mr So Ping-fai, for his valuable contribution to the work of the EC.
      
     The new EC membership list, effective from January 1, 2020, is as follows:

Chairman
———-
Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung
 
Ex-officio members
———————
Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan
Chairman, Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals, Dr Carrie Willis
Chairman, Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung
Chairman, Curriculum Development Council, Professor Tam Kar-yan
Chairman, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority Council, Dr Samuel Yung Wing-ki
Chairman, Quality Education Fund Steering Committee, Dr Gordon Tsui Luen-on
Chairman, Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, Mr Lester Garson Huang
Chairman, University Grants Committee, Mr Carlson Tong
Chairman, Vocational Training Council, Mr Tony Tai Chark-tong
 
Non-official members
———————–
Ms Kelly Chan Yuen-sau
Dr Fung Wai-wah
Ms Nancy Ho Lan-sang
Professor Alvin Leung Seung-ming
Dr Leung Wing-hung
Mr Joseph Luc Ngai
Dr Halina Poon Suk-han
Mr Henry Tong Sau-chai
Ms Vu Im-fan
Mr Wong Kam-leung
Mr Dieter Yih Lai-tak

     â€‹After the opening of Siu Lun Sports Centre of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in early November, remaining facilities including an outdoor sport climbing wall, activity rooms and a multi-purpose arena at the centre will be opened for public use on December 31 (Tuesday), providing a wider range of leisure and sports facilities.

     Siu Lun Sports Centre occupies the second to fifth floors of the Tuen Mun Siu Lun Government Complex at 19 Siu Lun Street, Tuen Mun. Apart from a fitness room, a table-tennis room and a children's play room which have been opened for public use earlier, an outdoor sport climbing wall on the second floor, three multi-purpose activity rooms on the fourth floor and a multi-purpose arena on the fifth floor are to open for use. The arena can be used as a handball court, two basketball courts, two volleyball courts or eight badminton courts according to the need.
 
     Adjacent to Siu Lun Sports Ground and Tsing Sin Playground, the sports centre is easily accessible by Light Rail, bus or minibus. It will be open from 7am to 11pm daily, except on the first and third Wednesday of every month when it will be closed from 7am to 1pm for regular maintenance.

     Members of the public can reserve the activity rooms and the multi-purpose arena of Siu Lun Sports Centre from tomorrow (December 28) via the Leisure Link computerised booking system, booking counters or self-service kiosks in accordance with the LCSD's booking procedure for leisure and sports facilities. For enquiries, please call the venue staff at 2659 2311, or visit the LCSD website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/index.html).

      

     The Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (CDTAs) with Cambodia and Estonia signed in June and September this year respectively came into force on December 27 and 18, 2019, respectively, after the completion of the relevant ratification procedures. The CDTAs will have effect in respect of Hong Kong tax for any taxable periods beginning on or after April 1, 2020, a Government spokesman said today (December 27).
 
     Cambodia and Estonia were the 38th and 75th largest trading partners of Hong Kong in 2018 respectively. The CDTAs will bring a greater degree of certainty on tax liabilities for those who engage in cross-border business activities, and help promote bilateral trade and investment activities.