The Government announced today (September 3) that Captain West Wu Wai-hung, Chief Pilot, will assume the post of Controller, Government Flying Service on September 8, 2019, when Captain Michael Chan Chi-pui commences his pre-retirement leave.

     Commenting on the appointment of Captain Wu, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "Captain Wu possesses proven leadership skills and rich professional knowledge. I am confident that he will be able to lead the Government Flying Service to meet the challenges ahead."

     On the retirement of Captain Chan, Mr Law said, "As Controller, Government Flying Service, Captain Chan has made sustained efforts in enhancing the efficiency and professional excellence of the department to provide emergency search and rescue operations as well as aviation support for the community and the government departments. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

     Brief biographical notes on the two officers are set out below:

Captain Michael Chan Chi-pui
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     Captain Chan joined the Civil Aviation Department as an Air Traffic Control Assistant III in August 1983. He was appointed as a Pilot in the then Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (renamed as the Government Flying Service in 1993) in August 1990. He was promoted to Senior Pilot in November 2000 and to Chief Pilot in January 2006. He has been Controller, Government Flying Service since March 2008.

Captain West Wu Wai-hung
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     Captain Wu joined the then Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (now the Government Flying Service) as an Observer/Crewman in March 1988. He was appointed as a Cadet Pilot in August 1990. He was promoted to Pilot II in September 1992, to Pilot I in September 1995, to Senior Pilot in November 2000 and to Chief Pilot in October 2008.

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 is 107.7 (up 0.3 against yesterday's index).

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (September 3):
      
Reporter: Chief Executive – can you just tell us why you told the business sector that you don’t have a choice to quit? Did you ever try to resign and got rejected by Beijing? If not, why did you say you don’t have a choice? And my second question concerning the Reuters report, because there are now some rumours and allegations that it’s you or someone from your Government that leaked all these details to the media on purpose in a bid to try to sway public opinions or even shift the blame to Beijing, can you just clarify whether it’s something that you are trying to achieve?
 
Chief Executive: First of all, in very clear and strong terms, I have to refute the second point. I was, and am still, very disappointed that my remarks in a totally private, exclusive session, a lunch actually, which clearly is subject to Chatham House Rules, had been recorded and then passed to the media. I think this is quite unacceptable. To further suggest or allege that myself or the Government have any role to play in this thing is absolutely unfounded. That point has to be made extremely clear.
 
     On the first point about resignation, I said on several occasions previously and also reaffirmed by my colleagues in the Chief Executive’s Office in response to media enquiry that throughout this period – that is from the very beginning till now – I have never, I have never tendered a resignation to the Central People’s Government. I have not even contemplated to discuss a resignation with the Central People’s Government. The choice of not resigning is my own choice. If you want to understand, in a private session I just attempted to explain that as an individual, given the very difficult circumstances, it might have been an easy choice to leave. But I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong, to help Hong Kong in a very difficult situation and to serve the people of Hong Kong. That remains my position. I know it is not going to be an easy path and that’s why I said that I have not given myself the choice to take an easier path – and that is to leave. I’d rather stay on and walk this path together with my team and with the people of Hong Kong.
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, why won’t China let you resign? The audio recording, whether it was meant to be public or not, it was made. They were your words. They were your remarks. You said if you had a choice you would quit. So why won’t China let you resign?
 
Chief Executive: The simple and straight answer to your question is, I have never tendered any resignation to the Central People’s Government, so your question does not arise. I have never tendered any resignation.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) 

     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that occurred in Chai Wan this afternoon (September 3) in which a man died.
      
     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.

     The Land Registry today (September 3) released its statistics for August 2019.
 
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in August was 5,159 (-19.1 per cent compared with July 2019 and -22.9 per cent compared with August 2018)

* The 12-month moving average for August was 6,016 (2.1 per cent below the 12-month moving average for July 2019 and 21.0 per cent below that for August 2018)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in August was $42.4 billion (-21.4 per cent compared with July 2019 and -30.4 per cent compared with August 2018)

* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 4,084 were for residential units (-15.0 per cent compared with July 2019 and -15.3 per cent compared with August 2018)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $36.6 billion (-17.0 per cent compared with July 2019 and -21.8 per cent compared with August 2018)

     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.

     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.

     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
 
Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in August was 420,764 (-8.5 per cent compared with July 2019 and -12.1 per cent compared with August 2018)

     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.